For centuries, the Old Olden Church (then known simply as the Olden Church) was the church for the Oldedalen valley. By the 20th century, the old church had been deemed to be too small for the parish. Discussions were held on whether or not to renovate, expand, or replace the old church. The Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage and the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments both participated in the debate on the matter. In 1933, it was decided to build a new church on a nearby site and to keep the old church as a museum. The architectDaniel J. Muri was hired to design the new building. The new church was to be built on a site about 0.7 kilometres (0.43 mi) to the south of the old church. Construction began in the spring of 1934 and lasted for about six months. The new church was consecrated on 19 December 1934 by the BishopAndreas Fleischer. In 1985, the main entry area was enlarged as well as the addition of bathroom facilities.[3][4][5]
