Strandebarm Church

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Strandebarm Church is a parish church in Kvam Municipality, Vestland, Norway. It belongs to the Church of Norway, in the Bjørgvin Diocese, Hardanger og Voss deanery, Strandebarm parish. The white wooden church was built in 1876 in a long church design, and it was designed by Ole Vangberg. It can seat about 550 people and is still in use today.

History: The parish has had a church since at least 1306. The first church at Strandebarm was probably a wooden stave church built in the 13th century, located about 60 meters west of the present site along the river. A fire in 1659 destroyed the medieval church and nearby farm. A new timber-framed cruciform church was built on the same site between 1659 and 1661. In 1737 the church was sold to Ole Gjerdrum, and later it was bought back by the parish. In 1814 this church served as an election church for Norway’s first national elections to the Constituent Assembly.

By the 1870s the old church was too small. In 1876 a larger white wooden church was built about 60 meters east of the old site, and the old church was torn down after the new one was completed. The new church was consecrated on 18 August 1876 and remains in use today.