Manglerud Church

Manglerud Church (Norwegian: Manglerud kirke) is a parish church in Oslo, built in the early 1960s for the residents of the Manglerud district. It was designed by architect Carl Corwin and is a functionalist building, with concrete walls, a slate saddle roof, a tall and steeply pitched interior, and a slender bell tower that stands apart from the main building.

Where is Manglerud Church?

The church sits in south-eastern Oslo, directly above the E6 highway and the metro line at Ryen Station. It stands on the south side of the highway on higher ground, so it is easy to spot from below. The tall roof and the separate bell tower make its outline easy to recognise from metro trains and from the road. Getting there by public transport is simple, since the metro station is right next door.

When was it built?

The Manglerud parish was split off from Østre Aker at the start of 1959. Before it had its own church, the congregation met in the Breidablikk building on Høyenhallsveien, owned by the KFUK-KFUM youth organisations. Construction ran from 1962 to 1963, and the church was consecrated in December 1963. The Bishop of Oslo, Johannes Smemo, led the service on the second Sunday of Advent.

What is inside?

The main church seats 400 people. An adjoining church hall holds 200, and a smaller hall holds 50. The building also includes a small chapel, a baptismal sacristy and a youth activity room. Corwin designed more than the building itself: he also shaped the pulpit and the baptismal font. In the choir area, a window about 15 metres tall draws the eye. The 32-stop pipe organ was built by J. H. Jørgensen Orgelfabrik.

What is the neighbourhood like?

Manglerud was built up mostly between 1952 and 1963 as one of Oslo's post-war satellite districts. The church was completed at the end of that period and became a gathering place for the local community. Today it serves as the parish church of the Manglerud congregation, and its halls are used for parish gatherings of various kinds.

Frequently asked questions

Is Manglerud Church a parish church? Yes. It is the parish church of the Manglerud congregation in Oslo.

How many people does it hold? The main church has 400 seats. Together with the 200-seat hall and the 50-seat hall, the complex offers about 650 places.

Who designed it? Architect Carl Corwin, who also designed the pulpit and the baptismal font.

How do I get there? The easiest way is the metro to Ryen Station. The church lies close by, above the E6 highway and the tracks.

What stands out from the outside? The tall, steep slate roof and the slender bell tower standing separately from the nave.

When was it consecrated? In December 1963, on the second Sunday of Advent.