Emma

Hey! My name is Emma. I'm from Australia but have lived in Bergen, Norway, for the last eight years. I work as a local guide and tour leader for all over Northern Europe. The Hidden North is an online travel guide I have made to help you plan your own visit here.

  • Flåm, Lærdal, Stave Churches

    Why You Should Visit Borgund Stave Church

    Why You Should Visit Borgund Stave Church

    No trip to Norway is complete without a visit to Borgund Stave Church. But why this church out of the 28 remaining stave churches in the country? I’ll admit, Borgund Stave Church is not my favourite in the country, but it is very important. After all, Bogund is exceptionally well preserved and recognised as the most distinctive stave church in Norway. So, if you want to get an idea of the original stave churches, this one is great.

    Borgund Stave Church is about 30km southeast of the town Laerdal, which is close to Flåm. The church stands on the historic main road between east and west Norway. Today the European Highway 16 (E16) follows the old main road. It’s one of the best known, most photographed, and best-preserved stave churches in the country.

    I’ve written a useful overview of Borgund Stave Church, so you know why it’s so special. Also, it’s nice to know what to look for when visiting! If you have any tips or questions, please leave them in the comments.

    In this article...

    The E16 Highway

    Borgund Stave Church is located on the E16, the main highway between Bergen and Oslo. You can find my guide to the E16 by clicking the link below. 

    The E16 Highway
    Lærdal Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    Borgund Stave Church

    Early History & Position

    The exact age of Borgund Stave Church is unknown. It is possibly as old as 1150 when looking at the timber. However, the church is generally regarded as being from around the year 1200. It is dedicated to the apostle Andrew.

    Borgund Stave Church is on the historic main road between east and west Norway, which was primarily used as a trade route for over 1000 years. This part of the valley widens, and the Laerdal River flows through it. With its strategic position, it’s clear to see why it became such an important place of worship. But it’s not just about trade: the valley has an abundance of pine trees, and it was necessary to build close to a pine forest. The valley is also sheltered in this section.

    The first written mention of Borgund Stave Church is in a land register in the diocese of Bergen, written down shortly after 1350. Borgund is in many written documents as the church has always been important to the study of stave churches.

    Important Worshipping Site

    The location of the church is important. Being on the main road meant that travellers couldn’t help but be influenced by the church and the new Catholic religion. There was a sacrificial site on the hill, and animal bones have been found there. Perhaps the area was once used by pagans, giving another reason for building a church here. The old stone altar in the church probably once stood on the sacrificial site.

    Construction Method

    The church is very well documented, especially compared to other stave churches in the country. Stave churches get their name from their construction method. Here at Borgund, you can see the vertical wooden beams along the walls holding up the roof.

    The church is built according to a basilica plan with a raised central nave. Structurally, the building is a ‘cube within a cube’, each cube being independent of one another. The inner ‘cube’ has continuous columns that rise from the ground level to support the roof. ‘Saint Andrew Crosses’ link the columns: these carry supports that offer the visual equivalent of a ‘second story’. While not a functional gallery, it is reminiscent of contemporary second-story galleries elsewhere in Europe.

    Around the exterior of the church is a corridor with a roof. A guide once said that this is where the Vikings would keep their swords and shields while they attended church. But another common theory is that it was where people gathered before and after mass, and the roof provided shelter.

    Dragon Heads

    One of the most known characteristics of a stave church is its dragons’ heads on the roof, but very few stave churches in Norway have dragon’s heads. Borgund Stave Church is one of the very few with carved dragon’s heads. They are from the 18th century and likely copies of the earlier heads.

    Dragons heads are also found on Lom Stave Church and Urnes Stave Church.

    Why dragons heads? I’m working on a separate article that explains the construction and symbolism in stave churches in much more depth, but we can talk about the dragons’ heads a little here too. Christianity came to this region around 997, around 200 years before Borgund Stave Church. It’s believed that the population continued to keep to the pagan tradition and faith well into the Christian times. Because of that, many pagan symbols with pre-Christian backgrounds, including dragons, have made it onto Christian buildings.

    Dragons’ heads feature on Viking ships, and they are believed to keep evil spirits away. That is one reason why they are on stave churches. Another reason is that the construction of the roof is like shipbuilding, and since dragons feature on ships, they should be on the roof too.

    Fun fact: the dragons’ heads weren’t only for style: they also formed the churches drainage system!

    Changes after the Reformation

    Stave churches were not spared from the Reformation that swept Norway in the 1530s. The conversion to Lutheran Protestantism saw many changes in these old Catholic Churches. At Borgund, benches line the walls: during Catholic times, it was compulsory to stand for hours! The pulpit and nave are from Lutheran times, and the walls are rose-painted: some of the rose-painting has survived.

    Another common feature of a post-Reformation church is the introduction of windows so the community could read scripture. Borgund got many new windows but all except one have been removed in a later renovation.

    19th century growth & restoration

    The community around Borgund experienced a huge rise in population in the early 19th century. By the 1840s the stave church was too small for the public. The new Borgund Church is from 1868, the same year service at the stave church ended. Rather than tear the stave church down, as what happened to many stave churches, Borgund was preserved. This is probably because it had been so well documented and painted throughout history. The general perception had been that Borgund was special. So, it was sold to the Preservation for Ancient Norwegian Monuments.

    A large amount of restoration work was done on the church to bring it closer to its medieval form. The pews were removed, except for the ones from the 1150s along the wall. The window openings were closed, except for one window. Some of the original paintwork was restored too.

    Wooden carvings

    Like Urnes Stave Church (which is UNESCO World Heritage-listed), Borgund Stave Church has a lot of detail around its western portal. In addition to animal motifs, there are acanthus vines, fighting snakes and flying dragons. Due to being found in many places in this part of Norway, they are places under a collective term called the Sogn-Valdres Group (Sogn and Valdres are two regions: Sogn after the Sognefjord and Valdres in central Norway).

    Why pagan carvings around the door? Well, like the dragons’ heads, it’s believed the new Christians kept to some of their pagan traditions. Another reasoning is that Christian authorities may have interpreted the pagan symbols as the struggle between good and evil, in line with Christian medieval art. After all, in Christian art, the dragon was often used as a symbol for the devil. So, the carvings probably had a protective quality. The carvings at Urnes Stave Church are also read as the struggle between good and evil, or between paganism and Christianity.

    Sadly part of the carvings was damaged after the church door was rebuilt in the 1820s. One of the stave churches caught fire in 1822 and 113 people died because the doors opened inwards and they were unable to get out. After that, a rule was made that all churches had to have doors that opened outwards.

    Runic inscriptions

    When visiting a stave church, always be on the lookout for rune inscriptions! There are several ones here. Most are on the walls of the church’s west portal. One reads: “Thor wrote these runes in the evening at the St. Olav’s Mass”.

    Interior decoration

    The interior of Borgund is very dark, so it is useful to have a guide with you. They have torches and can show you all the individual features.

    There is little inside, and some may be disappointed, but it is also very true to what stave churches looked like inside during medieval times. There is a row of benches along the wall from the 1150s that were used by the elderly. There’s also a soapstone font, an altar from the 17th century, a 16th-century lectern, and a 16th-century cupboard for storing altar vessels.

    Inside you’ll be able to see the twelve free-standing columns that support the naves elevated central space and the Saint Andrews Crosses connecting them. The original floors have been preserved but are today covered due to the number of people visiting.

    The many Borgunds

    Because Borgund Stave Church is so well documented throughout history, and today it is famous for being the most distinctive stave church, many other churches have taken inspiration from it. It has served as the inspiration for the reconstruction of Fantoft Stave Church in Bergen. The Gustav Adolf Stave Church in Germany, built in 1908, is modelled after Borgund Stave Church. There are also three replicas in the USA: Chapel in the Hills in South Dakota, Lyme in Connecticut and Washington Island in Wisconsin. Furthermore, the stave church at the Norwegian pavilion in Epcot in Walt Disney World Florida is a copy of Gol Stave Church, which was reconstructed to look more like Borgund Stave Church.

    New Borgund Church

    Don’t skip a visit to the new Borgund Church from 1868. It’s built in the dragestil and seats 175. Dragestil is a Norwegian architectural style that emerged during the period of National Romanticism when the country was interested in preserving the medieval style of construction – especially when it came to stave churches.

    Exterior bell tower

    Another exterior feature is the bell tower. It dates back to the middle of the 13th century and is the only original free-standing bell tower in stavework in Norway today. The bells are fairly new: one of the medieval bells is in the new Borgund Church.

    Visiting Borgund Stave Church

    When you visit, you have to park at the visitor centre and buy a ticket inside. Then, it’s about a 200-metre walk to the stave church – you have to cross the main road, so be careful! There will be a staff member by the church gate, and you won’t be allowed in without a ticket. Try and time your visit with a guided tour – it’s necessary to truly appreciate all the fine details in the church. Just ask when buying your ticket.

    The visitor centre is also worth your time. It has a small museum with items from the church, plus an excellent gift shop and café.

    The surrounding area is rich in cultural heritage. Close by is the King’s Road, which is the preserved part of the ancient road between east and west. Take a detour and drive along the old part, parking along the way to do Vindhellvegen, an old hairpin road turned hiking trail. It’s a short and easy path.

    I recommend having a rental car, but you can get to Borgund via public buses. There are a few a day that links you with Sogndal, Laerdal and Flåm, so you’ll have to plan well. In summer, there are guided bus tours from Flåm that I’d recommend over relying on public buses. The drive from Flåm is a little under one hour.

    Opening Hours: 15 May 2021 – 10 October 2021 daily 10am – 5pm

    Tickets: Adults 100 NOK / Children 40 NOK

    Up-to-date and more detailed info can be found here: https://www.stavechurch.com/our-stave-churches/borgund-stave-churc/?lang=en

    Parking: Free by the visitor centre. Do not park next to the stave church

    Restrooms: Inside the visitor centre

    Resources

    The E16 Highway

    Borgund Stave Church is located on the E16, the main highway between Bergen and Oslo. You can find my guide to the E16 by clicking the link below. 

    The E16 Highway
    Lærdal Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • Bergen, Walking Guides

    Walking on Water: A Walk Through the Development of Bergen’s City Centre

    Vågsbunnen: The Development of Bergen City Centre

    Explore the district of Vågsbunnen, where the city centre of Bergen was built up from the 13th century to the present day! Along the walk, you’ll see some of the oldest homes, churches, and gardens in Bergen.

    Vågsbunnen Historical Overview

    Welcome to this self-guided walk through Vågsbunnen, the name of the district that today comprises where Bergen’s city centre was from the 14th to early 20th century. This district has an original street plan and many original buildings from 1702 onwards. On our walk, we’ll learn about how the people in Bergen developed Vågsbunnen into a city centre to get away from the Hanseatic merchants at Bryggen.

    The area Vågsbunnen used to be a shallow cove that ended in a marsh area. Over time, the wetland area was replenished by natural sludge and illegal garbage dumping, not least by the craftsmen who settled here. Vågsbunnen is one of Bergen’s earliest districts: while merchants settled along Bryggen, the craftsmen settled in this area. Archaeological research shows that the earliest settlement in Vågsbunnen was close to the two churches, which were both by the waterfront. Vågsbunnen became a popular district for shoemakers. Large amounts of leather and tannery waste have been found in the soil.
    Vågsbunnen became known as a district for craftsmen: Kong Oscars Gate used to be called Tailors Street, and we still have Shoe Street (Skostredet) today. Eventually, merchants from England and Scotland settled on the shoreline of the bay and established small trading businesses there. From 1490, the trading district was taken over by Dutch merchants in an attempt to compete with the Hanseatic League.

    Bergen has suffered from many fires (lots of buildings in wood and little regulation will do that), and after a fire in the 1550s, the area turned more into a residential area for craftsmen and the bourgeoise. The governors were tired of the Hanseatic League, so Bergen’s commercial and political centre was moved away from Bryggen to Vågsbunnen. The bay was further filled in using stone from ruined churches, and new commercial buildings were built. The two main ‘allmenningen’ – or wide streets – are from this time.

    The fire of 1702 was the last major fire to destroy Vågsbunnen. Besides the stone cellars and churches, nothing remains from before 1702. After this fire, the area was further developed into an upper-class district. But this didn’t last long; in the 19th century, the bourgeoisie began to move to wider, greener districts like Kalfaret and Nygård. Meanwhile, the houses in Vågsbunnen were divided into apartments and inn, and the district became a little rough and overcrowded. Masonry was (finally) introduced, and new brick tenements went up.
    Meanwhile, Bergen was becoming industrialised. The Lungegård Lake was split in two and heavily filled in to make way for the construction of industrial plants, the train station, and the library. After the last major fire in 1916, the Little Lungegård Lake was further filled in to make a lovely park: Byparken.

    Today Vågsbunnen is still a popular area for bars, cafes, vintage shops and tattoo parlours. It’s a safe district to walk around, but it can feel a little rough in some areas. Still, no other place in Bergen has such a diverse history. Let’s begin our walk!

    In this article...

    Bergen Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    The walk: Vågsbunnen

    Holberg Statue

    We are now standing on water! Yes, this square we are on – Vågsallmenningen – was water 1,000 years ago. What an appropriate place to begin our Walking on Water tour. Across the street, where the fish market is, is where the current shoreline of Vågen (the bay) ends. However, when Bergen was founded over 950 years ago, most of what is today the city centre was actually water. Over the centuries, the bay and lake area have gradually filled in to allow for the development of a city centre. That is what we’ll see today.

    Vågsallmenningen was filled in during the 1550s and the layout is pretty much the same today. Of course, most of the buildings are much newer. On this walk, almost all the buildings we’ll see are from after the fire of 1702. That was Bergen’s largest fire when 90% of the city burned down. The city has always used timber as a primary building material, and Bergen is best described as ‘self-grown’. There were no real street regulations until the mid-19th century. Hence, the fires. Small wooden houses close together without much planning.

    The statue here is of Ludvig Holberg. He was a Danish-Norwegian playwright, historian and philosopher from Bergen. He is known for his comedy plays, and his writings on common law were used by Danish law students for 200 years. While born in Bergen, he spent almost all his life in Copenhagen. Still, we claim him as our own. Edvard Grieg’s Holberg Suite is named after him. The statue is from the mid-19th century and is regarded as one of the finest in Bergen.

    Korskirkeallmenningen

    When walking around Bergen, “allmenningen” is a word you’ll see often. It refers to a wide, open street designed to prevent fires from spreading rapidly between buildings. Most of Bergen’s main streets end in this long word all-men-ing-en. These were Bergen’s only real form of street regulation, and the oldest ones go back to the 14th century. Most, however, are from the 16th century. Including this one.

    If we were standing here in the 1200s, we’d be standing on swampland. The church – Korskirken – would be where we see it today. It stood on a small headland by the water; the tower stands on solid rock. From the 13th century, German shoemakers began to settle to the right of the church. After a fire in 1582, the swamp was filled in. For a time, it was one of the city’s most prominent areas with beautiful houses and linden trees lining the street. Most of the buildings today are from modern times.

    Korskirken

    Korskirken is one of the earliest Bergen churches. It was likely built in wood but replaced with a stone church before 1180 when it’s first mentioned in the old Sagas. Sadly, the church has burned down in 17 of Bergen’s fires. It’s always been rebuilt in a Romanesque style, but the floorplan has changed over time. Today it is a cruciform church.

    On the northern side of the church, it’s possible to see the monogram of Danish-Norwegian King Christian IV. The portal shows damage from the fires. On the other side of the church is a memorial commemorating the dead at the Battle of Alvøen, which took place during the Napoleonic Wars.

    The church no longer operates as a regular church. Today it is a missionary church that helps the homeless and those struggling with drug and alcohol abuse.

    Hollendergaten

    Hollendergaten is one of the first merchant settlements for this part of town. Originally, merchants settled along the east side (Bryggen) and west side (Nordnes peninsula). Archaeological research shows that the street follows the shoreline from the 1000s. The first people to settle here were English merchants in the late 1200s or early 1300s. Over time, the English left and the Dutch settled into Bergen in an attempt to outperform the Hanseatic merchants. The name Hollendergaten means ‘Dutch Street’ and the name is from 1490.

    In the 1600s and 1700s, Hollendergaten became a distinguished street. Many of Bergen’s bourgeoise families lived here. In the 1800s, the bourgeoise moved into new, spacier suburbs Kalfaret and Nygård. The houses here were broken up into cramped apartments and inns.

    The side we have entered today has the church missionary (Kirkens Bymisjon), plus a hostel for the homeless (no. 15). You may see people sitting around but don’t worry – they are harmless.

    Smalgangen

    Smalgangen – ‘the Narrow Aisle’ – is first mentioned on maps from 163 but is far older. It’s a great example of what the streets in Bergen used to look like. Streets were narrow like this so as many businesses as possible could be on the bay. Smalgangen connected Hollendergaten with the piers on the bay. Look up at the first stone building on the left (in the alley). In iron, it has the date “1609” marked as well as the initials “HD”. This is one of the few houses preserved from 17th century Bergen. Further down the alley is a plaque in the wall with the inscription “Herman Schreuder Margrethe Schreuder”. There’s no date, but merchant Herman Schreuder was known to live here in the late 1600s. The plaque was discovered during an excavation in 1937 and has been placed on a 17th century stone cellar.

    Hollendergaten 12

    The white stone building on the street corner is one of the oldest houses in Bergen. A lot of people skip it when walking here because wooden buildings are more unique, but this beauty gives you an idea into what houses looked like in the 1600s if they followed the rules and built with stone instead of wood!

    Hollendergaten 10

    As the city was built up, plots had to be narrow due to the lack of available land and high demand of being close to the piers. Hollendergaten 10 is a typical example of plot size, and it has had this shape since the 1500s. The wooden part is from after the 1702 fire. As with many houses here, it was originally one storey: the second was added in 1847.

    Today the building is protected and since 1948 it has been a printing press. You’ll notice it has an exterior sign of a book. This is an ancient custom in Bergen. For a very long time, most people couldn’t read, so the businesses would not have names out the front but instead these signs. For example, bakers had pretzel signs. This book shows that this business is a printing press.

    There is a beautiful portal on the house, and on the steps, you’ll see a lion. This is supposed to reflect the coat of arms and therefore represents the king. This ties into one of the most stories from this street – that of Dyveke from Amsterdam.

    Hollendergaten 7

    The cellar underneath is from the 1500s or 1600s. Between this house and its neighbour is a narrow alley called “Dyvekegangen”. This is the narrowest alley in Bergen: 90cm wide! Head halfway down it and turn left – you’ll see the original entrance into the cellar. There is a bit of a smell here – today the building is a wine bar. On the exterior are two signboards. One depicts King Christian III, and one depicts Dyveke. Dyveke and her mother lived in this street, and Dyveke was the mistress of King Christian III. The story is fascinating: I’ve included it at the back of this guide.

    Bryggesporen

    The little stretch of road to your left is called Bryggesporen, while the road to your right is called Kong Oscars Gate. ‘Brygge’ means ‘quay’, while ‘spord’ refers to something compressed. ‘Spord’ is a medieval word, and it marks the place where the seafront of Bryggen ended and twisted into a narrow, southbound street.

    The orange/red brick building across the street has been a bakery since at least 1675 – though the building has changed over time. This area was an area where people of various crafts settled, and being a bakery was one of the highest-end crafts. There was a baker’s guild, and they strictly limited the number of bakers in a city to 22. The bakeries were typically passed down through the family. This one was owned by the Martens family. Eventually, the bakery closed, and since then the building has been several cafes and restaurants.

    The McDonalds was built shortly after the 1702 fire and was a private residence for a wealthy merchant. The façade is from 1830 and is one of the best examples of 1830s wooden architecture.

    Kong Oscars Gate

    This is one of the oldest streets in Bergen (from the 1300s) and one of the oldest road connections in and out of the city. Bergen’s landscape is very isolated, and until the mid-19th century, it was common to come into Bergen by boat. Coming in by land was far rarer, and this road was the only one that required no use of ferries.

    The dense settlement didn’t come until the 19th century. Until the 18th century, this was an area of scattered homes and pastures for grazing animals. Eventually, it became known as an area for wealthy merchants. Further down, closer to the city border, institutions and schools were built.

    Start walking along Kong Oscars Gate. The best side to stay on is opposite McDonald’s. Shortly on our right (a few houses down) will be an excellent overview of the old cityscape.

    Korskirkeveiten & Tre-Kroneren

    When you get to the small red hotdog stand, look behind it. I know, it’s tempting to go straight for the hot dog, but stick with me. The view you see behind you – the tower of Korskirken, the wooden houses, and the stone cellar – is an excellent example of what Bergen looked like in the 1500s.

    Korskirkeveiten is one of the oldest and narrowest streets in Bergen. It is leftover from medieval times and probably marks where the shoreline was in the 1000s. Archaeological excavations have found that the area was an open beach until the 1230s. After that, large soil masses were used to fill in the area. We know this is around the time German shoemakers began to settle here. Just behind the hot dog stand is a stone cellar from the 1600s. It is one of the best examples in Bergen, but sadly not much is being done to preserve it. That can be said of this whole area: Despite being such a fantastic example of old Bergen, it has a very grungy feel. It is safe, but I can understand the discomfort.

    I do recommend taking a short detour down Korskirkeveiten, then turn right onto Magdalenegagen and back to Kong Oscars Gate.

    3-Kroneren is a staple of Bergen. It is our most famous hot dog stand and something of a cultural icon.

    Skostredet

    Skostredet has preserved its character from the old times. As the name suggests, this is where the shoemakers settled. For a very long time, the shoemakers were from Germany. Tanning remains and leather from the 1400s have been found here.
    Walk down Skostredet. You’ll notice this area has transformed into a popular street for restaurants and bars. You’ll pass a Roll & Rock American Diner – peak in the windows to see Elvis! – and their New York taxicab. Further down is a yellow wooden building on the left that’s a popular bakery. Next to it is a white building: this is an Italian restaurant called Villani. The chefs are all Italian, and I’ve had Italians say it’s better than the food they have back home!

    On the right, you’ll see a passageway under a yellow concrete building. This courtyard is as it was from 1702. It may still be under construction. If you can’t get into it, go to the entrance at Villani. It is also preserved from 1702. Villani’s outdoor courtyard has a cute umbrella display.

    Østre Skostredet

    The white wooden building on the street corner was destroyed by fire in 2017. They have just finished rebuilding it to look exactly as it did before. Google Maps Street View still shows the building as it was shortly after the fire.

    This was, until the mid-1980s, one of the best-preserved continuous rows of houses. Sadly, in the 1980s, there was a fire between numbers 4 and 6. The plots are still open. If the garage doors are open, head in for a unique glimpse at what Bergen likely looked like in the 1700s.

    As you head down this street, on your right you’ll pass the very popular Literaturhuset – a bookstore and cafe. The wooden buildings on the left are from the 1700s, while the brick buildings on the right were built up in the 1800s. Keep an eye out for the beautiful street art in this area.

    Domkirkegaten

    We’ve made it to the end of the bay! Yes, this is as far as the bay went. A large port structure was found here during archaeological excavations. In the Middle Ages, the street was a wooden bridge that crossed the inner marshy part of the bay. In the 1500s, a stone bridge was constructed here. The Cathedral stood by the bay. The houses in front of us are from immediately after the 1702 fire. Number 6 is the one with port structure remains, plus the remains of a shoemaker’s workshop. 200kg of slag was found here, meaning this was also a place for dumping waste.

    Now that we’ve reached the end of the bay, this walk slightly changes its tune. The next part of the city we will walk through was a centre for the city’s church, councillors and institutions. This was where everything got done. And we will start by heading to the centre of Bergen: The Political District.

    Rådstuplassen

    In the old times, the town hall and main square were in the middle of Bryggen. As the Hanseatic merchants began to dominate there, the locals got frustrated and in the 1550s a decision was made to relocate the town hall here. The Town Hall was put in councillor Christoffer Walkendorff’s house, and until the mid-19th century, it was known as the Prestige Quarter. Sadly, today many of the buildings have been torn down to make way for modern offices. The old council buildings remain. You can see them all from where you are standing. Here’s an overview of what they all are (feel free to walk around and get a close look!)

    The Old Courthouse

    The old courthouse is connected to the prison via a footbridge. It was also a police station. It was used until a new courthouse was completed in Nordnes in 1933.

    Bergen District Prison

    After the Prison Act was passed in Norway in 1857, 56 new prisons were built. The prison is three storeys high and has 57 cells on both sides. It’s believed the layout of the prison is adopted from the prison in Philadelphia. Conditions weren’t as bad as the prison in Philadelphia, but the windows in Bergen prison were too high for them to look out, and the inmates spent most of their time in their cells, where food was served.

    When Bergen had its last major fire in 1916, the prisoners were released and asked to return the next day, which they did. The Gestapo used the prison during the German occupation and built a new floor on the west wing in 1942. In 1943, the prison housed 44 prisoners in the Norwegian ward and 100 in the German ward. The prison closed down in 1990 and it’s currently under protection. Sadly not much is being done to maintain it, though it has been recently painted.

    Bergen Town Hall

    As mentioned above, the town hall was donated by Governor Christoffer Walkendorff. It was his house, which explains why it, well, looks like a house. The materials of the building are from one of Bergen’s original churches, the All-Saints Church. It was common in the 1500s for the wealthy to build elite stone houses for themselves using the remains of churches, which were abandoned after the Reformation. The monogram on the front (opposite side from where we came out) is of King Christian VII, indicating that it was renovated during his time.

    In the cellar is one of Bergen’s most notorious prisons. The cells had horrendous conditions: many accused of witchcraft were subject to torture here, and from 1676 two cells were used for those with mental illnesses. Until the new prison was completed in 1867, prisoners and the mentally ill would share cells. The ill were taken to Dollhuset, Bergen’s new mental facility in Sydnes.

    Stiftsgården

    This grand house was built for the Governor (‘Stifts’ refers to the job). Peasants riots would take place here during times of famine or heavy taxation. In 1765, the Governor was dragged from his house and mistreated by the crowd. His clothes were ruined, and his wig was torn to shreds.

    The house is also known as Hagerupgården after stiftsamtmann Edvard Hagerup (1781-1853), who used it as a government office in the winter. He is the grandfather of Edvard Grieg, whose full name is Edvard Hagerup Grieg. When Edvard Hagerup died in 1853, the Bergen stock exchange bought it to use it as a stock exchange, but it was too far from Torget. Instead, it became municipal offices.

    Bergen Cathedral

    This is one of the oldest churches in the Bergen. It’s from some time in the 1100s and was originally dedicated to St. Olav before coming the Cathedral during the Reformation. The church has been affected by many fires: remains of the original church are found in the northern wall.

    Have a look up at the tower. To the left of the large window, you’ll see a cannon ball stuck in the wall! This cannon call is a relic from a naval battle between English and Dutch fleets in Bergen harbour in 1665. The Dutch sought protection in Bergen, and during defence cannon fire rained upon the town causing damage. One of the cannon balls got stuck in the Cathedral. Every time it falls out, we stick it right back in!

    The Latin School

    The Latin School has traditions going back to 1152. It was a school where upper-class boys were sent to learn subjects related to priesthood. The curriculum was probably the same from the 12th century. They learned to read the bible in Latin and Greek, they learned to sing. One of the students was Gjeble Pederssøn, Bergen’s first protestant bishop. Another is Ludvig Holberg, the man whose statue we saw at the beginning of this walk. The school closed in 1840 and today it’s a school museum.

    Tanks School

    The school was funded by Hans Tank and his wife. They had no children, so donated their money to the construction of the school. They wanted subjects to move away from the church and towards practical subjects like commerce, language, natural sciences and physical education.

    The most famous student is Edvard Grieg. There used to be a plaque dedicated to him, but it was removed a year or two ago for unknown reasons. The school has been closed since 2014 and today the building is abandoned.

    Bergen Cathedral School

    This is one of Norway’s oldest schools, with traditions going back to the 12th century. The school originally stood close to the Bergen Fortress area. It was moved here during the Reformation in an attempt to align it closely with the new Protestant religion at the Cathedral. This was a school reserved for the elite. Today, it’s a public school.

    Opposite the school is the private Danielsen upper-secondary school. It’s new but is regarded as one of the top end schools in Bergen. It is private as it is associated with religion.

    Seminarium Fredericianum

    The Seminarium Fredericianum was founded in 1767 and is today Norway’s oldest kindergarten. When the school was founded, it was considered the first in Norway to focus on ‘practical’ subjects such as maths, physics, literary history, German and French. The purpose of the school was to professionalise trade in the city. Like many schools at the time, it was only for boys. The school sadly never became popular, and it closed in 1808.

    From 1851, it was operated by the Bergen Child Asylum Foundation as a place to raise children from poor homes or children with busy parents. The children were sponsored by wealthier citizens to attend the school. The girls learned needlework and singing, and the boys learned reading, writing, singing and physical education.

    Today the school is a private daycare. Look out the front – if you’re here on a weekday you may see prams/strollers chained to the daycare. This is very common! The hillside in the background is covered in my “Along the Hillside” walk.

    And there’s our overview of schools! Now we are going to pass some of the old institutions of Bergen.

    Danckert Krohn Foundation

    This building is one of the institutions established by the bourgeoise in Bergen to support the less fortunate. It was a common trend in the 1700s. This one was funded by Danckert Krohn, a wealthy merchant and businessman, as a facility for the elderly. Before Danckert built his institution, it was a nitrate plant. The walls from the plant are used as a fence around the garden. Today the centre is a welfare and medical centre for the elderly.
    The troll mural behind it is probably the most famous in the city. It’s by the same artist as the other troll mural we saw: M.u.M.

    St. Jørgens Hospital

    This hospital is dedicated to St. George, the patron saint of the uncurable sick. It is the oldest hospital in Norway; it was first mentioned in 1411 but was an old hospital back then. The hospital has always been primarily a leprosy hospital. Bergen had higher rates of leprosy compared to elsewhere in Northern Europe; this is due to Bergen’s high density and poor hygiene. In the 19th century, many physicians in Bergen began researching the disease. In 1873, Armeur Hansen discovered the leprosy bacillus.

    Marken

    Marken takes its name from the meadows and fields of Nonneseter Abbey, which we’ll learn about soon. This also marks (get it?) the southern boundary of Bergen old city. Today it is a commercial street that is very popular with the locals.

    Strømgaten

    We’re now in another part of the city that is built on water. On this side of the city we have the Lungegård Lake (covered in a separate self guided walk). This lake was filled in throughout the 19th and 20th centuries to make way for new industrial buildings and a commercial centre. Everything in front of us is built on the lake.

    Strømgaten means “The Stream Street”. As the name indicates, a stream used to run through here. Bergen Train Station is directly across from us.

    Bergen Library

    The library (from 1917) represents a short-lived trend where Scandinavian architects wanted to use raw stone for facades to express national character. If you look at the train station next door, you’ll see a similar style. Bergen Library has a rich collection of manuscripts and printed works from Bergen. Among its treasures are the music collection, a series of Edvard Grieg’s original sheets of music. Should be on display.

    Nonneseter Monastery

    The white stone building next to the library is the remains of the Nonneseter Monastery. The monastery was founded in the 1140s-1150s, and this is one of the only (complete) remains of a monastery in Norway. It operated as a monastery until the 1400s, when the women were supposedly chased out of town for being too promiscuous. In 1528 the monastery was given to Vincens Lunge, who converted it into a large estate. For the next few hundred years, it was a residence for some of Bergen’s most powerful families. Gradually it was built up and in the 19th century this became an industrial area. Today the remains of the monastery are a memorial for war victims.
    Now we cross the Bybanen tracks and head into the city park: Byparken. If you follow the narrow pathway between the bushes, you are walking through a special section of the park dedicated to Bergens rhododendrons. Bergen is famous as the city of rhododendrons.

    Enjoy More of Bergen

    Visit the travel guide page to see road-trips, restaurants, and top activities that you can do. 

    Bergen Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • Aurland, Flåm, Lærdal, National Tourist Roads, Road-trips, Sognefjord

    Drive it Yourself: Aurlandsfjellet Tourist Road

    Drive it Yourself: Aurlandsfjellet Tourist Road

    The Aurlandsfjellet Tourist Road is a short but incredibly diverse mountain road between the villages of Lærdal and Aurland near Flåm in Western Norway.

    The road is 45km in total length, and it has earned the nickname ‘Snow Road’ because snow typically remains on the mountains all year round. 

    With most of the tourist roads in Norway, you really can do them in either direction. For Aurlandsfjellet, however, I strongly recommend you start at Lærdal and head to Aurland. The reveal of the mountains and fjords is much more dramatic. 

    Aurlandsfjellet was completed in 1967, and it used to be the main road between the two towns. Since 2000, however, the main highway E16 has gone through the new Lærdal Tunnel instead. The Lærdal Tunnel is 24.5km long, making it one of the longest tunnels in the world. You can take the tunnel, I mean it is quicker, but the Aurlandsfjellet Tourist Road is much more fun!

    Here’s my guide on where to stop for photos and what to do on the Aurlandsfjellet Tourist Road. 

    In this article...

    Download this Guide

    All of our guides can be downloaded via my online store. 

    I offer downloadable versions of our self-guided drives on my online store. 

    View at the Store

    Online Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the neighbourhood
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Information about facilities along the way

    Downloadable Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the region & towns
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Facilities including supermarkets, toilets, petrol, hotels, cafes, restaurants with addresses.

    Watch on Youtube

    All of our roadtrips are available on YouTube to watch. They include information about the area provided in text and voiceover form, plus they show the drive in full (sped up in some spots!) so you can get an idea what the drive is like. 

    Visit Our YouTube Channel

    Aurlandsfjellet Tourist Road

    Lærdal

    This drive begins in Lærdal, a historic trading town. Originally, the main market town used to be across the fjord in Kaupanger (see my article on Kaupanger Stave Church). However, some time in the 15th or 16th century, it moved acoss to Lærdal.

    Lærdal is on the historic postal route between Bergen and Oslo. When coming from Oslo, Lærdal was the place where the postal workers would leave their horses and embark on boats. They would dock at Gudvangen, take horses to Bolstadoyri, and then take boats to Bergen.

    In Lærdal you have to stop at the historic district. These are a collection of preserved wooden houses from the 17th to 19th centuries. The main street is Øyragata, and you can see different architectural styles from traditional building customs to Swiss and Art Nouveau, and then Classicism and Functionalism. There’s a telecommunications and postal museum in the town today.

    Another attraction is the Norwegian Wild Salmon Centre, which was opened by King Harald in 1996. It has a salmon ladder, salmon observatory, rapids with live fish, exhibitions, cafes and restaurant. 

    Lærdal Travel Guide

    Vedhaugane

    Scenic Stop

    This is a scenic overlook of the mountains. From here, you can see the Jotunheimen massif – on a clear day! A walkway and an ‘infinity’ bench curve away from the road.

    Flotane

    Scenic Stop

    This is where you feel like you are on top of the world! There’s a rest area with benches and restrooms – they are only open in the summer.

    Stegastein Viewpoint

    Scenic Stop

    This is where you feel like you are on top of the world! There’s a rest area with benches and restrooms – they are only open in the summer.

    Aurland

    We’ve made it to Aurland! That was easy. There’s a lot to see and do in Aurland, so don’t simply pass through it on your way to Flåm. In fact, Aurland is the more peaceful version of Flåm. 

    Aurland Travel Guide

    The Previous Drive

    Sognefjellet Tourist Road

    Drive through the dramatic Sognefjellet Tourist Road to reach the Sognefjord. 

    Sognefjellet Tourist Road

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

  • Sogndal, Sognefjord, Stave Churches

    The Historic Market Town: Kaupanger Stave Church

    The Historic Market Town: Kaupanger Stave Church

    No trip to the Sognefjord is complete without a visit to Kaupanger Stave Church. It’s a tall church standing proudly alongside the fjord; in fact, it’s the largest church in Vestland county. While Kaupanger may seem like a sleepy village today, during the Viking Age it was one of the busiest settlements in Norway. Also, as the name suggests, it was an important trading place. 

    Kaupanger is on the way to the Laerdal ferry from Sogndal, so be sure to take the quick detour and visit this church! That’s exactly what I did back in September 2020. Here’s my guide to what you can see at Kaupanger Stave Church. 

    In this article...

    The Rv5 Highway

    Kaupanger Stave Church is located on the Rv5 highway. You can find my guide to the Rv5 by clicking the link below. 

    The Rv5 Highway
    Sogndal Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    The market village Kaupanger

    Kaupanger has been a settlement since at least the Viking Age, though likely before as well. Kaupang is an old Norse word for trading or marketplace, and you’ll see the name throughout Norway. The latter half of the name angr means ‘fjord’ or ‘harbour’. So, the name means ‘buy harbour’. It’s like the literal translation of Copenhagen. 

    Kaupanger likely was one of the starting points for the Viking expeditions. Additionally, it was a tingstad, meaning meeting place and administrative centre. Kaupanger is mentioned in old documents as one of the 16 densely populated centres in Norway. 

    The importance of Kaupanger declined after the Black Death (Plague) in 1349. At some point, the market moved across the fjord to Laerdal. It is not known when Laerdal took over, but it is first mentioned in 1656 and by that point, it had been operating for a while. 

    A church is established in Kaupanger

    A church in Kaupanger was first mentioned in 1308, but the church is much older than that. The present church stands on the ruins of two previous churches. These churches had load-bearing pillars placed directly into the ground. This causes the logs to rot much quicker and is probably why they replaced the churches. 

    An old burial ground existed in the area before they built a church. The oldest tombs are from the second half of the 10th century, and the graves are according to Christian customs.

    So, Kaupanger Stave Church is from around the time Christianity was sweeping across Norway. Dendrochronology has revealed that the timber used for building the church is from 1137. Kaupanger is mentioned in Sverre’s Saga in 1184 when King Sverre burned the village down as punishment for the villagers disobeying him. The stave church likely survived this attack. 

    Even though, as we’ll read, the church has undergone a huge restoration, it is one of the stave churches that is the best taken care of. 

    The stave church with the most staves

    The nave of Kaupanger stave church has 22 staves, making this the church with the largest number of staves in any one stave church. There are eight on each of the longest sides and then three on the shorter sides. 

    The staves are unlike the other staves found in this fjord region. They don’t have crosses or beams linking them together, as seen in Borgund and Urnes Stave Churches. Additionally, the portals are not equipped with dragon ornaments or other rich decorations. These types of decorations are in most stave churches. It is unknown why this church is different in that regard. 

    Like every stave church, this one has changed over the years. Before I get into the restoration work, I’ll tell you about some of the early changes to the church. In the Middle Ages, extensions of the ship out west meant more space inside. This expansion likely took place before the Black Death. Additionally, there used to be a hallway around the church. It is where (it’s thought) the Vikings left their shields before going inside. They removed the hallway in the 17th century. It’s possible that the roofing and annex were added to the church shortly after the Reformation. 

    The ‘Brutal Modernisation’ of Kaupanger Stave Church

    In 1862, Kaupanger Stave Church underwent a huge renovation. Today, historians refer to it as a ‘brutal modernisation’ – my new favourite term. Basically, what they did was cut windows into the sides of the church, placed white exterior panelling around the exterior, and added dark roof tiles to the roof. The idea was to make it look like the 19th-century churches going up all over the country in a Classicist style. The Kaupanger Manor, which stands nearby, had a similar renovation. 

    The new style of the church didn’t last too long. In 1959-1960, work was carried out to un-renovate the church and take it back to its 17th-century look. Despite the heavy changes it underwent, most of the medieval structure is preserved. Phew.

    What's Inside

    The interior is from after the Reformation in the 16th century when Norway changed from being Catholic to Lutheran. The pulpit, altarpiece and font are all from the 17th century. They are donations from the major landowner and owner of Kaupanger Manor, Gjøde Pederssøn. A memorial plaque over the choir is believed to be for him and his family. An earlier altarpiece, believed to be from 1609, is now in Jostedal Church. 

    Meanwhile, at the Bergen Museum

    When the ‘brutal modernisation’ was underway, some items from the church went to the Historic Museum in Bergen. The most known piece is an antemensale, or altar table front. It’s made of oak and depicts scenes from the lives of saints including St. Olav, St. Andreas, and St. Nicholas. It is from the second half of the 12th century. Two pillars with decorations, two dragons’ heads, and an animal head were also moved to the museum in 1862. 

    Around the Area

    The stave church and Kaupanger Manor are closely related, and the property stands next to the church. Today, you’ll see the long red barn. The main manor house, a white timber structure, is down by the fjord and difficult to see from the road. Archaeological excavations show that the farm goes back to 1800BC. What the farm originally looked like is unknown. However, it has always been one of the major farms in the area. The property came under the ownership of the Knagenhjelm Family, a Danish and Norwegian noble family. They bought the property sometime in the 1600s, and the direct descendants still own the property today. 

    Close by is the Heiberg Collection: one of the oldest museums in the country. It is from 1909 and consists of a collection of local buildings to show how people have lived and worked here from the Middle Ages until the present day. You can view their website here: http://dhs.museum.no/en

    The church today

    Today Kaupanger Stave Church is a Norwegian Cultural Heritage Site. The Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments owns the property. 

    The church is open in the summer months and operates as a museum. Guided tours are available and highly recommended. 

    Up-to-date visitor information can be found here:

    https://www.stavechurch.com/kaupanger-stavkirke/

    Otherwise, the church is still the parish church and is used for service. 

    Kaupanger Stave Church is located just off the main road from Sogndal down to the ferry pier that goes over to Laerdal. 

    Resources

    The Rv5 Highway

    Kaupanger Stave Church is located on the Rv5 highway. You can find my guide to the Rv5 by clicking the link below. 

    The Rv5 Highway
    Sogndal Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • Lom, Stave Churches

    At the Crossroads: Lom Stave Church

    At the Crossroads: Lom Stave Church

    If you’re on a road trip through Norway or visiting with a tour group, it is very likely you’ll pass Lom Stave Church. Built at the crossroads between east and west, this stave church is very close to Geiranger, four tourist roads (Gamle Strynefellsvegen, Trollstigen, Sognefjellet, Valdresflye) and the highway between Oslo and Trondheim. Lom Stave Church may not be the oldest but is very well preserved. It is one of my favourites. The interior is fascinating, the guides are wonderful, and Lom itself is a charming and delightful town.

    I’ve been to Lom Stave Church many times with groups. I’ve heard the guided tours many times and wandered around the church photographing it. I took my husband back in September 2020, which is when most of the photos are from. We did it after driving up from Geiranger!

    Here’s an article about what makes Lom Stave Church so special. When you visit, I recommend waiting for a guided tour. Still, it’s great to know a little about what to expect before you go. That’s what this article attempts to do – a little sneak peek at what you’ll see at Lom Stave Church.

    In this article...

    The Rv15 Highway

    Lom Stave Church is located on the Rv15 highway. You can find my guide to the Rv15 by clicking the link below. 

    The Rv15 Highway
    Lom Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    History of Lom Stave Church

    Lom Stave Church originally stood as a triple nave stave church. Inside are free-standing inner columns to support the raised section of the roof. This type of church is among the oldest of the stave churches, and Lom is one of the largest stave churches remaining in Norway. The church is likely from the end of the 12th century. when historians did a dendochronoglical dating of the timber, it’s believed the timber was felled around the year 1157.

    The church stands near an ancient road between east and west. The rectory was an important place for travellers to rest, and this went on until the late 19th century. At that point, hotels began to take over. The road was busy until the Black Death affected Norway in 1349. After the Black Death, it took centuries for Norway to recover. The church remained unchanged for almost 300 years due to a lack of human and financial resources.

    When the Reformation took place in Norway, it didn’t immediately impact Lom Stave Church. However, the new owners removed the altar, crucifix and Catholic symbols.

    From the 17th Century Onwards: Renovation, Renovation, Renovation

    When the population started to pass its pre-Black Death levels, Lom Stave Church became too small for the congregation. The first remodelling came in 1608 when the addition of the new flat ceiling and an unknown artist put nice decorations on it.

    The next renovation came in 1634 when builders added the annex to the west. Thirty years later, the church was once again too small. A part of the stave wall on each side was removed and the church got arms facing north and south. The old, external portals from the Middle Ages were removed and are now on the end walls of the cross arms. With this, Lom Stave Church became a cruciform church. The original stave church is the middle part of the church today. The builder was Werner Olsen, who renovated the famous churches at Våga and Ringebu.

    Restoration work on the church was done throughout the years, including throughout the 20th and early 21st century. Yet, the appearance of the church has not changed much since this major 17th restoration.

    Archaeological Excavations

    In 1973, archaeological excavations took place under the church. The excavations uncovered many important things. They found a total of 2,270 coins, most of them from between 1200 and 1300. Lom Stave Church is the church in Norway with the largest number of coins found under the church.

