Tanum Kirke was built between 1100 and 1130. It is located in the municipality of Baerum (Akershus). The church is Romanesque and has lime paintings that date back to the 1300's. It also has some medieval sculptures. Many of my grandmother's ancestors were baptized, confirmed, and married here. Even my brother was baptized here!
Last night, as I researched about the church, I discovered that the church has 3000 graves, and that some of the graves date back to the 17th century! I thought that just maybe some of the graves may have names and dates. I have walked there before, years ago, but I don't remember what the old headstones look like. Next summer, I plan to go to Norway on a genealogy tour, and I will definitely stop to check out the graves here with my list of ancestors in hand. It would be so exciting to discover an old grave belonging to someone in my line!
There is a very nice site online that allows you to look up Norwegian cemeteries. You can find lists of people buried in different cemeteries, and in some cases a photograph of the headstones. I found my great-great grandfather and grandmother, Emil and Hanna Haugen, this way, but there does not seem to be a list yet for the Tanum Kirke.
Last night, as I researched about the church, I discovered that the church has 3000 graves, and that some of the graves date back to the 17th century! I thought that just maybe some of the graves may have names and dates. I have walked there before, years ago, but I don't remember what the old headstones look like. Next summer, I plan to go to Norway on a genealogy tour, and I will definitely stop to check out the graves here with my list of ancestors in hand. It would be so exciting to discover an old grave belonging to someone in my line!
There is a very nice site online that allows you to look up Norwegian cemeteries. You can find lists of people buried in different cemeteries, and in some cases a photograph of the headstones. I found my great-great grandfather and grandmother, Emil and Hanna Haugen, this way, but there does not seem to be a list yet for the Tanum Kirke.
Here is a link to the Norwegian Graveyard Database:
http://www.disnorge.no/gravminner/index.php?language=engelsk
It is available in both Norwegian and English.
Have fun graveyard mining!
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