Hólar Cathedral

Hólar Cathedral (Icelandic: Hóladómkirkja) is a Church of Iceland cathedral church located in Hólar, Iceland. The church is the official church of the Bishop of Hólar, currently Solveig Lára Guðmundsdóttir.

Hólar Cathedral
Hóladómkirkja
65°44′00″N 19°06′50″W
LocationHólar
CountryIceland
DenominationChurch of Iceland
Previous denominationCatholic Church
ChurchmanshipEvangelical Lutheran
WebsiteCathedral Website
History
StatusActive
Founded1050
Founder(s)Oxa Hjaltasonar
Consecrated20 November 1763
Architecture
Functional statusCathedral church
Years built1757-1763
Groundbreaking1757
Specifications
Spire height27 m (88 ft 7 in)
Administration
DioceseHólar
Episcopal areaIceland
DeanerySkagafjordur
ParishHólar
Clergy
Bishop(s)Solveig Lára Guðmundsdóttir
Pastor(s)Gylfi Jónsson þjónar
Laity
Organist(s)Jóhann Bjarnason Nátthaga

History

The Cathedral lost its cathedral status in 1801 when the Diocese of Hólar was dissolved and amalgamated in the united Diocese of Iceland. It became a cathedral once more in 1909 when the diocese was re-established, this time as a suffragan see, with the bishop of Hólar being the suffragan bishop to the Bishop of Iceland.

The present church stands in the place of 6 other previous churches, the first one built in 1050 by Oxa Hjaltasonar. The second was built between 1050 and 1106. The third built after 1106 by Bishop Jón Ögmundsson. The fourth was built around 1300 by Bishop Jörundur Þorsteinsson while the fifth one was built around 1394 by Bishop Pétur Nikulásson. The sixth was constructed by Halldóru Guðbrandsdóttur around 1627, it being the first Lutheran church since the reformation. The final and present church was built between 1757 and 1763 through the initiatives of Bishop Gísli Magnússon. The cathedral was consecrated on November 20, 1763.[1]

Tower

The church building never had a steeple however a tower was built in 1950 adjacent to the church as a memorial to the last catholic bishop of Hólar Jón Arason and his two sons who were killed in 1550 as a result of their opposition to the reformation.[2]

See also

References
  1. "Kirknatal Hóladómkirkja – núverandi kirkja", Holar Cathedral. Retrieved on 15 August 2017.
  2. "Holar Cathedral", Nordic Adventure Travel. Retrieved on 15 August 2017.
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