    You can see pictures of the coins here: https://www.dokpro.uio.no/umk/funn/lom.html

    They discovered post holes and traces of an older building. The older building was most likely a post-church, which is a predecessor to the stave church. Graves under the church and were buried according to Christian custom. The graves were affected by later additions of posts, but this proves that a church building has been on the site for hundreds of years.

    Another important find was a stick with rune inscriptions on it. It is from the 14th century. They are the Nordic region’s oldest letter of courtship. One end of the stick has marks in gravel and stone, meaning it comes from a walking stick. We know the owner was Håvard because he marked his name on the inscription. It says:

    “Håvard sends Gudny God’s greeting and his friendship. And now it is my full wish to ask for your hand if you do not want to be with Kolbein. Think about your marriage plans and let me know your will.”

    So sweet!

    The theory is that Håvard broke off the stick on the way to church and wrote the inscription. He gave it to Gudny as he was entering the church. She read the message but put it under a crack on the floor. It seems she didn’t reciprocate the feelings! She was sitting at the end reserved for the upper class, so she was likely ‘too good’ for poor Håvard.

    Lastly, a parchment scroll from the 13th century was found under the church. It has notes and lyrics to music written in honour of St. Thomas Beckett, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

    Interior decorations

    As we know, the church underwent major renovations in the 17th century. This is also when most of the inventory is from.

    This symbol represents a dragon or lion-like creature. It is likely an old Viking symbol to smooth the forced conversion the local pagans made to Christianity.

    The wall decorations are from 1608, but guides will be able to show you the early decorations in the church. They are a little hard to see and need a torch.

    The free-standing staves from the original construction still stand in the interior. Later, perhaps to reinforce the structure, they placed St. Andrew’s Crosses between the staves.

    The pulpit is from the 1790s.

    The church has a collection of motifs and paintings. Some of them are by Eggert Munch, a descendant of Edvard Munch. He was a clergyman’s son from Vågå, a town now known for its connection to the Munch family.

    You seen see lots of pictures of the interior and the original floor-plans here: https://kunsthistorie.com/fagwiki/Lom_stavkirke

    Men used to sit on the right, while women would sit on the left. Prisoners sat at the back with the sheriff in the caged area.

    There is a town flag in the church. It has a spoon on it, which is the symbol of Lom. Because of its position in the mountains and little rainfall, large spoons were traditionally used to spread water over the fields.

    The apse was added in 1240, when Gothic cathedrals made an apse a necessity for churches across Europe. Lepers came to the grilled window in the apse for a blessing. The decorations inside were done in 1740. You can see it in the far-left of the image below.

    Exterior decorations

    The stave church is one of the few in which the medieval dragon’s heads remain on the roof. The ones on the roof today are a copy; the originals are in the stave church exhibition. This is in the building by the parking lot. It’s the old school building.

    Much like Borgund Stave Church, Lom Stave church used to have a corridor around the outside. The theory is that this is where all the Vikings would leave their shields when they went to service. Maybe it was later used to stand under cover while waiting to go inside.

    In the cemetery are several soapstone medieval crosses. Some tombstones from the 18th century still stand in the cemetery.

    Additional exhibition

    Head to the large building in the parking lot for an additional exhibition about Lom Stave Church. There are model churches, headstones and other artefacts. In the display case you’ll see the stick with the rune inscriptions described above.

    Visiting Lom Stave Church

    The church is a must if you are in the area. It is open throughout the summer and has fantastic guides in a variety of languages. There is no regular schedule; they’ll do it when you show up.

    Opening Hours and Admission

    Up to date information is found at stavechurch.com (click here).

    The church is open from June until September. The times vary according to the time of year, but it’s typically from 11am until 5pm. Tickets cost 90 NOK per person.

    Facilities

    There is a large free parking lot outside the church. It may be full of tour buses in the summer months.

    While there are no bathrooms on site, there is a bathroom (fee) beside the wooden building. Or, head across the road to Lom centre. Visit the bakery, buy some lunch, and use their (better) bathrooms for free). You’ll find lots of outdoor shops and a supermarket here.

    Resources

    The Rv15 Highway

    Lom Stave Church is located on the Rv15 highway. You can find my guide to the Rv15 by clicking the link below. 

    The Rv15 Highway
    Lom Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • Sognefjord

    On the UNESCO World Heritage List: Urnes Stave Church

    On the UNESCO World Heritage List: Urnes Stave Church

    No trip to Norway is complete without a visit to one of the 28 stave churches. Of the 28, only one of them is UNESCO World Heritage-listed: Urnes Stave Church. Nestled on the Lustrafjord, a branch of the Sognefjord, this gorgeous old church is Norway’s oldest and one of the most important. Today the church is a museum with regular guided tours. 

    I visited Urnes Stave Church back in September 2020 and got to go inside with a guided tour. I did some research on the church beforehand, and there is a lot of information online. I’ve done my best to tell a condensed story of Urnes Stave Church. This way, you will know why the church is so special before you go. I have relied on a lot of articles written by experts, and I’ll link to all those at the bottom. I’ve also done my best to cover the practical bits so your visit can go well. Still, get a guide! They are experts on the subject and included in the admission fee.

    Here’s my overview of Urnes Stave Church. 

    The Fv55 Highway

    Urnes Stave Church is located close to the Fv55, one of Norway’s tourist roads. You can find my guide to the Fv55 by clicking the link below. 

    The Fv55 Highway
    Solvorn Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    In this article...

    The many churches at Urnes

    Urnes Stave Church is not the first one to sit on the site: in fact, it is probably the fourth church on the site. The current church is from sometime around the late 12th century and is still on the same site. 

    Summary of all the churches

    • Church One: Built around the time Norway was Christianised (1030-ish). It was a ‘palisade style’ church, where the structural posts placed into the ground. It had the same orientation as the current church but was smaller.
    • Church Two: Built in the second half of the 11th century. It had posts dug into the ground, which rot. It was torn down in the mid-12th century.
    • Church Three: Based on the second church, but also different. It incorporated the raised central nave and had 16 staves. The design was an inspiration for later stave churches. This church was a mix between the architecture and art from the Viking Age and architecture found in Christian churches around Europe. This church had the exterior wooden carvings – the “Urnes style” carvings around its main portal.

    The current church

    Urnes Stave Church likely came at the end of the 12th century. On the largest portal, it says “St. Nicholaus Church”, referring to who they dedicated the church to. Above the runes is a cross, likely from the consecration of the church. 

    Why was it built here?

    The location is remote, and the church sits high up on a hill. Why was a church built here, and how has it been able to survive for so long?

    Well, as was common for stave churches, Urnes Stave Church was a private farm church. The wealthiest landowners would build themselves a church to prove how wealthy they were. That’s why there were over 1,000 stave churches in Norway at its peak. In the early years of Christianity, it was a cult for the wealthy. Stave churches showed off how important, wealthy, and smart these landowners were. 

    Church-building took place on the initiative of kinds and nobles on their farms. The church was a royal and aristocratic project until the 12th century. The church’s position in Norway started to become more powerful. Norway introduced a parish church system, which still exists today. 

    This change came from the Civil War. The important men of Western Norway were introduced to Christian culture from overseas. They knew the church was going to become a powerful part of society. These chieftains saw a strengthened church organisation as a spiritual good and measure to make Norwegian society more in step with its foreign neighbours. 

    The strategic location of the church on a promontory on the Lustrafjord signalled both power and prosperity. Large and very visible burial mounds bear witness to the fact that people have lived here for over 4,000 years. The fjord was the main thoroughfare for people who lived here. Kaupanger and Skjolden were two important harbours. The fjord was also the main passageway to Norway’s biggest city in the Middle Ages: Bergen. 

    Original owners of the church

    Gaut and his family

    Historians have researched who owned the church. One theory is that it was a man called Gaut of Ornesi. He is mentioned in Sverre’s Sagas. It was likely his father who built the church. 

    The Civil War and change in church structure happened while Gaut was raising his sons at the Ornes Farm. Gaut was a man of high status, likely a warrior with loyalty to the church and king. Gaut and his family explains why the church had a rich 12th-century inventory. 

    His sons, Jon and Munun, were masters of a warship under King Magnus Erlingsson’s fleet. Jon died in battle and his son, Arnbjørn, took over the farm. Arnbjørn was only four at the time, so he went to be raised by Nikolas Arnesson, who became the Bishop of Oslo in 1190. Through Nikolas, Arnbjørn grew up under Christianity and ended up working for the King. He didn’t spend much time at Ornes throughout his life but probably gave the church nice items. 

    Later Owners

    Who took over the church after Arnbjørn? It’s believed that the estate had already left the family when he died. A couple of generations later, around 1300, Norway’s richest and most powerful man, Baron Bjarne Erlingsson, owned the church. He was a royal advisor and lived in Bergen. In the mid-15th century, a famous nobleman who lived in Eastern Norway owned the church. It’s clear Ornes wasn’t a place to live. Maybe it was just too isolated?

    Danish-Norwegian noble families inherited the property throughout the centuries. No changes were made to the interior until the 17th century. There is hardly an object from the time the church left Gaut’s family until the 17th century, well after the Reformation. 

    Urnes Stave Church has likely survived because the location is so remote. Additionally, there were no owners on the property to fiddle with the church or dream up renovation ideas. Also, Gaut’s estate comprised of the whole hamlet, so there was never a huge congregation to attend the church and create a need for expansion. 

    Architecture

    Urnes Stave Church is a basilica-style church. The main inspiration came from European Christian churches, which are also built in the same plan. The cylindrical columns and semi-circular arches came from Romanesque stone architecture. 

    The current church has pieces from older churches. The oldest log in the church began to grow in 765. There are two beams in the church that are from 946. Parts of the church, including the north wall and the Urnes carvings, come from an earlier church and date to 1069. 

    The church has seen very few extensions, which is unique if you’ve read my articles on the other stave churches. The nave was extended southwards in the 17th century. There were other additions to the church, but they were removed later. 

    The interior of the church was very dark with no windows. Light came through a small opening by the roof. The Lutheran Reformation in 1537 brought about changes. There needed to be good lighting so the congregation could read their hymns and join in singing. The windows are from the 18th century. 

    Interior Decoration

    Romanesque Columns

    The interior of the church is very richly decorated. The wooden columns (staves) inside have unique capitals with carvings of humans, animals, mythical creatures and vegetal motifs. Some of these carvings are very abstract, while others interlace the designs of Viking tradition. One of the capitals, the centaur, is now the logo for the Preservation Society.

    The capitals take inspiration from Romanesque stone architecture, for example in Canterbury Cathedral: https://web.archive.org/web/20070316220305/http://kunsthistorie.com/galleri/index.php?album=England%2FCantebury&page=2&sortby=name&order=asc

    These capitals are well preserved considering how old they are. They are unique to Urnes Stave Church. Many attempts have been made to interpret them, but the most conclusive understanding of them is that they were inspired by international culture. 

    Church Inventory

    The church pews, pulpit and altar are from after the Reformation. During Gaut’s time, there were benches along the wall for the elderly. A bench is still preserved on the north side of the west wall. Gaut probably had a seat, too. Right in the middle of the church – just to remind everyone how powerful he was! No trace of the chair is in the middle of the church, but the reserved chair in the choir may have been his chair. It was maybe moved to the choir after the Reformation for the priest to sit. This chair is of very high craftsmanship and is one of the original furnishings from the 12th century. 

