Holsen by Holsavatnet: Church and Building History

Holsen between the Church and Holsavatnet

Holsen can be understood through several buildings and their different stories. Holsen Church stands by Holsavatnet; nearby are Holsen Prayer House and Stabburet at Fletene. Together, these places take you through church, building and everyday history. The focus is not only on dates: the church preserves evidence of different ecclesiastical periods, Stabburet points to food storage and protective beliefs, and the prayer house has a history as a schoolhouse.

Holsen Church and Its History

Holsen Church is a wooden long church with 200 seats. Its appearance is symmetrical, with the tower centrally positioned. The plans were drawn up by architect Jacob Wilhelm Nordan. Provost Johan Christie consecrated the church on December 11, 1861. This date is part of the longer history of the church site: Holsen was first mentioned as an old church site in 1360. One of the last stave churches in Sunnfjord also stood in Holsen; it was demolished sometime after 1722.

The 1861 consecration is also connected with a musical history. Ola Nilssen Haarklou, the father of composer Johannes Haarklou, formed a choir for the occasion. It is considered probably the first choir in Sunnfjord. The qualification is important: its regional precedence is described as probable, not as a certainty.

Holsen Church also houses a brass baptismal bowl dated 1620. The door from the former stave church hangs in the stairway to the church loft. The two pieces point to different periods: the baptismal bowl bears its own date, while the door is connected with the older church building. These interior details thus complement the building history of the wooden long church, without being equated with its construction period.

Stabburet and Holsen Prayer House

Stabburet at Fletene in Holsen is considered the oldest registered medieval house in Førde. The year 1524 is carved into one of its beams; it is also probably considered the oldest farmhouse in Førde. It served as a storehouse for grain, flatbread, other baked goods and salted meat. Several tar crosses on the building were intended to protect these supplies from evil spirits. This house is notable both for its classification and carved date, and for its former function.

Holsen Prayer House stands on the north side of Holsavatnet, about one kilometre from Holsen Church. It was completed in 1908 and originated as an older schoolhouse: the building was constructed in Svåra in 1862 and moved from there. The interior of the prayer house includes a painting of Jesus walking on water, embroidered Bible verses and an appliquéd textile with a star motif. Unlike the church, with its long ecclesiastical history, the prayer house also tells of a former school building and its relocation.

The Lake and Historical Connections

Holsavatnet is more than a point of reference for the location of the buildings. Open-water competitions in Sunnfjord began in Holsavatnet in 2022 and were held every year through 2025.

Holsen offers several distinct points of interest: the church’s design and furnishings, the former stave church, Stabburet and its storage function, and the prayer house with its schoolhouse history. If you are looking for a destination connected with church and building history, Holsen offers tangible historical points of interest around Holsavatnet.

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