In the very centre of the town Klaksvík there is a Lutheran church built according to the project of a Danish architect, Peter Koch, in 1963. It was named after the Danish king, Christian X. It’s a great example of Faroese architecture, combining century-long national traditions and worldwide modern trends. The project was inspired by the Medieval Faroese churches, but in comparison to them, Christian’s church is not wooden. It was built in old Norwegian style from basalt, volcanic rock. At that time, this feature made the church stand out among the other buildings of the town. Later on, the residents began using basalt as building material everywhere.
The construction of the church also differs significantly from earlier religious buildings. It occupies a much larger area and doesn’t have a tower. The roof of the church refers to the Vikings’ epoch and their classical halls. Due to this kind of structure, the acoustics in the church is much stronger than any other building of the same size.
The inside furnishing also differs in its originality. Cotton-white walls and ceiling covered with wood, a traditional Faroese rowboat suspended from it. The boat was built in Vidareidi for transporting a priest between villages, it could accommodate 8 people.
The altar occupies the central place in the church, it is decorated with a 7 meters painting. This art piece had been painted by a Danish artist Joakim Skovgaard long before the church was built. Originally it had located in the cathedral in Vyborg. Later on, because of the high humidity level inside the building, it was given to the National Museum of Denmark and then - to the Christian church in Klaksvík. The granite font of more than 4000 years old was also donated by the National Museum of Denmark.
The latest restoration of the church began in 2012 and was completed by its 50th anniversary in 2013. Both events were celebrated on a grand scale.