Norwegian Church, Cardiff
N 51° 27.674 W 003° 09.703
30U E 488765 N 5701130
The Norwegian Church was a Seaman's church, now an 'Arts Centre' it used to stand between the East and West Docks in the Cardiff docklands area, and was relocated in 1987 to the Bay Waterfront Park, Cardiff, South Wales.
Waymark Code: WMPBHW
Location: South Wales, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 08/03/2015
Views: 4
Seamans Mission Lutheran church - The Church of Norway is a Protestant state church, headed by the King of Norway, with the Storting as the supreme legislative body. The Royal Family is obligated to practise the Evangelical-Lutheran religion.
The Norwegian Church is a Grade II listed building in the Cardiff Bay area, The church building was located nearby between the East & West Docks. It was originally built as a place of worship for sailors from Norway when they visited the UK. It was relocated to the Bay Waterfront Park in Cardiff and is now an Arts Centre.
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"As the export of coal from Cardiff docks declined, the Norwegian Ships turned elsewhere for trade and the Norwegian Seaman’s Mission decided to withdraw their mission from the Church in the mid 1960’s. The local congregation and other Lutheran organisations financed its continued use. It remained under this local control until financial constraints caused total closure and de-consecration in 1974.
Without maintenance the building fell into dis-repair and was vandalised. To avoid total destruction when the development of Atlantic Wharf was being undertaken the Church was carefully dismantled in 1987 by The Norwegian Church Preservation Trust. Parts of the interior of the church were rescued and stored. The Trust, in partnership with a Norwegian Support Committee, based in Bergen, raised £250,000 in Wales & Norway to dismantle and re-erect the Church on its present site. The site was provided by Associated British Ports and the building now occupies a very prominent position on the Cardiff Bay Waterfront. The Trusts objectives were to “advance the education of the public, by promoting the permanent preservation and maintenance of the Church as a museum”.
The Norwegian Church was re-opened by Princess Martha Louise of Norway on the 8th of April 1992. Princess Martha Louise is the eldest child of King Harold V and Queen Sonja of Norway. Princess Martha’s great great grandparents were King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra of Britain and the Queen Alexandra Docks within the Port of Cardiff were both named after her and opened by her in 1907." Adapted from: (
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