Postcard Kristiansand Cathedral (Kristiansand Domkirke)
The cathedral is in the same location as three previous buildings. The first, called Trefoldigetskirken (Trinity Church), was built in 1645 and it was a small wooden church. When Kristiansand was appointed the seat of the diocese in 1682, construction began on the town's first cathedral, called Vor Frelsers Kirke (Our Savior's Church). That first cathedral, built in stone, was consecrated in 1696, but burned down in 1734. The second cathedral, consecrated in 1738, was destroyed by a fire that affected the whole city, on 18 December 1880. The current, larger cathedral was consecrated in 1885. When the 1940 Nazi attack on Kristiansand took place early in the morning of 9 April 1940, the 70-metre (230 ft) tall cathedral tower was hit by an artillery shell, which damaged the upper part.