St. Hallvard's Church and Monastery

St. Hallvard's Church and Monastery (Norwegian: St. Hallvard kirke og kloster) on Enerhaugen in Oslo, Norway, not far from the former medieval St. Hallvard's Cathedral, is the location of the largest current parish of the Catholic Church in Norway. The Catholic parish church for eastern Oslo, it was run by the Franciscans until 1 September 2008.

St. Hallvard's Church and Monastery
St. Hallvard kirke og kloster
59°54′45.55″N 10°46′8.72″E
Location	Enerhauggata 4 Oslo
Country	Norway
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	St. Hallvard (in Norwegian)
History
Status	Parish Church
Dedication	Saint Hallvard
Consecrated	1966
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Administration
Diocese	Oslo
Parish	St. Hallvard
Clergy
Bishop(s)	Bernt Ivar Eidsvig

Architecture

St. Hallvard's monastery and church in Oslo, designed by the architects Lund & Slaatto, has three sections: the monastery, parish offices, and the church, surrounding a circular central nave. The building has three levels, built of brick and concrete exposed both to the interior and exterior.^[1]

The church attracted much attention in academic circles when it was completed in 1966 and won several architectural awards. From the outside the building is square, stern and introspective. But in the heart of building where the church is located, it is circular and packed into the square monastery building. The roof of the church room hangs down and gives the lowest height where it is traditionally highest.

Interior from the church. Church organ above to the left.

In the adjacent, rectangular Santa Maria chapel the sacraments are preserved.

The monastery has a chancery, living rooms and cells. It is now being converted into apartments for Catholic priests.

The parish office section has a vestry, offices for Fransiskushjelpen, a reading room and a meeting room.^[2][3]

References

1. "St. Hallvard kirke og kloster by Sivilarkitekt". MNAL Jon Haug (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 2013-12-27.
2. Kjell Lund and Christian Norberg-Schultz: St, Hallvard kirke og kloster. Arfo forlag (book) (in Norwegian)
3. Book Review Dagbladet (in Norwegian)

External links

• Parish website (in Norwegian)
• St. Hallvard information in english