User:AndersLeo/sandbox/Eidsberg Church Translation

Eidsberg Church (Norwegian: Eidsberg kirke or Østfold-domen) is a parish church located at Eidsberg in Viken county, Norway. The Church is located down to the river Glomma by the side of the County Road 124. Eidsberg Church is associated with the Østre Borgesyssel deanery of the Diocese of Borg.

The Eidsberg Church was the site of the first recorded ski jump in modern history, when officer Olaf Rye made a 9.5-meters long jump at an unspecified location in its vicinity in November 1808.

Eidsberg church is consecrated to St. Olav who is depicted on a stone sculpture over the entrance to the church. It is the only one of the village's medieval churches to have been preserved. The church was constructed of stone and was probably built in the latter half of the 12th century in Romanesque style. The church was damaged in a fire around 1420. During the period 1880 - 1881, an extensive reconstruction of the church was carried out. Architect Paul Due provided the design resulting in the church having a Neo-Gothic cruciform style. There was an additional restoration during the 1920s and between 1959-1960.

History
Predating the current Gothic church was most likely a Romantic-style church. Findings of granite ashlar in the tower and nave walls in the current structure imply that the church was constructed in middle of the 12th century. Rygge Church in the same county provides some indications of that church's appearance. From the older church, a type of ashlar with built-in checkerboard patterning and another ashlar with the runic inscription "Odinkar" have been identified. This name is uncommon in Norway, but is more typically recognized in Denmark. The name may be a reference to the bishop Odinkar in Ribe, whom Olaf II called upon to operate missionary work in Viken, where checkerboard ashlar is also found. Additionally, a tympanum piece with a deer with a cross between its horns on the right side has also been preserved. The older church was partially covered with granite ashlar, but the initial building plans of this church are not known. The Romantic church was demolished around the middle of the 13th century and replaced with a church with a Western steeple, nave and choir. The Gothic church that replaced the Romantic one was built around 1250 and 1260.

The tower's eastern wall features fire-damaged stones and the presence of a layer of charcoal and soot 1.15 meters under the floors of the steeple base suggest that the church burned in the Middle Ages, around 1420.

The church underwent several reparations in the 17th century, including the roofs of the steeple, nave and choir, as well as the ceilings and walls.

In 1700, a sacristy was constructed on the northern side of the church's choir.

In 1722, Eidsberg Church was acquired by a private owner. The reason for this was the poor economic condition of the Norwegian crown after the Great Northern War that began at the beginning of the 18th century. In the turbulent year of 1814, the church was used as a stable and munitions depot by Swedish forces for a period of time. In 1848, after over a century of private ownership, the church was finally returned to the state when Eidsberg municipality purchased it back.

At the end of the 19th century, several changes were made to the parish countryside in Eidsberg. In 1878, both Trømborg and Hærland Churches were constructed, and with Eidsberg Church's poor conditions, requests were made for repairs there as well. After a proposal to replace the church with a wooden church failed with a 29-3 vote in the municipal council, it was decided that a larger renovation would be started according to blueprints created by architect Paul Due.

The reconstruction, which was carried out between 1880 and 1881, was very exhaustive, and would not have been approved by today's standards. The church went from being an aisleless church to a [|Cruciform church]. The choir and parts of the nave were demolished and replaced with a crossbar in addition to a much shorter choir, with sacristies on each side. The steeple was also rebuilt. The work was carried out with modern tiling and the church was given a Gothic/neo-Gothic style.

Between 1958 and 1961, another expansive renovation project was carried out, but not as dramatic as the one carried out at the end of the 19th century. In addition to a a general internal refurbishment and repair, a number of archaeological excavations were carried out. In 1968, the roof was repaired, although in 1981, it became necessary to renovate the church's exterior through sand-blasting and painting, along with replacing all zinc fittings with copper. Verger Erik Karlsen was given the responsibility for carrying out the tinsmith work.

For the church's 750-year anniversary in 2000, the church acquired a new 25-toned organ.

Exterior and Interior
The entrance of the church features a portal. The portal consists of dried and hardened soapstone from Indre Østfold. Two figures have been engraved into the pillars supporting the uppermost arc of the portal such that it appears to be held up by two humans that represent sin and unchristianness. . A figure of St. Olav is engraves above the portal, whom the church is devoted to. Two crosses can be seen on the left side of the portal. The portal dates back to the latter half of the 13th century. Within the church itself, the remnants of a re-bricked side portal can be seen, which was discovered first in 1959 during renovation work.

An original window can be seen above the portal, to which stained glass made by glass-maker Haugland was added under the restoration during the 1960s. This stained glass-work was delivered as a testamentary gift from the crofter Julius Johansen Skaltorp, who wished that the porch, where the coffins of the poor were temporarily stored before burial, would be adorned.

To the right of the portal,

Tenor kirkeruin
The ruins of Tenor chapel (Tenor kirkeruin i Eidsberg) are located north of Eidsberg church. This medieval chapel was built of brick and macadam in the late 1200s as an annex to Eidsberg church. The chapel was closed in 1536 and stood deserted from about 1560. The chapel is mentioned in 1619 by Bishop Niels Simonsen Glostrup who says that the chapel is closed. As late as the early 1700s, most of the walls were still standing. The ruins were excavated between 1952 and 1956 by Bernt C. Lange and Håkon Christie. A new chapel was constructed during 1932.

Church Interior
Only the baptismal font dating from the 1200s retains the original medieval decor. It is of soapstone and shaped like a cup. The altarpiece was donated to the church in 1651, and was performed by craftsman Christopher Ridder (d.1695), who also designed the pulpit. The pulpit is made of oak with figures of Christ and the Evangelists in portal fields. The altarpiece is a baroque style rendering of the Crucifixion of Jesus.

Other sources

 * Pettersen, Tore Steinar (2008) Kirker i Østfold, Borg bispedømme  (Tindlund Forlag, Fredrikstad)  ISBN 978-82-92923-09-2.
 * Rasmussen, Alf Henry ( 1993) Våre kirker. Norsk kirkeleksikon (Vanebo forlag, Kirkenær)  ISBN 82-75-27022-7.