St Mikael’s Catholic Church

We give you a very warm welcome to the world’s most northerly catholic church. You are now standing at the entrance to St. Mikael’s church, where you can see the beautiful mosaics depicting how the church first gained its footing here in the town. The first church was finished in 1885, but as with the rest of the buildings in the centre, it became a tragic victim of Hitler’s scorched earth tactic in the Autumn of 1944. It was a whole 14 years later before the persistent catholic volunteers were allowed to build this beautiful church that was consecrated in 1958. The church was designed in the same functional style as the rest of the reconstructed buildings in the centre, but at the same time was also characterised with both local and catholic symbols. The tower which stretches up towards the sky, has the same shape as the bollards which are used to moor the boats in the harbour, and the beautiful 8-metre-high image which adorns the wall, is the archangel Mikael, who is the patron saint of the catholic Church. The church is also richly decorated inside. The wooden cross was made by the German prisoner of war Georg Wimmer and symbolises God’s good will and atonement. The wall is ornately decorated with mosaics depicting the archangels Mikael and Olav in addition to 15 mysteries relating to the rosary that Jesus wore during the crucifixion. St Mikael’s also has its own website – see the link below: