Stavanger Cathedral

Stavanger, Norway, Norway

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Stavanger Cathedral in Stavanger, Norway, is the country's oldest cathedral and the only one to retain its original medieval architecture while remaining in continuous use since the 1300s. Built between 1125 and 1150 on the orders of King Sigurd I Jorsalfar and bishop Reinald from Winchester, it started as a Romanesque Anglo-Norman structure of sandstone on the site of an earlier church, possibly from the 10th century, and was dedicated to Saint Swithun with relics including his arm. A devastating fire in 1272 led bishop Arne to rebuild the choir in Gothic style from 1276-1303, blending both influences, and it features a 17th-century pulpit by Andrew Smith, stained glass by Victor Sparre, textiles by Frida Hansen, and capitals depicting Ragnarok scenes.