Ilen Church

Ilen Church (Ilen kirke, also called Ila Church) is a gray stone parish church in the Ila district of Trondheim, Norway. Finished in 1889, it is one of the city's best-known nineteenth-century churches and still serves an active congregation.

Where is Ilen Church?

The church stands in Ila, a part of Trondheim in Trøndelag county, on a narrow isthmus about 250 metres (820 ft) wide. The river Nid runs on one side and the Trondheimsfjord on the other, so the area sits between river and sea. The coordinates are roughly 63.4299, 10.3763. The parish cemetery lies a short distance away at Ilsvika, also in Ila.

How was the church built?

The plans took shape in the 1880s. The graveyard was established in 1883, and a building permit for a church was granted by royal resolution the same year. An architectural competition followed in 1885. The commission went to the Trondheim-based architect Eugene Sissenére, who designed a neo-Gothic building. The local building company of Jacob Digre carried out the construction.

The church has a cruciform plan, with stone walls and a wooden roof. It was consecrated on 7 June 1889. Its organ dates from the year of construction and was made by Claus Jensen, an organ builder from Denmark.

What is the church like inside?

Today Ilen Church seats about 550 people. When it opened, it had room for around 900. The seating was reduced later to meet fire regulations, which is why the present capacity is so much smaller than the original one. The building is protected as a cultural heritage monument and was restored several times during the twentieth century.

Which parish does it belong to?

Ilen is a parish church of the Church of Norway. The Ilen parish belongs to the Heimdal og Byåsen deanery (prosti) in the Diocese of Nidaros, the diocese centred on Trondheim.

Frequently asked questions

When was Ilen Church built? It was finished in 1889 and consecrated on 7 June of that year.

Who designed it? Architect Eugene Sissenére of Trondheim. The builder was the local firm of Jacob Digre.

How many people does it seat? About 550 today. Originally it held about 900.

What style is the church? It is a neo-Gothic stone church built on a cruciform plan, with a wooden roof.

Is it still in use? Yes. It is the church of the Ilen parish in the Church of Norway.

Where exactly is it? In the Ila area of Trondheim, on the isthmus between the river Nid and the Trondheimsfjord.

Visiting

Ilen Church is easy to combine with a walk through Ila and along the nearby river and fjord shores. As a working parish church, its interior is best visited outside services. Check the parish's own notices for opening hours and events before you go, since these can change from week to week.