by: Larvik & Stavern

The church is located along Helgeroveien, in Larvik municipality.

The church, which was built by Viking chieftains on the Manvik estate in the 12th century, was demolished in 1882 when the new Berg stone church was built. Furthermore, the church was restored in 1970.

Today, Berg stone church is not a parish church in the usual sense, but is still used a lot for special occasions, such as weddings, concerts and services in the summer.

Embedded in the church's wall you will find the church's oldest object: a rune stone from the 12th century. The pulpit in the church dates from 1592. There are 122 places inside the church.

Note: There is neither parking nor toilets on site.

Berg wooden church was built after it was found that Berg stone church was too small and in too bad a condition at the end of the 19th century. The church was designed by architect Johannes H. Nissen, who designed it in the Neo-Gothic style of the time. The interior of the church is bright and friendly, with an open church room supported by internal wooden columns.

The church's altarpiece is from 1580 and originally stood in the Berg stone church. There are 305 seats in the church.

There is parking on site, but no toilet.

The Roman-style stone church is mentioned in writing as early as the year 1080. It was recognized as one of six main churches in the ancient Viken county.

Over the centuries the church has gone through some major changes, but the original nave with its characteristical crooked ground plan has primarily been kept as it was.

A bell from the 1100s is today the oldest relic inside the church, while the impressive renaissance interior can be dated to the late 16th century. 

Also worth mentioning is the fact that there are several old gravestones masoned to the church floor here.

There are 260 seats in the church.

Fredriksvern shipyard and naval base was established in 1750, and the garrison church was established and then inaugurated six years later.

The church was built in rococo style from Dutch brickwork, and it has glazed, dark blue tiles. In the 1880s the church was rejuvenated, and the genuine colours of red and yellow were reinforced.

As the only place of worship in town, the floor in Fredriksvern church is formed as a cross. The church also still has the two-storey altarpiece it got to the inauguration in 1756. There is a hipped end roof in the church.

Above the main entrance the monogram of king Fredrik V. shines in typical rococo style.

There are 350 seats in the church.

Hem church is a medieval stone church, and is believed to be Vestfold's smallest of its kind with 90 seats.

The Gothic and the Roman period are both represented in the architecture of the church.

Her Majesty Queen Sonja showed appreciation for the church by writing a thesis on it during her studies. While working at the thesis, she visited the Lardal village and Hem church several times, and she was invited to the 600-year jubilee of the church in 1992.  

Larvik church was built in 1877 and is situated at Tollerodden in Larvik. The church building is made from polished brick, can seat 450 churchgoers and is famous for its paintings and decorations.

Originally the nave and the choir both had wooden floors, but architect Christian Henrik Grosch changed the exterior and the interior of the church in the mid-1800s. External support pillars were built to strengthen the walls, the roof constructions were renewed and a pulpit was put in the church.

Of the interior the marble font and the pulpit made from wood is especially interesting. The Lucas Cranach (the latter) painting Let the little children come to me, with estimated value of 2 million pounds, was a gift from governor Ulrik Frederik Gyldenløve to Larvik church around 1680.

The church was restored as late as in 1988.