    Most of the sculptures from the church are now in the University of Bergen Museum. Those that remain are from the 12th century. There is one of Jesus on the cross. Jesus’ loincloth is painted with the expensive blue colour, which may have found its way to Urnes along the Silk Road. The figures have been in the church since the 12th century, making them some of the oldest and best-preserved Norwegian medieval artefacts. 

    The interior walls have many runic inscriptions on them. The guide will highlight them to you, as well as explain what they say. They need a torch to highlight them!

    Exterior Decoration

    The exterior decorations are evidence of how the Viking’s culture transformed and adopted Christianity. Strap-work panels were taken from one of the earlier churches and incorporated into the new structure, keeping elements of Viking tradition alive. This is most evident in the North Portal.

    Urnes style carvings

    The Famous North Portal in Urnes Style

    The north portal is from the third church to stand on the site. It may have been the original main portal on the western side. In mythology and religion, the portal is meant to let other people enter God’s house. The portals are the symbolic embodiment that represents the chaos and struggle with evil. Here, the portal depicts a struggle between a serpent and a beast. It’s believed to represent the onset of Ragnarok, a Viking belief. The earlier church likely had scenes from Norse Mythology. This is a likely reason for its premature reconstruction in the 12th century. The animals may be Níðhöggr eating the roots of Yggdrasil. Intertwined snakes and dragons represent the end of the world according to the Norse legend of Ragnarok.

    Urnes style carvings

    The carvings are known as Urnes Style. This style of carving is not unique to Urnes. It is found all over Scandinavia and especially in Sweden. The style is mostly found on runestones. It is characterised by slim and stylised animals interwoven in tight patterns. The animal heads are always in profile and they have slender eyes. The earliest Urnes style is from 1050. The “Mid-Urnes” style is found on coins issued by Harald Hardrada (1047-1066) and Olav Kyrre (1080-1090), while the “Late Urnes” style is what we see on the stave church. The Urnes style morphed into the Urnes-Romanesque form, not found on runestones but buildings. Torpo Stave Church has elements of Urnes style.  

    What remains of the original stave church?

    Unlike the other stave churches, there is still a good part of this church remaining. The ground beams, sills, corner posts, wall planks and aisle wall plates are from the medieval church. The raised central roof is also original.

    In addition to the Urnes-style portal, there are also two original wall planks in the northern wall, the corner post of the choir, the western gable of the nave, and the eastern gable of the choir. 

    Restoration & preservation

    The Fortidsminneforeningen (Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments) bought the church at the end of the 19th century. The church was showing signs of its age and required preservation. When they took over, there was a different opinion of stave churches. They were unsure if they should try to restore it to its original condition or keep it the same as when they took over the church. 

    In 1902, the church was carefully renovated by famous Bergen architect Jens Zetlitz Monrad Kielland. New ideas for preserving buildings had emerged, and they preserved churches as they were. That’s why the church has bits from all periods of its life.

    Today, only repairs and conservative interventions are done to prevent decay. From 2008 to 2010 they replaced the floor and foundations after the church began to sink on the north side. 

    Excavations under the floor

    During restoration work in the 20th and 21st centuries, they discovered many coins. The floor needed a lot of replacement, and during this process, they found lots of items. In total, there were over 200 Norwegian and foreign coins. The Norwegian coins are from the Middle Ages, while most of the foreign coins are from after the plague in 1349. This indicates that there was less local currency in circulation after the plague and that trade with other countries had grown considerably.

    UNESCO World Heritage List

    In 1979 the Urnes Stave Church was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. It is one of the first two heritage sites in Norway, together with Bryggen. 

    UNESCO points out that the church is a unique example of traditional Scandinavian wooden architecture. It represents the timber building tradition that spread throughout Western Europe during the Middle Ages. Also, it contains recycled decorative parts and building elements from another stave church built 100 years earlier. 

    Their page for the church is here: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/58

    The church today

    Urnes Stave Church has not been in regular use since 1881. This is when the parish of Urnes was abolished. The church is only used for special occasions such as baptisms and weddings.

    The church is a museum and one of the most popular tourist sites in Norway.

    Visitor Information

    Opening hours & prices

    Find up-to-date visitor information at stavechurch.com (click here).

    The church is open from the beginning of June until the end of September. Tickets cost 100 NOK pp but come with an included guided tour.

    You can view the interior of the church with a 3D model! Click here:  https://mpembed.com/show/?m=LW3ZtZoKJQc&mpu=287&mpv=1

    Facilities

    There is a large carpark down by the indoor museum. This is also where the counter is for tickets and tours. You’ll find souvenirs and restrooms here: there isn’t a cafe.

    It’s a short walk (no stairs) up the hill to get to the church.

    Getting Here

    If doing the Sognefjellet Tourist Road, or just in the area, you can drive to Urnes from Skjolden. The road is very narrow so be careful.

    Otherwise, the most popular way to get there is to take the ferry from Solvorn. The ferry runs infrequently in the off-season and somewhat frequently during summer. It’s worth noting that the ferry has limited capacity for vehicles. You can take it without a car, but the church is a bit of a trek up the hill.

    Visit the ferry website here.

    What is in the area?

    In Solvorn you’ll find the Walaker Hotel, the oldest in Norway (website here). From Solvorn you are a short drive away from Sogndal and Kaupanger (home to a stave church). Take the ferry across the Sognefjord and you’ll be on the E16 between Bergen and Oslo in Laerdal. Laerdal is midway between Flåm and Borgund Stave Church. Laerdal is about a 3 hour drive from Bergen.

    From Skjolden, you can do the Sognefjellet Tourist Road up to Lom, and from Lom you are a short drive from Geiranger or Valdresflye.

    There’s heaps to do just around Sogndal and the Sognefjord – I’ll get around to writing it all down soon.

    The Fv55 Highway

    Urnes Stave Church is located close to the Fv55, one of Norway’s tourist roads. You can find my guide to the Fv55 by clicking the link below. 

    The Fv55 Highway
    Solvorn Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • National Tourist Roads, Road-trips, Sognefjord

    Drive it Yourself: Sognefjellet Tourist Road

    Drive it Yourself: Sognefjellet Tourist Road

    Alright, this is the big one. The Sognefjellet Tourist Road is one of the highest roads in Norway and also the most notorious for bad weather. Winding its way from Lom through the Jotunheimen National Park and then down to the Lustrafjord, this road is nicknamed the ‘road over the roof of Norway’.

    This road has been a main traffic road since the Middle Ages, linking the coast and inland areas. Trading led to the transport of salt and fish eastwards while butter, pitch and leather were transported west.

    The decision to build a modern gravel road came in 1936 when the Minister of Social Affairs put together an initiative to employ unemployed young people. The road opened in 1938 and was the highest road at the time. It rises to a height of 1434m.

    This is where you experience true Norwegian nature. In winter the weather is so severe that the road has to close. In early spring, soon after the road opens, there are almost 10m high banks of snow on the side of the road.

    The Sognefjellet Tourist Road is notorious for bad weather, and boy did we experience that. I think I was mildly traumatised by the time I got to the bottom of the road! I would love to go back and film this when the weather is good. In the meantime, the footage and my photos aren’t great, but at least it paints a true picture of the power of nature on Sognefjellet.

    In this article...

    Download this Guide

    All of our guides can be downloaded via my online store. 

    I offer downloadable versions of our self-guided drives on my online store. 

    View at the Store

    Online Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the neighbourhood
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Information about facilities along the way

    Downloadable Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the region & towns
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Facilities including supermarkets, toilets, petrol, hotels, cafes, restaurants with addresses.

    Watch on Youtube

    All of our roadtrips are available on YouTube to watch. They include information about the area provided in text and voiceover form, plus they show the drive in full (sped up in some spots!) so you can get an idea what the drive is like. 

    Visit Our YouTube Channel

    The drive: Sognefjellet Tourist Road

    Lom

    Lom has it all. Museums, shops, scenic views, a stave church and an award-winning bakery. It’s also surrounded by tourist roads. We begin our drive here after filling up with coffee and petrol.

     

    Lom Travel Guide

    Flåklypa

    Scenic Site

    Flåklypa is the first place we’ll pass. The name comes from a Norwegian kids film called Flåklypa Grand Prix, where the place is described as a small mountain village. Historically, though, this is a place where farmers risked getting stuck when they pulled their hay on the ice – they got stuck in Flåklypa, which means ‘pinch’.

    Galdhøpiggvegen

    Mountain

    If the weather is incredible, or you can at least see the mountain peaks, take a 15km detour up Galdhøpiggvegen.

    Galdhøpiggvegen offers an ascent of 1300m and, on a clear day, you get a panoramic view of Northern Europe’s highest mountains at the end of the road. The road is open mid-May to the end of October but may close throughout the season if there’s bad weather. It’s a toll road, so after 5km you have to pay – card only.

    There are tourist cabins at the top if you want to spend the night there and do some outdoor activities.

    Lisanden

    Rest Area

    Liasanden is a beautiful rest area in a pine forest. You’ll find maps, information boards, and picnic benches.

    For more info, click here. 

    Jotunheimen Mountain Hotel

    Hotel

    This is a viewpoint and great place to stay.

    Sognefjellshytta

    Hotel

    This lodge is where the tourist road reaches its highest point: 1400m. Understandably, this accommodation is also a popular training centre for ski teams from all over the world. There is a common room here where you can go and warm up or use the restrooms, or you can opt to spend the night here.

    Click here to visit their website.

    Oscarshaug Viewpoint

    Viewpoint

    This is considered the best viewpoint on the scenic drive. Keep an eye out for it: it’s off one of the hairpin turns.

    Turtagrø Hotel

    Hotel

    This is a hotel that has been a central meeting place for mountaineers since the late 19th century. The first hotel was built here in 1888 by mountain guide Ola Berge. Another hotel was built 100m away in the same year. The two hotels merged in 1911 after Berge bought the other hotel. After Berges death in 1928, his daugther Kari took over the hotel. After the Sognefjellet tourist road was finished in 1938 and the climbing assocation build their own cabin, the purpose of the hotel changed.

    On 28 April 1940, during the closing days of the Norwegian Campaign in Southern Norway, German prisoners of war and their guards arrived at Turtagrø. They spent the night here on their way to Vadheim in Sogn.

    From 1953 Johannes Drægni ran the hotel. He introduced the first climbing school in Norway at the property. Ole Berge Drægni took over the hotel in 1997, but sadly he died in the tsunami in Thailand in 2004. His four-year-old daughter Sofie inherited the majority of the stocks. His daughter still owns 80% of shares in the company, but Ingunn Weka is the manager of the hotel.

    The old main building and staff accommodation burned down in 2001, destroyed old cultural monuments. A new hotel was rebuilt by 2002.

    The area is one of Norway’s most alpine areas with 24 peaks over 2,000m above sea level. Throughout the season you can take tours with mountain guides.

    Click here to visit their website

    Fortun Overlook

    Viewpoint

    Your last chance to get some photos high up in the mountains comes a short drive after the hotel. Here you can see the village Fortun.

    Fortun

    Village

    Fortun is a small village located on the innermost part of the Lustrafjord, which we’ll now be following.

    The village is best known for its church. The present church is from 1879, but it replaced an earlier stave church.

    The earliest existing records date back to 1330, but it’s believed there was a church here built in the mid-12th century. It was originally a stave church. As with many churches, it was too small and there were plans to tear it down. However, there was some controversy about this. So, consul Fredrik Georg Gade bought the stave church and moved it to Fantoft in Bergen. It became known as Fantoft Stave Church and operated as a museum. Sadly, in 1992 it was destroyed by an arson fire. A replica has been built, but virtually all the old parts have been lost.

    The picture is of the village between 1860 and 1880, and shows the stave church just before it was moved.

    Wittgenstein

    Historic Site

    Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951) was an Austrian-British philosopher who worked in logic, mathematics, the mind, and language. What does this have to do with Fortun?

    Well, Ludwig visited Norway and fell in love with the region. He eventually made the decision to move here. He lived in various small villages before building a small wooden house to sit on a rock to overlook the Eidsvatnet lake. The place was nicknamed “Østerrike” (Austria) by the locals. The house was dismantled in 1958 but rebuilt by the locals in 2014. Now it’s a memorial, and a rest area along the road!

    You can see a photo of the house here. 

    Skjolden

    Village

    Skjolden is a small village of 250-300 people.

    At Skjolden, you’ll reach the turn-off for Urnes Stave Church. This is where you come some options.

    Where to go from here

    The Sognefjellet Tourist Road continues to Gaupne along the Lustrafjord. However, if you take this road, you’ll miss out on one of the biggest attractions: Urnes Stave Church. I know, there are a lot of stave churches in Norway, so what makes this one so special? Well, it’s the oldest stave church! It’s also the oldest one on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The church is only open in the summer months, as is the ferry to/from it, so I highly recommend going provided it is open.

    Still, we shouldn’t ignore the rest of the Sognefjellet Tourist Road. It’s a beautiful drive and there are things to see along the way. If it’s possible, I recommend doing option one.

    Option One: Drive to Urnes Stave Church, take the ferry to Solvorn, go back along the Fv55 (recommended)

    Take the 30-40 min drive to Urnes Stave Church, then take the ferry across to Solvorn. From Solvorn, drive back along the Sognefellet Tourist Road to Dale Church – the last major point of interest. Then you can come back to Solvorn.

    Option Two: Do the Sognefjellet Tourist Road to Solvorn, take the ferry to/from Urnes Stave Church

    This is a fine option too. The only reason I don’t recommend it is that the ferry is pricey, infrequent, and the drive to Urnes is quite scenic and recommended.

    Notes:

    • The road to Urnes Stave Church is very beautiful but it’s extremely narrow and a little daunting. It’s surprisingly long, too. This is why I don’t recommend doing it both ways
    • The ferry between Ornes (the village where the church is) is a little pricey, takes few vehicles, and can be crowded. Also, it operates few times during the day. It’s great one way.
    • You can take the ferry without a car and then walk up to Urnes Stave Church, but it’s up a semi-steep hill

    Urnes Stave Church

    Urnes Stave Church is the only UNESCO World Heritage-listed stave church in the world. It is open in the summer months as a museum, too!

    Urnes Stave Church

    The Next Drive

    Aurlandsfjellet Tourist Road

    On the next day we finished our ultimate Norwegian road-trip by heading across the Sognefjord to Aurland. 

    Aurlandsfjellet Tourist Road

    The Previous Drive

    Geiranger to Lom

    This short but stunning drive connects the Sognefjellet Tourist Road with the Geiranger UNESCO region. 

    Geiranger to Lom

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

  • Geiranger, Lom, National Highways, Road-trips

    Geiranger – Lom Scenic Drive

    Geiranger – Lom Scenic Drive

    The Geiranger-Lom road is one of the most visited ways to get to Geiranger. It follows the Highway 15 from Otta, which is on the E6 between Trondheim and Oslo. It may seem like just a standard highway to get from A-B, but there’s a lot to see and do!

    With incredible photo-stops, scenic overlooks and detours, be sure to spend some time between Geiranger and Lom.

    I have done this drive many times with tour groups. In September 2020 I got to do the drive with the husband as part of our roadtrip around southern Norway.

    In this article...

    Download this Guide

    All of our guides can be downloaded via our online store. 

    We offer downloadable versions of our self-guided drives on our online store. 

    View at the Store

    Online Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the neighbourhood
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Information about facilities along the way

    Downloadable Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the region & towns
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Facilities including supermarkets, toilets, petrol, hotels, cafes, restaurants with addresses.

    Watch on Youtube

    All of our roadtrips are available on YouTube to watch. They include information about the area provided in text and voiceover form, plus they show the drive in full (sped up in some spots!) so you can get an idea what the drive is like. 

    Visit Our YouTube Channel

    The drive: Geiranger to Lom

    Geiranger

    This drive begins in beautiful Geiranger. I’ve got a lot to say about this place, so I’ve put it in a separate article which you’ll see below.

    Geiranger Travel Guide

    Knuten

    Historic Site

    Knuten (the Knot) is a section of the old road. It’s still the same as it was when it opened in 1882. It is a loop road used to get up/down the steep mountain. The road curves 270 degrees, and was designed to reduce the road graient for passing horses and people.

    It’s important to note that it’s very hard to see Knuten if you’re going down into Geiranger. It’s best viewed if going up from Geiranger.

    Cars are not allowed to go up, but people and bikes can.

    Blåfjellbrakka

    Historic Site

    Blåfjellbrakka is a small cabin from 1904. It was built for those who worked to maintain Geirangervegen. It is the only barracks in the Norwegian Public Roads Administration. The building was restored in 1989 and today it’s a holiday home for employees in the Norwegian Public Roads Administration.

    They have a small information board on a wooden shed. You can pull over and have a read.

    Dalsnibba

    Viewpoint

    We are now at the famous Dalsnibba Viewpoint. It’s a lengthy detour, but if you can see the mountain peaks, it’s well worth doing.

    At an altitude of 1,746m, you can see Geiranger, the Geirangerfjord, and the road we’ve taken to get here. The view is unlike anything else.

    The road is only 5km (3 mi) off the main road, but it takes a long time as the road is narrow, has many hairpin bends, and often has a lot of traffic.

    The road has a toll as it is a private road. You can see updated prices via the link in the description. At the top you’ll find a café, souvenir shop, and incredible views. It is often very, very cold and very windy. Bring extra layers! Snow is common all year round.

    I wrote a separate article as one of the very first articles for this blog! You can see it here. 

    Dalsnibba Viewpoint

    Innlandet County

    You cross over into Innlandet county. 

    Skjåk Municipality

    Skjåk is a municipality in Innlandet. It’s part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdalen. The name comes from an old farm.

    After the last Ice Age, it’s believed reindeer followed the ice as it retreated north to Scandinavia. Skjåk is in the middle of the central migration route for the Scandinavian reindeer. There are ancient large hunting facilities and traces of settlements that show hunting and trapping was important here from the Ice Age until today. There are farm names that date back to the Iron Age. There is a hunting facility for moose from 220-570AD.

    The region is mentioned in the Viking Age and has a rich cultural heritage. St. Olav supposedly travelled through the valley when he was Christianising the villages. He christianised Lom, but Skjåk refused. As a result, the village was burned. St. Olav said: “It’s a pity to burn such a beautiful village”.

    There was a high population growth during the Middle Ages, and there were around 120 farms here just before the Black Death in 1349. After the plague, the population was more than halved.

    In the second half of the 17th century, the population recovered to the pre-plague numbers. Most of the farms in Skjåk were owned by the farmers. From 1730, the forest began to be exploited for the timber industry.

    Geography

    An ancient route of travel between east and west went up from Skjåk through the Raudal valley and then onwards to Stryn. This area is a historically significant traffic artery between Stryn and Nordfjrod, Geiranger, Sunnmøre, Ottadal, Lom and Vågå.

    Skjåk is the westernmost part of the Gudbrandsdalen region. The community is at the meeting point between east and west. The valley is rain shadowed and therefore one of the most arid places in Europe with an annual precipitation of 250mm (10 inc) per year. It has a subarctic climate.

    Industry

    Due to the lack of rain, Agriculture has been enabled by elaborate irrigation systems for hundreds of years. The area is green and productive rather than being desert like. There are long traditions of pig breeding in the municipality. 19% of the population is involved in agriculture and timber.

    The main village in Skjåk is Bismo, which has the Otta River flowing through it.

    Fun fact: 78% of the municipality is part of a national park.

    Gamle Strynefjellsvegen

    Tourist Road/Detour

    Gamle Strynefjellsvegen is one of Norway’s 18 national tourist roads. It’s the old road that came up here from Stryn.

    Unfortunately I have not done this road, so I can’t say too much about it. We were originally going to do it as a detour, but the weather was too bad. It takes about 45 minutes one way, so if you have the time I highly recommend it. To get back to this point quickly, you can take Highway 15 back.

    Click here to visit the website for the Gamle Strynefjellsvegen route.

    Lom Municipality

    You enter Lom municipality. 

    Lom

    Lom is a beautiful town and well worth a visit when in Norway. It is located between some of Norway’s most famous national parks and is home to Lom Stave Church, one of the most impressive stave churches left. 

    Lom Travel Guide

    Continue the drive

    Sognefjellet Tourist Road

    From Lom you can get to the Sognefjellet Tourist Road, one of the 18 National Tourist Roads in Norway. 

    Sognefjellet Tourist Road

    Previous Route

    Trollstigen Tourist Road

    Drive from Åndalsnes to Geiranger on one of the most famous tourist drives in Norway. 

    Trollstigen Tourist Road

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

  • Åndalsnes, Geiranger, National Tourist Roads, Road-trips

    Drive it Yourself: Åndalsnes to Geiranger via the Trollstigen Tourist Road

    Drive it Yourself: Åndalsnes to Geiranger via the Trollstigen Tourist Road

    Trollstigen is arguably the most famous of the 18 national tourist roads in Norway. Beginning just outside Åndalsnes in north-western Norway, the road twists and turns up the mountains, across the fjord, and then down to UNESCO World-Heritage-listed Geiranger. The views are incredible, the road is a little nerve-wrecking, but it’s well worth doing.

    You’ve probably seen something like the image above. Trollstigen has been featured countless times on television programs – especially those about cars – and every guidebook will include a picture of it. The road is slightly terrifying, difficult, and not for the inexperienced. However, get to the top and you will be rewarded!

    I got to do the Trollstigen National Tourist Road last September. The weather was miserable and we didn’t see anything, but that didn’t change my opinion of the road. I’m glad I didn’t do it in the middle of summer – the traffic looks like a nightmare. Here’s an overview of everything you can see and do on the road between Åndalsnes and Geiranger. 

    In this article...

    Download this Guide

    All of our guides can be downloaded via our online store. 

    We offer downloadable versions of our self-guided drives on our online store. 

    View at the Store

    Online Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the neighbourhood
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Information about facilities along the way

    Downloadable Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the region & towns
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Facilities including supermarkets, toilets, petrol, hotels, cafes, restaurants with addresses.

    Watch on Youtube

    All of our roadtrips are available on YouTube to watch. They include information about the area provided in text and voiceover form, plus they show the drive in full (sped up in some spots!) so you can get an idea what the drive is like. 

    Visit Our YouTube Channel

    IMPORTANT: TROLLSTIGEN CLOSED

    Please note that Trollstigen Tourist Road is closed for 2024 due to concerns over rockslides and subsequent safety issues. It is possible to visit the visitor centre and viewpoint at the top, but you must come from the southern (Valldal) side. It is not possible to drive on the Trollstigen switchback road. 

    The Drive: Åndalsnes to Geiranger

    Åndalsnes

    This drive begins in Åndalsnes, which is a popular place to stay for those who love outdoor activities. You can learn more about Åndalsnes via the button below. 

