Ekeberg chapel
Ekeberg cemetery in Sandefjord was put into use approx. 1930. Planning for the chapel and crematorium began in 1937, but was interrupted by the war and resumed only in 1949. Arnstein Arneberg drew up plans, but it is said that they were found to be too expensive. Arneberg is said to have then approached Anders Jahre, who offered to contribute to the financing in exchange for Arneberg's plans being used. A number of other private actors also contributed.
The crematorium was inaugurated on 1 July 1960. The facility belonged to and served Sandefjord and Sandar municipalities, which were merged in 1968. Because of the Jahre connection, "Jahre-grillen" was an early popular name for the crematorium.
In terms of shape, the building is very reminiscent of Ullensaker church, which was also designed by Arneberg and inaugurated a couple of years earlier, but the dimensions are somewhat smaller at Ekeberg. After an arson attack at the crematorium in 2000, extensive restoration was necessary. In this process, the chapel also got a new organ. It has 14 votes, was built by Robert Gustavsson and was inaugurated in June 2002.
The main entrance to the chapel is through a forecourt and then through large glass doors. Inside there is a view of an enclosed garden with a small pool through the windows in the south wall. On the end wall of the choir is a marble relief by Ragnhild Butenschøn, who also stands behind a light granite relief at the entrance. The choir vault is painted by Per Krohg and Morten Krohg. Above the main entrance is a sculpture of Jesus on the cross made by Nic Schiøll, and the wrought iron gates on the outside are made by Hans Holmen.
The church bells hang in a separate bell house. As the cemetery has been filled up, the city now has a main cemetery at Orelund chapel. However, Ekeberg cemetery is still in use, and on it you can find a number of different war memorials: British, Russian, Canadian and Norwegian. There is also a memorial grove for sailors who have been lost at sea.
Orelund chapel
Orelund Chapel is the burial chapel at Orelund Graveyard. Orelund Chapel was designed by Telje-Torp-Aasen and was inaugurated in 2000. Sandar church has for a number of years had a burial plot at Nybo chapel (on the opposite side of the railway line) after the cemetery around the church was filled up. The cemetery at Nybo has eventually been expanded to the northeast, and in 1999-2000 Orelund Chapel was built as a replacement for Nybo.
These days the cemetery serves the entire municipality and not just one parish. The building has a shell wall of jointed brick, and the roof is constructed of glulam on columns and curved beams. The building contains ideologically neutral (or ideologically flexible) ceremony space.
Outside this there is a vestibule. A bell tower stands in front of the chapel's main entrance. The ceremony room is simple and stylish, and it is decorated with textile art by Brynhild Slaatto. There is a gallery at the back of the room, and there stands an eleven-voice organ from Venheim organ building, which was inaugurated in 2001.
Olav's Chapel
Olav's chapel is located in Bjerggata in Sandefjord. It is a concrete long church from 1962, and has 70 seats.
The church was created with financial help from Sandefjord municipality and a monetary gift from shipowner Lars Christensen and his wife, Ingrid. Christensen also contributed to the chapel's decoration.
The chapel is affiliated with the Sandar congregation.
