
St. Clement's Church Ruins, Oslo
St. Clement's Church was one of the Roman Catholic parish churches of Oslo. Ruins of St. Clement's Church are part of the Medieval Park.
The church was consecrated to St. Clement, who was one of the 1st-century popes. He was martyred by being drowned with an anchor tied around his neck and thus became the patron saint of, among other things, seafarers.
It was a stone church with a tower, and was one of the very few churches with the double-nave floor plan. There were entrances to the south and west. Along the middle axis of the choir there were three pillars which stood in a row along the middle of the church and supported the roof. The church went out of use after the Protestant Reformation and was probably demolished in 1540.
The ruins were first exposed and examined through excavation by architect Gerhard Fischer in 1921, then remained for years unnoticed. In 1970–71, archaeologist Ole Egil Eide had the opportunity to dig further into the ground under the church, and found traces of burials, 81 in all, all of which older than the stone church. Seven layers of burials were found under the stone church.
Beneath the sand layer, Eide found additional 60 graves. His interpretation is that there have been at least two churches, presumably stave churches, on the spot where the stone church was built around 1100. The oldest of the graves were radiological dated to about 980-1030, and were some of the oldest Christian burials found in Norway.
The church was consecrated to St. Clement, who was one of the 1st-century popes. He was martyred by being drowned with an anchor tied around his neck and thus became the patron saint of, among other things, seafarers.
It was a stone church with a tower, and was one of the very few churches with the double-nave floor plan. There were entrances to the south and west. Along the middle axis of the choir there were three pillars which stood in a row along the middle of the church and supported the roof. The church went out of use after the Protestant Reformation and was probably demolished in 1540.
The ruins were first exposed and examined through excavation by architect Gerhard Fischer in 1921, then remained for years unnoticed. In 1970–71, archaeologist Ole Egil Eide had the opportunity to dig further into the ground under the church, and found traces of burials, 81 in all, all of which older than the stone church. Seven layers of burials were found under the stone church.
Beneath the sand layer, Eide found additional 60 graves. His interpretation is that there have been at least two churches, presumably stave churches, on the spot where the stone church was built around 1100. The oldest of the graves were radiological dated to about 980-1030, and were some of the oldest Christian burials found in Norway.
Sight description based on Wikipedia.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Oslo. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from iTunes App Store or Google Play. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
St. Clement's Church Ruins on Map
Sight Name: St. Clement's Church Ruins
Sight Location: Oslo, Norway (See walking tours in Oslo)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Oslo, Norway (See walking tours in Oslo)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Oslo, Norway
Create Your Own Walk in Oslo
Creating your own self-guided walk in Oslo is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Oslo Introduction Walking Tour
Oslo is the capital of Norway. The name "Oslo" means the field below the hill or the field of the Gods. The city's ancient roots can be traced as far back as the year 1000. Back then, the area was known as Viken. By 1300, it had a population of about 3,000 residents. Around that time, King Haakon V ordered the construction of the Akershus Fortress which today is a major city... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
Grunerlokka Walking Tour
Formerly a working-class area, Grunerlokka is now one of Oslo’s hippest neighborhoods, largely owing its status to the late 20th century gentrification process. The district is named after Friedrich Gruner (1628-1674) who served as the chief administrator of Oslo (then Christiania). Today, it represents a fusion of Norwegian and foreign cultures. Other than the local street art, stylish bars,... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Historical Churches Walking Tour
Learn more about the religious life of Oslo by taking this self-guided walking tour of the city’s most important sacred sights. An interesting variety of design, including Protestant and Catholic churches, can be found on this walk.
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
Museum District (Bygdoy) Walking Tour
Also called Oslo's Museum District, Bygdoy is where some of the most visited museums in the city are located, displaying precious items from Norway’s past. Being one of the world’s most northerly nations, Norway has a long history of venturing into the Arctic; Norwegians were also the first to reach the South Pole. On this self-guided walk you will have a chance to learn about the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Old Oslo Walking Tour
The Old Town of Oslo is the oldest urban area within the current capital. This part of the capital of Norway was simply called Oslo until 1925 while the city as a whole was called Kristiania. Oslo's old town was established with the urban structure around the year 1000 and was the capital of Norway's dominion in 1314. The main Old Town area has several ruins of stone and brick lying... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
Traveler's Choice: 15 Norwegian Gifts from Oslo
The Norwegians are strict about gift making and believe that each gift must be equaled with a return one. For this reason, public holidays and birthdays are a very serious business in Norway, with everyone making and receiving gifts. In the spirit of this tradition, you might want to treat your dear...