Formerly a Norwegian Sailors Church, the Centre is one of the landmark buildings on Cardiff Bay’s waterfront and a renowned cultural venue. With an exciting programme of arts exhibitions, concerts, hospitality and events and one of the cosiest coffee shops on the waterfront, why not come & visit us and experience the warmest welcome for yourself.
The Port of Cardiff was one of the first to have a Norwegian Sailor’s Church established to provide religious and social care to thousands of Norwegian sailors that were employed in the Norwegian merchant fleet. The Church was founded by Herman Lunde of Oslo and built in 1868 between the East and West Docks on land that was donated by the Marquis of Bute. It was consecrated in the December of that year. In the years that followed, the Church was extended a number of times when the reading rooms were enlarged. In 1885 the most significant alterations took place when a gallery and a bell tower were added.
The Church was very busy at this time and became world famous as a meeting place for Scandinavian sailors. Between 1867 and 1915 the Church served between 7,500 and 73,000 seamen per annum. It was the oldest surviving church in Britain to be founded by the Norwegian Seamen’s Mission and was the centre of Scandinavian religion, culture and tradition. The Church was first and foremost a seaman’s mission, but it was also a home from home for sailors where they could read newspapers and magazines from home and relax and chat with friends. Despite its corrugated exterior, the Church was calm & peaceful inside, with walls covered in paintings & plants and a sailing ship model suspended from the ceiling hung above the chancel. Portraits of the royal families from Norway, Denmark and Sweden were hung on the walls with paintings of Norwegian scenery, whilst tapestry runners and miniature Norwegian Flags decorated the tables.
As the export of coal from Cardiff docks declined, the Norwegian Ships turned elsewhere for trade and the Norwegian Seaman’s Mission decided to withdraw their mission from the Church in the mid 1960’s. The local congregation and other Lutheran organisations financed its continued use. It remained under this local control until financial constraints caused total closure and de-consecration in 1974.
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