Rugsund church

Infobox church
name = Rugsund Church
fullname = "Rugsund kyrkje / Rugsund kirke"
color =

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imagesize =
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denomination = Church of Norway
diocese = Bjørgvin
parish = Davik
division =
subdivision = Rugsund
founded_date =
founder =
architect = Hans Linstow
style = Wood "langkirke"
constructed_date = 1838
dedicated_date =
closed_date =
demolished_date =
location = Rugsund, Bremanger
country = flag|Norway
website = [http://www.bremangerkyrkja.no Rugsund Church]

Rugsund church "(Rugsund kyrkje)" is a wooden "long church" in Rugsund in the municipality of Bremanger, Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The church is a part of the Davik prestegjeld in the Nordfjord deanery of the Diocese of Bjørgvin.cite web|url=http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/nrk_sogn_og_fjordane/fylkesleksikon/1134803.html|title=Rugsund stort kyrkjesokn i gamal tid|publisher= [http://www.nrk.no NRK.no] |date=2007|accessdate=2008-09-28 no icon]

Rugsund church is located on the farm of Hessevågen on the mainland side of Rugsund in the municipality of Bremanger. The church has a seating capacity of 400, and was consecrated on 2 September 1838. It was built according to the standard designs made by the architect Hans Ditlev Franciscus Linstow. Rugsund church is the main church for the Rugsund "sokn" (sub-parish) in the Davik parish. The church building was remodeled in 1912.cite web|url=http://www.sffarkiv.no/sffbasar/default.asp?p=result&db=dbatlas_leks&spraak_id=2&ptype=single&art_id=14771|title=Rugsund church|publisher= [http://www.sffarkiv.no Sogn og Fjordane Arkiv] |date=2000|author=Aaraas, Margrethe & Venden, Sigurd|accessdate=2008-09-27 no icon]

History

There has been a church in Rugsund (on the island of Rugsundøya) since the 1200s. The first church was a stave church that was replaced in 1650. The present church building was constructed in 1838 after the previous one burned down. The church in Rugsund has a long history, but the church carrying this name today was erected at a different site than the earlier Rugsund churches. When the former church burned down, it had for a long time been a problem that the graveyard at Rugsundøya had such a shallow layer of soil. This was an important reason why a new graveyard and church site was moved to the mainland. As a matter of fact, the soil conditions were so bad at the earlier church site that funeral parties transported masses of soil by boat to the graveyard.

The beautiful location of the previous church on the point above the harbour was a navigational landmark for ships. When the present church was to be built, people demanded a similarly beautiful location. At Rugsund, the church was centrally located with the main entrance facing the sea, and with an excellent view from the church steps across the sound to the island. The churchyard encircles the church, and furthest down to the sea, there is a stately gate that the seafarers in earlier times walked through on their way to church. This was also the place where the vicar went ashore when he came by boat from Davik.

References

Norway-struct-stub