Brønnøy Church
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We are now passing Brønnøy Church, one of the most prominent buildings in Brønnøysund. It was built in 1870, constructed in stone on the foundations of earlier churches that have stood here since the 1100s. Throughout the centuries, the church has served as an important gathering place for people along the Helgeland coast. On the opposite side, you can see the old vicarage. Brønnøysund has long been known as a lively trading post and a natural stop for both road and sea travelers along the coast. But the history of this place stretches much further back—more than 10,000 years—and already in Viking times, the sound here was a natural crossroads along the coastal route. The name Brønnøysund comes from the old days, when this really was an island. Seafarers knew they could find spring water—brønn—on the islands around the sound. Hence the name: Brønn – øy – sund, meaning “well – island – sound.” Later, the shallow area between the island and the mainland was filled in, and today the former island is classified as a peninsula.