The Arctic Cathedral

Tromsdalen Church, better known as the Arctic Cathedral, was designed by architect Jan Inge Hovig and inaugurated on 19 November 1965. The church is a distinctive landmark that is visible from a wide area around Tromsø and Tromsdalen.

The building consists of 11 aluminium-coated concrete panels on each side of the roof, giving the church its characteristic appearance. The main entrance is marked by a large glass façade with a prominent cross.

The glass mosaic on the eastern wall was installed in 1972 and was created by artist Victor Sparre. The motif depicts the hand of God, from which three rays of light emerge – one through Jesus, one through a woman and one through a man. The glass mosaic is rich in symbolism and is a central feature of the church interior.

The oak pews, large prism chandeliers, altar rail and pulpit are important elements of the interior. Their design complements the simple and distinctive architecture of the church.

The organ

The church organ was built in 2005 by Grönlunds Orgelbyggeri. It has 42 stops divided across three manuals and a pedal, and is built in a modern style with a French-Romantic influence.

The organ is designed to complement the architecture of the church and can evoke associations with sails and ice floes. It has 2,940 pipes, with the longest measuring 32 feet and the smallest just 5 millimetres. Much of the woodwork is made from solid pine, and the bellows are made from reindeer hide.

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