It is the church for the Svalbard parish which is part of the Tromsø domprosti (arch-deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.

The red, wooden church was built in a rectangular design in 1958 using plans drawn up by the architect Hans Magnus.

During World War II, Svalbard was evacuated with the Russians returning to Russia and the Norwegians fleeing to Norway.

The altar silver and baptismal bowl were gifts from King Haakon VII and Queen Maud when the church was built.

In 1943, Longyearbyen was bombed by the German battleships Tirpitz and Scharnhorst, and in the ensuing fires, the church burned down.