The case in summary: 44 churches receive close to NOK 100 million from the church preservation fund. Vestland and Rogaland receive the most support, with NOK 29 million and NOK 25 million. Stavanger Cathedral is the church that receives the largest amount. The money will go towards maintenance and repair of the church building, as well as the interior of the church and measures such as climate protection and improvement of the electrical system. The government has set aside NOK 10 billion for the fund. The money will be distributed annually, for between 20-30 years. Already later in the autumn, the next round of applications for the fund will come. The head of the Church of Norway, Olav Fykse Tveit, promises that the money will come as quickly as possible. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – This is very gratifying, and badly needed, says Minister for Children and Families Kjersti Toppe (Sp). Out of a total of 103 applications for grants, it is now clear that 44 churches will receive funds from the newly established church preservation fund. These 44 churches share a total amount of NOK 94 million. The money will, among other things, go towards maintenance and repair of the church building itself, but also the interior of the church or other measures such as climate protection and improving the electrical system. – This is a historic investment in church buildings in Norway, Toppe believes. Minister for Children and Families Kjersti Toppe together with parish priest in Bergen municipality Mette Svanes. Photo: Aleksandr Nedbaev / news Most in the west The counties of Vestland and Rogaland get the most from the pot. Vestland receives NOK 29 million distributed among four churches, while Rogaland receives NOK 25 million from five applications. The parish priest in Bergen municipality, Mette Svanes, rejoices when she is told about the funds they will receive. – I have checked the e-mail perhaps 20 times today early, so we have been waiting anxiously for this, she says. In Bergen, the funds will primarily go towards completing the restoration of the Church of the Holy Cross and starting maintenance work on St. John’s Church. – St. John’s Church is a symbolic building in Bergen, Svanes believes. Photo: Simon Skjelvik Brandseth / news – It is a so-called pot-ready project. St. John’s Church is such a large project that we had to get state permits. That it is coming now is very good, says Svanes. The church in the country that receives the most funds is Stavanger Cathedral with NOK 19.2 million. Large backlog The millions that the churches are now receiving are badly needed, believes Ingeborg Magerøy, section manager of the church section at the National Antiquities Authority. – After many years of maintenance delays at the churches, we have great cultural heritage values that are in danger of being lost if we don’t take care of it, she says. Ingeborg Magerøy is section manager of the church section at the National Archives. Photo: Aleksandr Nedbaev / news In some places, the backlog is so great that churches have had to close while waiting for repairs, she says. With the church preservation fund, she hopes that the churches can now be strengthened. – It is so important to bring the churches up to ordinary maintenance level, and keep them there, says Magerøy. Plaster is sprinkled on the walls of Melhus church, which is also called the Gauldal Cathedral. This church receives NOK 150,000 from the fund this year. Photo: Morten Andersen / news Set of 10 billion It is the municipality that is responsible for the maintenance of the churches, but many places did not stretch the budget. – Many municipalities have made a very big effort, but for some churches the money may come late, but nothing is too late, says Toppe. She believes they have prioritized the churches with the greatest need. Stange church in Innlandet receives half a million kroner from the fund. It is one of four churches in Innlandet that receives funds. Photo: Cornelius Poppe / NTB But it is just under half of the churches that applied for a subsidy, which now receive it. A total of 103 applications were received with a total application sum of NOK 566 million. The government has set aside NOK 10 billion for the fund. The idea is that it will be an annual license that will continue for the next decades. This year, close to NOK 100 million was distributed. The government has previously announced a gradual escalation up to 500 million a year. The money comes as dividends from the Swedish Information Agency’s fund and additional allocations from the State Budget. Opening soon for new applications The money will come as quickly as possible, promises President of the Church of Norway, Olav Fykse Tveit. – We must get the money to work quickly, and payment for the first projects takes place as soon as possible, says Fykse Tveit. The Trinity Church in Arendal applied for funds, but did not receive anything from the Church Preservation Fund this time. A new round of applications will open soon. Photo: Erik Wiig Andersen / news The next application round will come later in the autumn. – There is a great need to restore the churches, and I hope for many applications in the next round, he says. Published 05.09.2024, at 06.58
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Norwegian churches fell into disrepair – now 44 churches get NOK 94 million for restoration – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
