Reinli Chapel

Reinli Chapel (Reinli kapell) is a wooden parish church of the Church of Norway in the village of Reinli, in Sør-Aurdal Municipality, Innlandet county. It went up in the 1960s as a practical companion to the famous medieval stave church standing across the road.

What is Reinli Chapel?

The chapel serves the Reinli parish, part of the Valdres deanery in the Diocese of Hamar. It is a long church, a simple single-nave plan, built of timber in a brown finish on a timber-frame (bindingsverk) structure. The architect was Kolbjørn Sukke. Depending on the source, it seats roughly 150 to 164 people.

Why was it built next to a historic stave church?

Reinli has had its celebrated stave church for centuries. Buildings like that are beautiful but hard to use day to day, and heating the old timber in winter was a problem. The parish council first discussed a new church in 1948. The royal resolution allowing it came in 1960, construction began in 1963 under master builder Arne T. Langedrag, and the first service was held in 1964. The chapel was consecrated on 26 May 1965.

What can you see here?

The building sits on a slope that was terraced to make room for it. The interior is modest, with one standout feature: a large relief on the altar wall by Gunnar Rørhus, made in 1965. Beside the stave church, the chapel offers a clear contrast, medieval carpentry on one side of the road and functional postwar church architecture on the other.

Planning a visit

Reinli lies in the Valdres valley, in the mountainous south-east of Norway. The easiest way to see the chapel is as part of a visit to the historic stave church, which is a separate building with its own admission arrangements. Because this is a working parish church, the interior is mainly open during services and parish events. It is worth checking opening times with the parish beforehand.

Frequently asked questions

Who designed Reinli Chapel?

Architect Kolbjørn Sukke. Arne T. Langedrag was the master builder.

When was it built?

Construction began in 1963, the first service was held in 1964, and it was consecrated on 26 May 1965.

How many people does it seat?

About 164 according to Wikipedia, and around 150 according to a Norwegian church-database site.

Is it the same as Reinli Stave Church?

No. The stave church is a separate historic building across the road. The chapel was built to take the pressure off it.

What is it made of?

Timber, in a timber-frame construction, in the form of a long church.