Gløshaug Church

Gløshaug Church is a red wooden church in the village of Gartland, in Grong Municipality, Trøndelag county, central Norway. It was built in 1689 in the long church style. It is one of two churches in the Harran parish, part of the Namdal deanery in the Diocese of Nidaros. It seats about 100 people, which makes it a small rural place of worship rather than a grand monument.

What is a long church, and why visit this one?

The long church is a plain building type that was common in 17th-century Norway: an elongated body, a single nave and a clearly separated chancel. Gløshaug is a well-preserved example. Outside, the red timber walls stand out against the green valley. Inside, the bare, unpainted log walls and much of the original furnishings survive, so visitors get a real sense of what an old country parish looked like.

What is the history of the site?

The spot was in use as a holy place long before the present building. According to Norwegian local-history sources, a stave church stood here earlier, dated by tree-ring analysis to 1155. Parts of it, including a sill beam and several staves, were found beneath the current church. The site was also a meeting place between South Sami people and Norwegians, used for trade and worship.

In February 1689, Provost Peder Resen applied to pull down the old, dilapidated stave church. Permission was granted and work on the new church began the same year. A few sources give the date as around 1690, but 1689 is the usual figure.

How did the church escape demolition?

In 1874 a new parish church opened at Fiskem, and tearing down Gløshaug to salvage the materials was considered. That was prevented by a Welsh sport fisherman, Thomas Merthyr Guest, who bought the building. After his death in 1904 his widow owned it, and in 1908 she transferred it to Helmer P. Gartland, owner of the farm on whose land it stands. It later passed to the Harran parish council.

What can you see inside?

• unpainted timber walls,
• galleries from the 1820s,
• a crucifix from the 13th century,
• altarpiece doors from a late medieval altar.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Gløshaug Church? In Gartland, Grong Municipality, Trøndelag, Norway, at roughly 64.53 N, 12.40 E.

When was it built? In 1689, on the site of an earlier 12th-century stave church.

How many people does it hold? About 100.

Which parish does it belong to? The Harran parish, in the Namdal deanery of the Diocese of Nidaros, Church of Norway.

Is it worth the trip? Yes, if you like old wooden churches, South Sami history and quiet places off the main tourist routes. A visit is short, but the bare timber interior and its old fittings feel authentic. Check beforehand whether the church is open to visitors, since as a working parish church its access hours may be limited.