Norwegian Church, Cardiff
Encyclopedia
The Norwegian Church in the Cardiff Bay
area of the city of Cardiff
, Wales
, is a historic church building
and formerly a place of worship for the Norwegian
community in Cardiff.
In the 19th century, Cardiff was one Britain's three major ports, along with London
and Liverpool
. The Norwegian merchant fleet at the time was the third largest in the world, and Cardiff became one of the major centres of its operations.
Sjømannskirken
– the Norwegian Church Abroad organization, which is part of the Church of Norway
– followed in its footsteps and established a church in Cardiff Bay
in 1868 to serve the religious needs of Norwegian sailors and expatriates.
Cardiff-born writer Roald Dahl
was baptised in the church.
The building is now used as an arts centre, and is known as the Norwegian Church Arts Centre.
The church was moved as part of the Cardiff Bay
Re-development, having originally been situated where the Wales Millennium Centre now stands.
drama series Torchwood
, "To The Last Man
", had some scenes shot outside the church.
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay is the area created by the Cardiff Barrage in South Cardiff, the capital of Wales. The regeneration of Cardiff Bay is now widely regarded as one of the most successful regeneration projects in the United Kingdom. The Bay is supplied by two rivers to form a freshwater lake round the...
area of the city of Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, is a historic church building
Church Building
The Church Building is located at the corner of Main and Market Streets in downtown Poughkeepsie, New York, United States, just across Market Street from the Dutchess County Court House, and north of the Bardavon Theater...
and formerly a place of worship for the Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
community in Cardiff.
In the 19th century, Cardiff was one Britain's three major ports, along with London
Port of London
The Port of London lies along the banks of the River Thames from London, England to the North Sea. Once the largest port in the world, it is currently the United Kingdom's second largest port, after Grimsby & Immingham...
and Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. The Norwegian merchant fleet at the time was the third largest in the world, and Cardiff became one of the major centres of its operations.
Sjømannskirken
Sjømannskirken
The Norwegian Church Abroad or The Norwegian Seamen’s Church is a religious organisation serving Norwegians and other Scandinavians travelling abroad...
– the Norwegian Church Abroad organization, which is part of the Church of Norway
Church of Norway
The Church of Norway is the state church of Norway, established after the Lutheran reformation in Denmark-Norway in 1536-1537 broke the ties to the Holy See. The church confesses the Lutheran Christian faith...
– followed in its footsteps and established a church in Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay is the area created by the Cardiff Barrage in South Cardiff, the capital of Wales. The regeneration of Cardiff Bay is now widely regarded as one of the most successful regeneration projects in the United Kingdom. The Bay is supplied by two rivers to form a freshwater lake round the...
in 1868 to serve the religious needs of Norwegian sailors and expatriates.
Cardiff-born writer Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer, fighter pilot and screenwriter.Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, he served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence agent, rising to the rank of Wing Commander...
was baptised in the church.
The building is now used as an arts centre, and is known as the Norwegian Church Arts Centre.
The church was moved as part of the Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay is the area created by the Cardiff Barrage in South Cardiff, the capital of Wales. The regeneration of Cardiff Bay is now widely regarded as one of the most successful regeneration projects in the United Kingdom. The Bay is supplied by two rivers to form a freshwater lake round the...
Re-development, having originally been situated where the Wales Millennium Centre now stands.
Popular culture
A 2008 episode of the BBC TelevisionBBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
drama series Torchwood
Torchwood
Torchwood is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. The series is a spin-off from Davies's 2005 revival of the long-running science fiction programme Doctor Who. The show has shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growing audience, moving from...
, "To The Last Man
To the Last Man (Torchwood)
"To the Last Man" is the third episode of the second series of British science fiction television series Torchwood, which was broadcast by BBC Two on 30 January 2008.-Synopsis:...
", had some scenes shot outside the church.
See also
- Norwegian Fishermans' Church, LiverpoolNorwegian Fishermans' Church, LiverpoolNorwegian Fishermans’ Church in Liverpool, England, is one of 29 churches organised by Sjømannskirken , a voluntary organisation serving the religious needs of Norwegians abroad on behalf of the Church of Norway....
- St. Olaves Norwegian Church, RotherhitheRotherhitheRotherhithe is a residential district in inner southeast London, England and part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is located on a peninsula on the south bank of the Thames, facing Wapping and the Isle of Dogs on the north bank, and is a part of the Docklands area...
- Religion in WalesReligion in WalesChristianity is the largest religion in Wales. Until 1920 the established church was Anglican, although Wales has a strong tradition of nonconformism and Methodism....
- Scandinavian churches in London
- Cardiff DocksCardiff DocksCardiff Docks is a port in south Cardiff, Wales. At its peak, the port was one of the largest dock systems in the world with a total quayage of almost...