Hol Church
The church was built in 1924 and is the largest church in the municipality, with room for 500 people. It has beautiful stained glass windows.
The altar was painted by Hans Brusletto. The church was designed by architect O. Stein, and some elements, such as the ridge of the roof, the tower and the roundabout to the east, are reminiscent of the old church in the center of Hol.
Quote from Hallingdølen local newspaper
Published on September 30, 2024, written by Sigmund Krøvel-Velle.
Headline: "The Rich Uncle and the Church." You can thank a wealthy uncle for the fact that Hol Church can now celebrate its 100th anniversary. The municipality itself was broke.
Emigration
The large emigration from Hol in the 1800s created many kind uncles over there. The people of Hol made their way and sent generous monetary gifts back home to relatives and family. And one particularly kind uncle emerged.
Will
Halvor T. Rue (b. 1843) emigrated to the USA in 1870 and became a successful businessman in Minnesota and North Dakota. Halvor’s health was declining, and at some point, he decided it was time to write a will. It was likely just in time; the will was written in the spring of 1915, and he passed away on June 3 of the same year. It is known that Rue made several trips back to Hol during his lifetime, and his contact with the locals made him aware that building a new church was an important issue for many. In that regard, they were not disappointed.
A Million-Krone Gift
It turned out that he was more than generous toward his hometown. He donated a gift of 125,000 kroner to Hol municipality, equivalent to 7.5 million today. Of this, 25,000 kroner (1.25 million today) was to be used for building a new main church, 10,000 for a new town hall, 40,000 for the poor in retirement homes, and 50,000 for a fund for the needy.
Between East and West
He also decided where the church should be located: at the crossroads between eastern and western Hol. At that time, there were plans to create a municipal center for Hol there. And that’s where the church stands today, as a welcoming gateway to Hol municipality. When it was completed in 1924, it was the largest wooden building for miles around, with space for 400 parishioners, featuring an altarpiece by Hans Brusletto and stained glass windows by Thorvald Ravn.
Read the full report at Hallingdølen.no
Quote from Hallingdølen local newspaper
Published on September 30, 2024, written by Sigmund Krøvel-Velle.
Headline: "The Rich Uncle and the Church." You can thank a wealthy uncle for the fact that Hol Church can now celebrate its 100th anniversary. The municipality itself was broke.
Emigration
The large emigration from Hol in the 1800s created many kind uncles over there. The people of Hol made their way and sent generous monetary gifts back home to relatives and family. And one particularly kind uncle emerged.
Will
Halvor T. Rue (b. 1843) emigrated to the USA in 1870 and became a successful businessman in Minnesota and North Dakota. Halvor’s health was declining, and at some point, he decided it was time to write a will. It was likely just in time; the will was written in the spring of 1915, and he passed away on June 3 of the same year. It is known that Rue made several trips back to Hol during his lifetime, and his contact with the locals made him aware that building a new church was an important issue for many. In that regard, they were not disappointed.
A Million-Krone Gift
It turned out that he was more than generous toward his hometown. He donated a gift of 125,000 kroner to Hol municipality, equivalent to 7.5 million today. Of this, 25,000 kroner (1.25 million today) was to be used for building a new main church, 10,000 for a new town hall, 40,000 for the poor in retirement homes, and 50,000 for a fund for the needy.
Between East and West
He also decided where the church should be located: at the crossroads between eastern and western Hol. At that time, there were plans to create a municipal center for Hol there. And that’s where the church stands today, as a welcoming gateway to Hol municipality. When it was completed in 1924, it was the largest wooden building for miles around, with space for 400 parishioners, featuring an altarpiece by Hans Brusletto and stained glass windows by Thorvald Ravn.
Read the full report at Hallingdølen.no