Vartdal church is a long church from 1877 that stands on Øyraneset in Nøre-Vartdal (in Ørsta municipality). It was built in 1876 and consecrated on 8 April 1877 by Laurits Ottesen, dean/senior rector in Southern Sunnmøre Deanery and parish priest in Hjørundfjord. The drawings of the church were made by Wilhelm von Hanno and Heinrich Ernst Schirmer. They were lent from Ørsta church (built 1864). Vartdal church is reduced in length sompared to the church in Ørsta. The same drawings were used for Hareid church, which was built around the same time. The responsible man during the construction of the church was builder Knut L. Stokkeland from Vestnes in Romsdal.

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Due to storm damage, the church had to be reapired, rebuiltand reinforced in 1879. The eastern end had been moved about half a meter on the walls. In that connection, it was fastened in large stones with iron rods up against the raft.

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The newly built church was sparsely decorated. The altarpiece was a simple plate with a golden cross. She was painted by Jørgen Hurlen, who also painted the pulpit. The new altarpiece was painted by Lars Kinsarvik in 1907. He painted a picture of Jesus in prayer. The Bible word under the picture was painted in the Norwegian language Nynorsk. The painting is a reproduction of the altarpiece in St. John's Church in Bergen, painted by Marcus Grønvold in 1894.[1]

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In 1927, Johan Haddal painted the pulpit rose paint with interwoven biblical motifs. In 1938, Jonas Peson painted much of the church. The choir and the entire east wall were decorated with biblical motifs in a fresco-inspired style. In the middle behind the altar, the crucifixion was painted. The altarpiece painted by Kinsarvik was then moved to the south wall, where it still hangs.

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Vartdal church got an organ in 1914. A new organ from Vestre organ factory, Haramsøy, was installed in 1961. It gradually deteriorated, and another new organ (built by Dietrich Johannes Buder) was inaugurated on 19 April 2015. There are 250 seats.

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Tel. +47 700 48 640

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Photo: Ørsta Church