Løken gamle kirkegård

Løken gamle kirkegård (the old churchyard of Løken) is a historic burial ground in the village of Løken, in Aurskog-Høland municipality, Norway. A sacristy from 1789 still stands here, surrounded by many old grave monuments. The site recalls a church that served as the spiritual centre of the area for centuries.

What can you see at the old churchyard in Løken?

The oldest standing building is the sacristy, dated 1789, a remnant of the former church. The church itself is gone, but the sacristy and the numerous grave monuments help you picture how the place once looked. Walking among the graves offers a glimpse of local family names and burial customs in rural Norway.

Just below the churchyard stands a bauta, a standing memorial stone, raised in honour of Colonel Ulrik Christian Kruse. In 1716 he fought bravely against Charles XII during the Great Northern War. It ties this quiet cemetery to the wider history of the region and of Scandinavia.

How old is the churchyard?

The first church at Løken was a stave church from the 1200s. It appears in documents from 1311, 1348 and 1356, which shows its importance in the Middle Ages. The present Løken church, built in 1883, is the third church in the village. It stands roughly 500 metres from the site of the old medieval church.

An estimated 12,000 to 15,000 people may have been buried in the old churchyard, although the exact number is unknown. A figure that large shows how long and how heavily the ground was used by local people.

What is known about the medieval part?

The extent of the medieval churchyard is not known, and it cannot be determined from observing the landscape alone. For that reason the churchyard was laser scanned ahead of a zoning plan for the centre of Løken, and the resulting report was published by the municipality among its cultural heritage planning documents. This shows the site is treated as a valuable monument that must be considered as the village develops.

Who is it for?

The old churchyard suits visitors interested in Norwegian history, local church history and genealogy. It is a quiet stop on a trip through Aurskog-Høland, and it pairs well with a look at the present church from 1883. It is not an attraction with extensive facilities. Its value lies in its history, its calm and the traces of the past visible in stone.

Frequently asked questions

Is the old church still standing? No. Only the sacristy from 1789 remains from the earlier buildings. The current church, built in 1883, stands about 500 metres away.

How many people are buried here? Estimates range from 12,000 to 15,000, but the exact number is unknown.

Who was Colonel Kruse? An officer who fought against Charles XII in 1716. His memorial stone stands just below the churchyard.

How old is the first church at Løken? It dates from the 1200s and is mentioned in documents from 1311, 1348 and 1356.