Stavanger Cathedral is the oldest cathedral in Norway. Originally built in the early 1100s, it has been in continuous use for the last seven centuries.

An architectural heirloom, it’s a medieval-era cathedral that has maintained most of its interior from the time of its construction. Wandering its halls and solid-rock fixtures, one is instantly transported to another time and place – one which seems increasingly hard to believe or recreate.

The cathedral was consecrated to Saint Svitun, the local patron saint who was an early Bishop of Winchester. In 1272, a large fire ravaged Stavanger and the cathedral suffered large-scale damage.

It was later rebuilt under Bishop Arne, and the Romanesque Cathedral was enlarged in the Gothic style, providing a fascinating intersection of architectural eras for those who know where to look and how.

Located in the core of downtown Stavanger, located between the harbor and the city park, Stavanger Cathedral remains the seat of the Diocese of Stavanger to this day, and likely will for centuries to come.

Update as of August 2022: The cathedral is closed until 2023 for restorations.