Løvøya Chapel

The chapel of Løvøy, dedicated to St Hallvard and St Martin, is also referred to as Løvøy Church, St Hallvard’s church and St Martin’s church. A cell church built in stone between 1250 - 1300. After the reformation in Norway in 1537 the church was left to decay. Only in 1720 the process of refurbishment was planned, although it is hard to say whether the restoration was ever started as the church was in ruins by 1800.

A few meters from the south-eastern corner of the church there was an Olav’s spring which was later moved.

By 1924 a new attempt at restoring the church was made by Gerhard Fischer. The plan was to save the ruins. But in 1935 it was decided to rebuild and return the church to its former glory. The church was reopened to the public in 1950.

The cell church consists of a nave and choir which are equally wide. The interior of the church includes the remnants of a medieval altar in stone. The rest of the inventory dates to 1950-70. The inventory includes a sandblasted pulpit, an altar with a mosaic cross and a baptismal font made of soapstone with relief décor.