Chapel in the Hills facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chapel in the Hills |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Evangelical Lutheran Church in America |
| Year consecrated | 1969 |
| Location | |
| Location | Rapid City, South Dakota, United States |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Spitznagel and Partners |
| Architectural style | Stave church |
| General contractor | Dilly Construction Company |
| Groundbreaking | 1968 |
| Completed | 1969 |
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Chapel in the Hills
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| Location | 3788 Chapel Ln. Rapid City, South Dakota |
| NRHP reference No. | 12000487 |
| Added to NRHP | August 7, 2012 |
| Website | |
| Chapel in the Hills | |
The Chapel in the Hills is a special church located near Rapid City, South Dakota, in the United States. It is built in a unique style called a stave church. This type of church building is very old and comes from Norway.
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What is a Stave Church?
A stave church is a medieval wooden church building. They are named for their strong wooden posts, called "staves." These churches were built in Northern Europe, especially in Norway, many centuries ago. The Chapel in the Hills looks exactly like a famous old stave church from Norway.
History of the Chapel
The Chapel in the Hills was officially opened on July 6, 1969. It was built to be the home for a radio show called "Lutheran Vespers." This show broadcast religious messages across the United States from this location in the Black Hills. The church is a special project of the South Dakota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
A Copy of a Norwegian Church
The Chapel in the Hills is an exact copy of the Borgund stave church in Norway. The original Borgund church was built around the year 1150. It is one of the best-preserved stave churches still standing in Norway today.
The Norwegian Department of Antiquities, which takes care of old buildings, gave the blueprints for the Borgund church. These plans were used to build the Chapel in the Hills. The beautiful woodcarvings you see on the church were made by two talented people. One was Erik Fridstrøm, a woodcarver from Norway. The other was Helge Christiansen, who lived in Rapid City.
Other Buildings on Site
Besides the church, there are other interesting buildings at the site. One is a real log cabin museum. This cabin was built in 1876 by Edward Nielsen. He was a gold prospector from Norway who came to America.
There is also a building called a stabbur. This is a traditional Norwegian building with a grass roof. At the Chapel in the Hills, the stabbur serves as the visitor center and gift shop. It's where people can learn more and buy souvenirs.
