Nordlyskatedralen Alta kirke (The Cathedral Of Northern Lights Alta Church)

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Nordlyskatedralen Alta kirke (The Cathedral Of Northern Lights Alta Church) is a Church at Markedsgata 30 (Løkkeveien), 9510 Alta, Norway

The Cathedral of the Northern Lights is the main church for the Alta parish and the seat of the Alta deanery, standing in the central part of the town. Built between 2009 and 2013 to a design by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects with Kolbjørn Jenssen of Link Arkitektur, it grew out of an architectural competition launched back in 2001. The striking circular building is made of concrete and wood, clad on the outside in titanium sheets, and rises to a great spiral tower that houses the belfry. Inside, where about 350 worshippers can be seated, the decorations and liturgical furnishings are the work of the Danish artist Peter Brandes. The name honours the aurora borealis that fills the Arctic sky above Alta, though it caused some debate, since katedral properly denotes a cathedral rather than a parish church. It replaced the historic Alta Church as the parish's main church and was consecrated on 10 February 2013 by Bishop Per Oskar Kjølaas, with Crown Princess Mette-Marit in attendance.

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Where to find Nordlyskatedralen Alta kirke (The Cathedral Of Northern Lights Alta Church)?

69°57'54"N, 23°16'3"E

Aurora hunting in Alta?

The aurora season here runs from September to March, with the best chances of seeing the Northern Lights in October, February and March.

What do people think of Nordlyskatedralen Alta kirke (The Cathedral Of Northern Lights Alta Church)?

  • Externally the church resembles a "ziggurat", crowned with a 47-metre spiral spire. This unusual shape was chosen by architects for its resemblance to the undulating flashes of aurora borealis.

    Внешне храм представляет собой "зиккурат", увенчанный 47-метровым шпилем в виде спирали. Столь необычная форма была выбрана архитекторами за сходство с волнообразными всполохами aurora borealis.

    Vladislav S6 January 2015

  • 50 norwegian kroner to enter.. Whoever said religion if for free was seriously mistaken!

    pieter v13 September 2021

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