Godtemplaren Cultural Center - Ålesund, Norway


Who are we?

The Godtemplaren Cultural Centre (Kulturhuset Godtemplaren) is a building in Ålesund (Norway), that was erected 1906 by the Lodges of The International Order of Good Templars (IOGT). Since the foundation of Lodge Brodersind in 1880, the Good Templars have continuously been involved in cultural and community-building activities in Ålesund. The legacy of the Good Templar movement in Ålesund has to date been preserved at Godtemplaren. A foundation now owns the building and is responsible for running it as a public cultural centre. The Godtemplaren Cultural Centre organize its own events and rents out halls/rooms to outside groups/individuals.


Contact Information

Name of the Cultural Centre: Kulturhuset Godtemplaren.                
Visiting Address:
Keiser Wilhelms gate 7 (Entrance, Lorkenesgata), Ålesund, Norway.
Postal Address: Postboks 311, NO-6001 Ålesund, Norway.
Director: Dr. Torgeir Melsaeter.
E-mail: kulturhuset@godtemplaren.no
Phone: +47 924 06 669
Facebook: www.facebook.com/people/Kulturhuset-Godtemplaren/61561396062133/


The Good Templar Movement - Short History

The International Order of Good Templars (IOGT) was founded in 1851 in the United States with the aim to free people from alcohol and other drugs. The Order believed that by doing so, many other things in the world would also improve. In addition to being a temperance organization, IOGT fostered cultural and ethical enlightening work and was committed to peace, charity and brotherhood between people and nations. In the 1870s, the Order of Good Templars expanded from America to England, Scandinavia and Germany. Eventually IOGT developed a neutral foundation in terms of outlook on life as both humanists and people of different religions could become members. The organization was not only committed to freeing people from alcohol, but also to offering them culture and education to improve their chances for a successful life. Lectures on ethical, cultural and social issues as well as entertainment were made available to the members. They learned how to write and recite texts and were schooled in the art of running an organization. Early on, the Good Templars were committed to democracy, and IOGT was the first organization to treat female and male members equally. Associations for children and young people as well as music and singing groups grew out of the Good Templar Order. As a unified unit, these make up the Good Templar movement.


The Cultural Centre Godtemplaren in Ålesund

The Good Templars came to Ålesund in 1880, and the Order built its own house here in 1891. The present Kulturhuset Godtemplaren was built in 1906 on the same site after the great town fire of 1904. Ivar Vaksdal was the architect of this new building, which was designed in a mixture of Art Noveau and historism. The Godtemplaren café was established on the ground floor. This traditional coffee house of the Good Templars was run on the premises from 1906 to 1965. The Great Hall of the Cultural Centre is located on the second floor. This is where the building’s official cultural events still take place. In the 20th century, the Godtemplaren in Ålesund was the headquarters for several lodges, children’s lodges, youth groups as well as clubs of music and singing groups from the Good Templar movement. Here they held meetings, lectures, parties, evening entertainment, plays and concerts. Over the years, a number of other clubs and associations outside IOGT have also used the cultural centre. Even the Ålesund City Council held its meetings here over several years in the early 1900s. The Peoples Academy for example, organized many lectures at Godtemplaren. In 1907 the famous Norwegian writer Johan Falkberget stayed here after he finished writing his breakthrough novel Svarte Fjelde.


Mission, Events and Rental

The Good Templars expanded extensively throughout the world during the 19th and 20th centuries. In recent decades, however, the number of members has greatly declined. In Ålesund, the same tendencies can be observed. The Good Templar House, however, here in the city on the northwest coast of Norway has remained a cultural centre right up to the present day. The building’s mission is to: 1. provide suitable premises for the activitise of IOGT and the youth organization Juventes in the centre of Ålesund; 2. manage the Good Templar’s archive, library and collections; and, 3. create a centre for cultural activities in a drug free environment in the good tradition of the ideals of the Good Templar movement. (Sale, use  and storage of alcoholic beverages or other intoxicants is prohibited in Kulturhuset Godtemplaren). Halls and rooms in the cultural centre (cf. «Lokaler til leie», above left) are suitable for both internal and external meetings, courses, conferences, exhibitions, auctions, parties, song and music rehearsals as well as various cultural events such as lectures, presentations, readings, concerts, cabarets, revues, etc. Rental of rooms and halls is in agreement with the Director. Information about current and open cultural events at Godtemplaren is listed below.


