An octagonal church has an octagonal (eight-sided polygon) architectural plan. The exterior and the interior (the nave) may be shaped as eight-sided polygon with approximately equal sides or only the nave is eight-sided supplemented by choir and porch (or narthex) attached to the octagon. This architectural plan is found in some 70 churches in Norway. Among these Hospitalskirken in Trondheim is the oldest. This type of church plan spread from the Diocese of Nidaros to other parts of Norway. Virtually all octagonal churches in Norway are constructed as log buildings mostly covered by clapboards. Some of the largest churches in Norway are octagonal and the list includes important cultural heritage monuments such as Trinity Church (Oslo), Sør-Fron Church, and Røros Church.
HINT:
In this Dossier
- ⭐ Core Definition: Octagonal churches in Norway
- Octagonal churches in Norway in the context of Log building
Octagonal churches in Norway in the context of Log building
Log buildings and structures can be categorized as historic and modern. They are placed in opposition to wooden structures built using frameworks, according to Eugene Viollet-le-Duc. A diverse selection of their forms and styles with examples of architectural elements is discussed in the following articles:
- Log cabin – a rustic dwelling
- Log house – a style and method of building a quality house
- Izba – a type of Russian peasant house, often of log construction. The Cabin of Peter the Great is based on an izba.
- Crib barn – a type of barn built using log cribs
- Some barns are log barns such as the earliest of the Pennsylvania barn types.
- Blockhouse, garrison house – some blockhouse or garrison house structures are tightly fitted timber or stacked plank construction buildings to help withstand an attack.
- Azekurazukuri – a Japanese style of building using triangular log construction
- Some granaries (raccard, stabbur, hórreo) are of log or plank construction.
- The Upper Lusatian house, also called Umgebinde in German, combines timber framing and log building
- Wooden churches in Ukraine – many of the churches are recognized world heritage sites.
- Corner post construction sometimes called post-and-plank – this construction method blurs the line between timber framing and log construction with a frame infilled with logs or planks to form the walls.
- Timber dam – timber crib dams are used to dam rivers.
- Zakopane Style architecture – inspired by the regional art of Poland's highland region known as Podhale uses log construction.
- Hogan – this Native American dwelling evolved to be built of logs.
- Chalet – Originally a dwelling-barn-house type farmhouse typically of timber construction (blockbau)
- Black Forest house – traditional farmhouse type of timber construction
- Octagonal churches in Norway are of log construction, some dating from the 17th century
- For Finnish and German language users see the special type of Finnish log church construction called Tukipilarikirkko or Stützpfeilerkirche