Johanneskirken

The Church of St John, in Bergen

The Church of St John, or Johanneskirken, is a great Protestant church of red brick, the tallest of Bergen. The Bergen audio-guided tour stops here, with respect, to evoke this neo-Gothic sanctuary of the end of the nineteenth century, which dominates the town with its slender silhouette.

The tallest church of the town

You see it from the bottom of the street, standing out in the sky in its fine red colour: here is the Protestant Church of St John, Johanneskirken in Norwegian. This church was built in the 1890s, at the end of the nineteenth century, in a neo-Gothic style then very fashionable for religious buildings. Built of red brick, it stands out by its high slender spire, that makes of it the tallest church of Bergen and one of the most visible landmarks of the town, perched on a height. Its silhouette dominates the urban landscape and lets itself be admired from afar. Inside, in an atmosphere conducive to contemplation, the church reveals a vast volume, vaults, coloured stained-glass windows and an organ, in the careful style of the religious architecture of this era. A Lutheran place of worship, the majority confession in Norway, it testifies to the spiritual life of the town and to the rise of Bergen in the nineteenth century. Its remarkable architecture and its dominant position make of it one of the emblematic monuments of the town. A neo-Gothic sanctuary and a landmark of the town, the Church of St John is discovered with respect.

What to see

You admire, with respect, the great Protestant church of red brick built in the 1890s in neo-Gothic style, whose high slender spire makes of it the tallest church of Bergen and one of the most visible landmarks of the town, perched on a height; inside, vaults, coloured stained-glass windows and organ testify to the Lutheran spiritual life. The Church of St John is a landmark of Bergen. It is a stop to be discovered with respect.

Practical information

The Church of St John lies on a height of the centre of Bergen, reachable on foot. A place of worship, it can be visited with respect for services; entry is generally free, but hours vary. It is best to check them before coming and to respect the sacred character of the place.

Why is the Church of St John of Bergen remarkable?

Because it is the tallest church of Bergen: built in the 1890s in neo-Gothic style and red brick, its high slender spire, perched on a height, makes of it one of the most visible landmarks of the town; inside, it reveals vaults, coloured stained-glass windows and organ, and testifies to the Lutheran spiritual life of the town.

Where is the Church of St John in Bergen?

On a height of the centre of Bergen, in Norway.