Kulturhuset Godtemplaren
Programme - Offical and Open Cultural Events

2025, Friday, February 28: CONCERT
Guitarist Ketil Strand will perform a concert of among others his own melodies. Participant: Ketil Strand (guitar). Date: Friday, February 28, 2025 at 7 PM (doors open at 6:30 PM). Entrance fee: NOK 200, ticket sales at the evening box office, payment in cash or by bank card. Organiser: Ketil Strand in cooperation with Kulturhuset Godtemplaren.

2025, Saturday, January 4: CHRISTMAS TREE PARTY
The old-fashioned and traditional Christmas tree party is held on the first Saturday after New Year's at Godtemplaren. There will be walk around the Christmas tree, refreshments and Santa Claus will hand out goody bags to the children. The Star Boys with their Christmas star will perform the traditional singing game that has a more than 100 years’ history at Godtemplaren and roots back to at least 1860-70s Ålesund. Date: Saturday, January 4, 2025 at 4 PM. Entrance fee: NOK 50, ticket sales at the door, payment in cash or by bank card. Organiser: IOGT Lodge Godthaab-Brodersinn and Kulturhuset Godtemplaren.

2024, Sunday, November 3: CONCERT
Guitarist and singer Lars Øverås will perform a concert of his own songs. Participant: Lars Øverås (guitar, song). Date: Sunday, November 3, 2024 at 7 PM (doors open at 6:30 PM). Entrance fee: NOK 150, ticket sales at the evening box office, payment in cash or by bank card. Organiser: Lars Øverås in cooperation with Kulturhuset Godtemplaren.

2024, Saturday, October 26: AUCTION
Aalesund Filatelistklubb will hold a large philatelic auction of stamps, postcards and other postal collectables. The auction catalogue is to be found on the website of the Aalesund philatelic society (www.aalesundfilatelistklubb.no). Date: Saturday, October 26, 2024 at 12 noon (doors open at 10 AM to view the items). Entrance fee: free. Organiser: Aalesund Filatelistklubb.

2024, Monday, September 30: CONCERT
Ålesund Kammerkor (chambre choir) will perform a Coffee-Concert with choir songs from the British Isles. Coffee and cakes for free. Participants: Ålesund Kammerkor, Ragnhild Eide Akslen (conductor). Date: Monday, September 30, 2024 at 7 PM (doors open at 6:30 PM). Entrance fee: NOK 150, ticket sales at the evening box office, payment in cash or by bank card. Organiser: Ålesund Kammerkor.

2024, Sunday, September 8: CONCERT
As part of his record tour Tonen ifrå barndomen (The Tone from Childhood), guitarist Stig Ulv performs a concert of his own music, accompanied by texts and pictures. Participant: Stig Ulv (guitar, text, pictures). Date: Sunday, September 8, 2024 at 6:30 PM (doors open at 6 PM). Entrance fee: NOK 250, ticket sales at the evening box office, payment in cash or by bank card. Organiser: Stig Ulv in cooperation with Kulturhuset Godtemplaren.

2024, Sunday, May 26: CONCERT / LECTURE
A concert and lecture to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the extended trading rights granted to Aalesund in 1824: A Tribute to Aalesund in 200 years (1824-2024). Several unique and unknown old Ålesund musical works will be presented, accompanied by a lecture (in Norwegian) of an historical account of the trading station Aalesund and the selected compositions and composers. Participants: Tore Kleive (flute, capellmeister), Åshild Rørvik Dyrseth (violin), Leonhard Haberl (violin), Matias Nesje (clarinet), Sylvia Baier Evensen (cello), Tor Dyrseth (contrabass), Ingunn Rørvik (piano), Kjell Kipperberg (musical arrangements), and Torgeir Melsæter (historian, lecturer). Date: Sunday, May 26, 2024 at 6:30 PM (doors open at 6 PM). Entrance fee: NOK 150, ticket sales at the evening box office, payment in cash or by bank card. Organiser: Kulturhuset Godtemplaren.

2024, Saturday, March 16: AUCTION
Aalesund Filatelistklubb will hold a large philatelic auction of stamps, postcards and other postal collectables. The auction catalogue is to be found on the website of the Aalesund philatelic society (www.aalesundfilatelistklubb.no). Date: Saturday, March 16, 2024 at 12 noon (doors open at 10 AM to view the items). Entrance fee: free. Organiser: Aalesund Filatelistklubb.

