Liam Mooney
As the Christian faith first came to Norway in the 9th century, the polytheistic pagan religion was challenged by the monotheistic beliefs of Christianity and new values such as the concept of sin and the mystical idea of the trinity. The stone churches we visited were built throughout the 11th and 12th century, requiring the skills of workers from the south who were handsomely paid. With this in mind, we knew that whenever we saw a stone church, there must have been a large source of wealth nearby that was able to fund such an expensive project at the time. By scouting the architecture of the churches and exploring their interiors, we picked up on how to distinguish the features of both romanesque and gothic styles indicated by the size and shapes of windows, pillars, arches, thickness of walls and such.
As the Christian faith first came to Norway in the 9th century, the polytheistic pagan religion was challenged by the monotheistic beliefs of Christianity and new values such as the concept of sin and the mystical idea of the trinity. The stone churches we visited were built throughout the 11th and 12th century, requiring the skills of workers from the south who were handsomely paid. With this in mind, we knew that whenever we saw a stone church, there must have been a large source of wealth nearby that was able to fund such an expensive project at the time. By scouting the architecture of the churches and exploring their interiors, we picked up on how to distinguish the features of both romanesque and gothic styles indicated by the size and shapes of windows, pillars, arches, thickness of walls and such.
The importance of attending church was
deeply instilled in these men, women, and children of the past for reasons
other than just worshipping god and practicing religion. A prime example of
this was at Gildeskål (building of the association), where farmers, fishermen,
and members of the outlying communities would unite to trade goods and work
together in this central location overlooking the coast and mountains. The evolution
of Norway’s trade and economy could largely be due to this historic value of
attending church. With no expedited method of communication, families would
devote days out on sea to make the journey, relying on the weekly gathering to
remain connected to the community – a concept that I feel is easy to overlook
as young people in our modern day world with instantaneous global
communication.
The
medieval-aged churches of Nordland all serve as sacred locations in the
community, characterized by their steeples shooting vertically up towards God
and the sky. The design of the interior, specifically the separation between
alter and nave, allow for echoes to resonate and create a powerful vibe. Even the
ceiling at Herøy Church is painted as the great big sky, linking the members of
the church beneath it to the heaven that Christianity worships. Since Norway’s history
is only backed by a very little amount of sources, a journey through these
churches helps to inspire contemplation of the past.
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