The King Oscar II Chapel in Grense Jakobselv
The King Oscar II Chapel (Kong Oscar II Kapell) has been a bucket list item for me for a while. Whenever I visit Kirkenes, I can’t help but scroll across Google Maps to this remote little chapel on the Russian border. When I did my Eastern Finnmark road-trip in 2023, I decided that was the time to make the extra trip over to the chapel. I didn’t expect that the drive would be one hour one way, or that the road would be less-than-desirable, but it was definitely worth it!
Yes, it may seem a little strange to aim to head to this chapel, but maybe this is as close as I’ll get to Russia for a while.
What makes this chapel so special? So many things!
The Kong Oscar II Chapel is a unique historic site just 500 metres (1,600ft) from the Russian border. The border was laid out in 1826 and follows the deepest part of the Jakobselva River. As you drive to the chapel you’ll see Russia and the border markers: the Norwegian border posts are yellow and black, while the Russian border posts are red and green. There’s also a fence on the Norwegian side: it was erected to prevent reindeer and cattle straying across the border.
The chapel’s location is strategic: it is a patriotic symbol that represents Norwegian religion, culture, and the border between West and East Europe.
Here’s my short overview of the King Oscar II Chapel.
In this article...
The E6 Highway
Kirkenes is located on the E6, Norway’s main highway. You can find my guide to the E6 by clicking the link below.
Norway's Coastal Ferry
Kirkenes is a port of call of Norway’s coastal ferry. Find my guide for the coastal ferry by clicking the link below.
Historic Overview of Grense Jakobselv
The settlement of Grense Jakobselv
The area was originally inhabited by the Eastern Sami (Skolt Sami) and they have lived there for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. When the national border was drawn up in 1826, the Skolt Sami were forced to choose which side of the border they wanted to live on.
The first Norwegian person settled in the area in 1851, and more people soon followed. The village of Grense Jakobselv was established, and at its peak the population was 100 with a school, shop, customs office, post office, and church. The road to the village was completed more than 100 years later, in 1965.
Why was the chapel built here?
The short answer is politics. Despite the border being laid out in 1826, there were still disagreements between the Norwegian authorities and the Russian fishermen on the national border. After several confrontations, the County Governor of Finnmark wanted to sent a naval ship to monitor the fishermen on the border. Before that could happen, the Interior Ministry sent Lieutenant Commander Georg Heyerdahl to the north to become familiar with the case. Heyerdahl did not agree with the County Governor and instead proposed they build a chapel. A Lutheran chapel would be an indisputable boundary marking. After all, on the Russian side in Boris Gleb there is a Russian Orthodox Chapel that was used as a border demarcation in 1826.
The parallels with the chapel in Boris Gleb are striking, and it was believed that no one would dispute the land if a Lutheran chapel was built there. So they built it, and it worked!
In the summer of 1869 the chapel was built. It was consecrated as “a spiritual watchtower against the eastern colossus’ various faiths”. It was built in the long church style with Neo-Gothic architecture representing Western European ideals.
Kong Oscar II visits the chapel
In 1873, the Swedish-Norwegian King Oscar II visited the chapel. To commemorate the visit, he bestowed the chapel with a marble slab with the inscription “King Oscar II heard the words of God here on the 4th of July 1873” in Norwegian and Northern Sami.
World War II
This was the first place where the Norwegians saw the Soviet liberators in October 1944. The chapel survived the war (it is built in stone, after all) but all of the church silver was stolen during the liberation of Eastenr Finnmark.
Later Use
Due to its location, the chapel has been an important landmark for sailors since the beginning. In order to make it more visible from the sea, the chapel was whitewashed in 1883. The whitewash was removed in 1969.
King Olav V visited the chapel in 1959 and 1969 and a name plate was erected for this.
Practical Information
How to get here (and what to see along the way)
The King Oscar II Chapel is only accessible by car from Kirkenes. The drive is approximately 1 hour long (60km) and the last part of the road is a dirt track. The road is open in summer but closes in winter. Individual excursions can be arranged from Kirkenes.
The road is very remote, and you will lose phone reception for parts of the drive. The scenery is very unique, though. Along the way, you pass the site of what is believed to be the oldest rock in Norway.
The last 10 minutes or so is where you start seeing all the signs warning you of getting too close to the Russian border, as well as the military presence in the area. It is possible to see the Russian border markers across the river and get a quick photo, but there is no designated parking spot.
In the picture above, I pulled over very quickly. You’ll see I’m basically leaning out the car door. I was parked on the road. Across the river is the red and green border marker, which is Russia.
As you get closer to the chapel, you will pass two historic wooden buildings. One of the buildings is called Preststua, the Priest Cottage, and was built for the travelling clergymen. During World War II, the building was used by Norwegian, German, and Russian soldiers.
It is possible to see old houses half buried in the sand by the river; these were shacks of fishermen who lived here during the fishing season. The stone blocks by the riverbank are remnants of German fortifications.
Parking
There is a free parking lot across the street from the chapel.
Going inside the chapel
The chapel is open for a short period over the summer months from approximately 11am until 2pm.
A little further away...
If you follow the road a little further, to it’s very end, you get a great view out to the Barents Sea. There’s a camping area here and information signs about the border region. It’s called ‘Kaia’ (the pier).
Links & Resources
Visit the Varanger tourism website for information on how to organise a guided visit to King Oscar II Chapel: https://www.visitgreaterarctic.com/
The E6 Highway
Kirkenes is located on the E6, Norway’s main highway. You can find my guide to the E6 by clicking the link below.
Norway's Coastal Ferry
Kirkenes is a port of call of Norway’s coastal ferry. Find my guide for the coastal ferry by clicking the link below.
