Northern Lights Cathedral

Nordlyskatedralen was designed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen and Link Arkitektur and completed in 2013, a concrete structure clad in titanium sheets that spirals upward to a point about forty-seven metres high, intended to evoke the curling band of the aurora, with the metal catching and changing light through the day and the seasons. Inside, the space narrows as it rises, lit indirectly, with a bronze figure of Christ by Peter Brandes suspended above the altar. It is a working parish church as well as a landmark, and it was built partly to give Alta a civic centrepiece after decades in which the town, rebuilt after wartime destruction, had none. Alta's other draw is the UNESCO-listed rock carvings at Hjemmeluft.

What you actually see

• The titanium spiral - a cladding that changes with the light and season.
• The narrowing interior - a space tapering upward under indirect light.
• The Brandes figure - a bronze Christ suspended above the altar.
• The town setting - a civic landmark in rebuilt central Alta.

When to go

Year-round; the exterior is at its most striking in winter light and under the aurora, and the interior is open on limited daily hours with closures for services. Concerts run through the year.

Honest expectations

There is a small entry charge for a working church. The interior is compact and the visit takes twenty minutes. Alta itself is a functional postwar town with the rock art site some distance from the centre.

Nearby

The Alta rock carvings at Hjemmeluft are a few kilometres away; the Alta canyon lies inland.