2024, Thursday, March 7: LECTURE / CONCERT
On occasion of the annual meeting of the Aalesund Historielag (Aalesund Historical Society), Ingval Bortne will give a lecture (in Norwegian) about the violinist and composer Per Bolstad at Vartdal, Sunnmøre. In addition, Øystein Salhus will play some selected musical pieces by Bolstad. Participants: Ingval Bortne (lecturer) and Øystein Salhus (violin). Date: Thursday, March 7, 2024 at 7 PM. Entrance fee: free. Organiser: Aalesund Historielag.

2024, Saturday, January 6: CHRISTMAS TREE PARTY
The old-fashioned and traditional Christmas tree party is held on Epiphany at Godtemplaren. There will be walk around the Christmas tree, refreshments and Santa Claus will hand out goody bags to the children. The Star Boys with their Christmas star will perform the traditional singing game that has a more than 100 years’ history at Godtemplaren and roots back to at least 1860-70s Ålesund. Date: Saturday, January 6, 2024 at 4 PM. Entrance fee: NOK 50, ticket sales at the door, payment in cash or by bank card. Participants/Organiser: IOGT Lodge Godthaab-Brodersinn and Kulturhuset Godtemplaren.

2023, Saturday, December 2: LECTURE
This year, Ålesund celebrates its 175th anniversary, and at the same time the city’s coat of arms can look back on 125 years of existence. On this occasion, historian and heraldist Torgeir Melsæter will give a lecture (in Norwegian) on the origin, form, use and symbolics of the city’s arms. A booklet (in Norwegian) about the history of Ålesund’s city Coat of Arms specially written for this occasion will be available for purchase for NOK 40. Participant: Torgeir Melsæter. Date: Saturday, December 2, 2023 at 1:30 PM. Entrance fee: NOK 50, including light refreshments. Ticket sales at the box office, payment in cash or by bank card. Organiser: Kulturhuset Godtemplaren.

2023, Saturday, October 21: AUCTION
Aalesund Filatelistklubb will hold a large philatelic auction of stamps, postcards and other postal collectables. The auction catalogue is to be found on the website of the Aalesund philatelic society (www.aalesundfilatelistklubb.no). Date: Saturday, October 21, 2023 at 12 noon (doors open at 10 AM to view the items). Entrance fee: free. Organiser: Aalesund Filatelistklubb.

2023, Saturday, September 16: BOOK PRESENTATION
Launch of the book: Godtemplarnes Hus, Kulturhuset Godtemplaren, i Ålesund. Et sentrum for kulturell og samfunnsbyggende virksomhet gjennom generasjoner (Godtemplarnes Hus, Cultural Centre Godtemplaren, in Ålesund. A Center for Cultural and Community-building Activities Through Generations), written and edited by Torgeir Melsæter. The book presentation offers (in Norwegian) excerpts from the book seasoned with readings, narrations and old archive footage. Participants: Torgeir Melsæter, Steinar Nilsen and Louise L. Hansen. Date: Saturday, September 16, 2023 at 1:30 PM. Entrance fee: free. Light refreshments, books for sale. Organiser: Kulturhuset Godtemplaren.



 

                                                                                        
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Kulturhuset Godtemplaren
Keiser Wilhelms gate 7, Ålesund



- CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES SINCE 1880 -
Office of the Goodtemplar Cultural Centre, Keiser Wilhelms gate 7, Ålesund.
The Good Templar flag with a blue globe and the letters IOGT on a red Maltese cross on a white background.
Kulturhuset Godtemplaren (Godtemplaren Cultural Centre), Keiser Wilhelms gate 7, Ålesund, ca. 1910-15. The house was built in 1906.
Advertisement for an evening entertainment performed in 1918 in Kulturhuset Godtemplaren.
Guitarist and singer Lars Øverås performed on Sunday, November 3, 2024 at Godtemplaren.
Ålesund Kammerkor: Choir-Concert with songs from the British Isles, September 30, 2024.
Concert/lecture on May 26, 2024 in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the expanded trading rights of Ålesund in 1824.
Booklet presentation and lecture on December 2, 2023 in celebration of the 175th anniversary of Ålesund and the 125 years existence of the city’s municipal coat of arms.
Presentation of the book about The Godtemplaren Cultural Centre, September 16, 2023.