Kragerø Church

Kragerø Church is a whitewashed stone church sitting above the harbour on a rocky promontory, dating from the early 19th century in its current form, though a church has stood on this site since medieval times. It is the parish church for the town and a modest but pleasing example of Norwegian coastal ecclesiastical architecture, with a simple interior and good views over the archipelago from the churchyard.

The church is easy to find — it is visible from the harbour and the main shopping street below — and is usually open during the day in summer. The graveyard contains the graves of local seafarers and merchants, with carved stone dating back several centuries. A short walk from the church leads to the best viewpoints over the town and islands.

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A story
Edvard Munch spent two summers in Kragerø in 1909 and 1910 while recovering from a breakdown that had hospitalized him in Copenhagen. He rented a house on the island of Skrubben just outside town and painted prolifically — the friezes and landscapes from this period include some of his most luminous work. He called Kragerø "the pearl of the coastal towns," and the light over the archipelago is clearly visible in the paintings he made here.

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