TRETTEN CHURCH

Tretten church

Tretten Church was consecrated on September 12th 1728 and got the name "Our Saviors Church". It replaced a logged church from the 1580's which had become to small. This church was located further up the hillside, nearby the farm known as Prestgården.

Tretten church was build on land belonging to the Mo farm. In the beginning of the 18th century a new main road was build through the valley and the village. Unlike the old pilgrim road the new road followed the valley bottom and as a result the village center moved down the hillside as well. The location of the new church reflected this.

A stone in the church's foundation the following inscription can be seen: "Det er Betel i Den Herres Jesu Nafn Jens Skanke 1727 d 27 May". (It is a house in Lord Jesu Name Jens Skanke 1727 27th May)

Tretten church

When the church consecrated in 1728 it was neither boarded nor painted. The wainscot came in 1747. In 1774 the church was tarred. In 1807 it was painted for the first time, probably in red. The white color it has today came in 1875. In the beginning the church didn't have a proper steeple, only a foundation for the bell. The steeple was erected in 1807 in connection with other work done on the church. The steeple has offered repeated problems since it's erection in 1807. In 2000 extensive damage to the structure was revealed and the steeple was taken down and placed next to the church. Work is in progress to find the necessary capital to restore the church and get the steeple back up.

The old church ledgers show that the roof was slated in 1775. It is not known what kind of roof the church had prior to this. The slated roof was renewed in 1880. Prior to 1874 both external galleries were open. The main gallery to the west had it's entrance from the south until 1928.

Source: Vår Frelsers Kirke på Tretten, Tretten parish council 1978