Vang Church

Vang Church (Vang kirke) is an octagonal stone church in Ridabu, in Hamar Municipality, Innlandet county, eastern Norway. It seats around a thousand people, and locals call it "Hedmarkskatedralen", the Hedmark Cathedral. It stands at the heart of the old Vang parish, which was merged into Hamar in 1992.

What does Vang Church look like?

The present building is laid out as an octagon, which sets it apart from the rectangular and cross-shaped churches common in Norway. It is built of stone and was completed in 1810. The design came from Abraham Pihl, who was also the local parish priest. That explains the church's second, less common name, "Abrahams Minde", or Abraham's Memory. Bishop Frederik Julius Bech consecrated it on 30 November 1810. The church was remodelled in 1877 and restored in 1954.

What is the history of the site?

The first church here dates to around 1200 and was a Romanesque stone building. It was known as Klemenskirka because it was dedicated to St Clemens. After Hamar was destroyed in 1567, it also served as the town's parish church.

The medieval church stood until 8 July 1804, when lightning struck and fire broke out. Some furnishings were saved, but the building was destroyed, leaving only the walls and the base of the tower. A new church followed within a few years and opened in 1810.

The name Vang first appears in documents in 1395, and the area was long known as Ridabu. Until 1992 Vang was its own municipality, and this church was its main place of worship.

Why does the church matter in Norwegian history?

In 1814 the church served as an electoral church. Electors for the Constituent Assembly (Riksforsamling), which drafted the Norwegian constitution, were chosen here. It is one local trace of the events through which Norway gained its independent constitution.

In 1961 Ingrid Bjerkås was ordained in Vang Church, the first woman priest in the Church of Norway. The event matters not only for Norwegian Lutheran clergy but for wider debates on women's roles in Northern European churches.

Who is this place for?

The church is worth a visit if you are interested in:

• early 19th-century church architecture and unusual octagonal plans,
• Norwegian history around 1814,
• the history of the Church of Norway and women in the clergy,
• the quiet surroundings of Hamar on Lake Mjøsa.

It is an active parish church, so access to the interior depends on services and parish events. Check current opening hours with the parish before you go.

Frequently asked questions

When was the current Vang Church built? It was completed in 1810 and consecrated on 30 November that year.

Who designed it? Abraham Pihl, the local parish priest.

What happened to the earlier church? The medieval church was destroyed by fire after a lightning strike on 8 July 1804.

Is this the same as other churches called Vang? No. Several Norwegian churches share the name. This one is in Ridabu, Hamar Municipality, and should not be confused with the church in Vang Municipality, also in Innlandet.

Why is it called the Hedmark Cathedral? It is a popular nickname reflecting its size and standing in the Hedmark region.

What does it commemorate? Among other things, the 1814 elections and the 1961 ordination of Norway's first woman priest.