    Åndalsnes Travel Guide

    Troll Wall (Trollveggen)

    Mountain Range

    If you continue past the turn for Trollstigen, you’ll be driving along Trollveggen.

    Trollveggen is the tallest vertical rock face in Europe, about 1100m (3600ft) from its base to the summit ridge of the highest point. The wall is popular with skiers and mountain climbers.

    The drive along the E134 provides excellent views of Trollveggen, though the best views are achieved by hiking. 

    If you want to see the whole of Trollveggen, drive to Dombås and back again. One way is 104km (90 minutes), so it is a day trip. Otherwise, you might be coming from Oslo and do the drive from Dombås into Åndalsnes anyway.

     

    Rauma River

    River

    The Rauma river is a 68km (42 mi) long river that runs through Romsdalen, the valley you drive through for Trollveggen. The river used to be famous for salmon fishing, but since an infection, only 5-10% of the stock survives.

    The Rauma River is regarded as one of the most beautiful in Norway. It has a natural green tint from melting ice. The mountains on either side are 1500m – 1800m (4900ft to 5900ft) high.

    Isterdalen

    Valley

    We are in the valley called Isterdalen. It is a distinct U-shaped valley with a steep end point: this is where Trollstigen is. The valley is cultivated for agricultural purposes.

    When driving through the valley, keep an eye out for the famous mountains “Queen”, “King” and “Bishop” on the west side of the valley.

    Trollstigen Resort

    Accommodation

    This quirky cabin rental and camping ground has some – unique? – troll statues you can stop to take photos of. They also have a shop with food and drinks, plus some restrooms.

    Besides the trolls, it’s worth stopping here to look at the maps of the surrounding area. 

    Trollstigen

    Historic Overview

    The road is very old. The market near Åndalsnes began in 1533, and the road was used as the main crossing over the mountain. A text in 1766 says that the mountain road was inspected annually and continuously.

    Around the turn of the 20th century, the road was widened to allow for riding: it was around 1.5m wide. Discussion began for modernising the road and allowing access for wider vehicles. The Armed Forces was interested in the construction of the road for the sake of mobilisation and exercises in connection with a nearby military camp. Additionally, the opening of the Rauma Line provided subsidies for the construction of the road. 

    In 1912, county engineer Hovednark said that the road would become “one of our most important tourist roads.” I’d say he is right!

    In 1916, upgrading of the road began. Throughout the building process, the road was criticised for being an expensive project, but the council began to work on it. The construction of the hairpin turns began in 1930. The turns were designed so they would not be too sharp. Work was done by hand with wheelbarrows, hammers and drills. Two men could do 3m of road a day. Eventually construction workers laid rails on the road so stones and gravel could be transported away.

    Trollstigen officially opened on 31 July 1936 by King Håkon VII. It is practically on the same route as the older path; though most of the older path is the Kløvstien walk. 

    Renovation Work

    Due to the location and weather, Trollstigen is continuously monitored. Due to rockfalls, a section at the bottom of Trollstigen was rebuilt in 2005. The road from Trollstigen to Geiranger was upgraded between 2005-2008 due to the large number of tourists crossing.

    Some of the turns have been widened to allow for buses to get up/down. 

    The Turns

    Each turn is named after the work team member who was responsible for that turn. From the bottom:
    – Otmar Østigård
    – Johan Voll (turns 2-4)
    – Kjelstad
    – Anton Fiva
    – Lars Daniel Tafjord
    – Martin Uri (8 and 10)
    – Arthur Langdal
    – Volda (now called Bispesvingen)

    The turns are named so if you get stuck you can tell the emergency authorities where exactly you are.

    Stats

    • 11 hairpin bends. Several have been widened, while others are their original width
    • There is a 1:12, or 10% gradient
    • The highest point is Alnesreset, where the info centre is, and it’s 850m high
    • The road is 4-6m wide – more at meeting places. When the road first opened, it was 3-4m wide

    Trollstigen Visitor Centre

    Centre

    At the top of Trollstigen is this incredible looking visitor centre. The complex is fairly new: it was built in 2012. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it was designed by an architecture firm.

    Here you’ll find restrooms, food, drinks, and souvenirs. There are walking paths all around the centre, and two viewpoints where you can capture that famous view of Trollstigen.

    Since I went on a horribly day, I didn’t get a photo of the road. It’s okay, I can always go back!

    Fjord Municipality

    Shortly after leaving the visitor centre, we cross into Fjord Municipality (Kommune).

    Fjord is a small municipality in the traditional district of Sunnmøre.

    The name ‘Fjord’ is kind of strange. It is not an old or historic name: it was chosen in 2020 for reasons of search enging optimisation. If you google ‘Fjord’, they wanted their muncipality to be the first in the list and bring tourists to the region. They have been criticised by the Language Council of Norway because fjord is a very common place name in the country. Also, they were unhappy that the name was chosen for SEO; they said that names should be based on names with a historic tradition in the area, and that ‘invented names’ with no tradition such as Fjord are unfortunate.

    I tried it and the municipality was not at the top of my list on Google!

    Gudbrandsjuvet

    Scenic area

    After a short drive, you’ll pass brown tourist signs leading you to Gudbrandsjuvet. This is a short detour with some incredible views. 

    Gudbrandsjuvet is a 5m narrow and 25m high ravine. There is a stone bridge across the river: it’s from 1919 and replaced an even older bridge from 1785.

    According to a story from the 1500s, the ravine was named after a man called Gudbrand. He ran off with his new bride and saved himself from his angry pursuers by jumping over the ravine at its narrowest point. Gudbrand was declared an outlaw for his deeds, and lived the rest of his life in a stone hut in one of the side valleys above Gudbrandsjuvet. The valley is still called Gudbrandsdalen (not to be confused with the Gudbrandsdalen north of Oslo) to this day. The story doesn’t mention whether his bride followed him over the ravine.

    There’s a gorgeous visitor centre and platform here. Have a look at the pictures on the VisitÅlesund website (click here). 

    Fun fact
    The British film Ex Machina was partly filmed at the Juvet Landscape Hotel. The hotel is just behind the viewing platform. If you want to stay there, you have to stay for a minimum of 2 nights and pay 4500 NOK per night. 

    Valldal

    Valley

    Valldal is a valley and high tourist area. We’ve been passing caravan parks and cabins for the last 15 or so minutes, so that’s definitely their main industry.

    The valley runs for 30km from Storfjorden to Trollstigen. The valley is relatively flat with a gentle slope, providing great opportunities for agriculture. The valley rises from sea level (by the fjord) to 850m above sea level at Trollstigen.

    St. Olav & Valldal

    Even though the valley is assoicated with tourism today, it is very old. Valldal is mentioned in the Old Norse Sagas. In the Saga of St. Olav, it’s written that Olav fought with a sea serpent in the Storfjord (the fjord Valldal sits on). Olav wins the battle by throwing it in the rock wall of Syltefjellet. To this day, you can see an outline of the serpent on the side of the mountain Syltefjellet.

    Just above the centre of town is Olavsstøtta. This is a monument commemorating the place where Olav sat and watched his boats burn so the enemy could not use them. After that, he set out across Valldalen – the valley we’ve been driving through. As Olav made his way through the valley, he got help from the locals who lived here. As a way to say thanks, he promised that the grain here would never freeze. According to the locals, it has never frozen!

    There’s another place named after him – Olavskilda – which is a spring with water said to have a healing effect. Before the modern times, it was used to give to animals that were unhealthy.

    Tourism

    Valldal is located in the centre of two important tourist destinations in Norway: the Geirangerfjord and Trollstigen. Vallden is located on the tourist route between the two, and understandably it gets a lot of traffic.

    Valldal is surrounded by mountains that are 1500-1800m above sea level. As you can imagine, the surrounding nature attracts a lot of tourism. There are plenty of marked hiking trails in the area, and the Norwegian Tourist Association’s cabins can be found in the region.

    Valldøla, which flows through the river, is known for its salmon and trout fishing. Fishing licences can be bought at the tourist centre in Sylte. Hunting is also common here. Valldal has a large deer herd that every autumn provides food for landowners. Grouse hunting is also possible at the top of the valley.

    Agriculture

    This is the most important industry in Valldal. The valley is known for strawberries. Before the municipality was changed to ‘Fjord’ it was called Norddal and the coat-of-arms was three berries. Besides strawberries, there are also apples, pears, plums, apricots, cherries and walnuts growing in the valley.

    Sylte

    Sylte is the name of the settlement by the fjord, but it’s often also called Valldal town centre. Around 1000 people live here. Historically, Sylte was a common area used by the farmers of Valldal where they all had a boathouse and stalls where they could store horses while attending church as well as private belongings. The area has now been developed and has a petrol station, car repair shop, and grocery store.

    Sylte Church is from 1863. It’s believed there has been a church here for a long time. The site is mentioend in documents as far back as 1589. Some guesses believe that the first church was built in 1100 after church building became common.

    Linge to Eidsdal

    Ferry

    When we get to Linge, we take the ferry over to Eidsdal.

    It’s worth noting that the ferry pier in Linge is one of the attractions along the national tourist route. I don’t know if you’ll spend any time there: we just went straight to the ferry. Click here for info about the attraction. 

    To take the ferry, join the queue in the parking lot. The ferry comes every 30-45 minutes, so you don’t have to wait long. When you are signalled, drive onto the ferry and make sure you park as close as possible to the car in front of you. You then have to turn off your car and leave it.

    How to buy a ticket? Easy. They scan the e-toll tag inside your car. All rentals will have one. After you drop off the car, the rental company sends you a bill for all the tolls/ferries you took.

    When you see the ferry getting closer to the other side, go back to your car. Don’t turn it on until you’re docked. Leave the ferry when instructed. Easy!

    Most ferries serve hot and cold food and drinks and have restrooms.

    You can view the website for the ferry here. 

    Eidsdal

    Village

    Eidsdal is a tiny town. Around 400 people live here, and the major industry is agriculture. Tourism is fastly becoming a major industry, with many campsites, cabins, and guesthouses being built in recent years.

    If you find accommodation in Geiranger is sold out – which is common – or it’s too expensive, Eidsdal is a great affordable alternative. It’s a short drive from Geiranger but accommodation can be half the price for the same standards. 

    Herdalssetra

    Farm

    Herdalssetra is a preserved mountain summer farm and one of the largest alpine farm centres for goat farming. The farm has been in continuous operaton for 300 years. It has several hundred goats, plus some cows, sheep and fjord horses. There are over 30 historic buildings gathered in a cluster. During the summer, the farm is open to the public. You can visit these historic buildings and watch as brown and white goat cheese is produced using the traditional method. The farm also has courses you can take and a café where you can try what’s made here.

    If you see the Snøfrisk brand in supermarkets – that is what is produced here!

    The drive up the toll road is 10km and steep and narrow, so be careful! Honestly, this place is spectacular and I really recommend it.

    The farm is free to access and is open in the summer when the snow has melted. Check their website for info. The drive is about 30 minutes from Eidsdal.

    To get there, you can use GPS (it’s ‘Herdalssetra’ on Google Maps) or drive along the fjord to Norddal and then take the only road that goes up the valley. 

    Stranda Municipality

    The next municipality we drive through is Stranda. It’s a typical fjord municipality with one large town and three small villages: most of the municipality itself is either fjord or mountain.

    Due to the natural environment, Stranda Municipality is one of the most visited in the Nordic countries. Tourism has long traditions here, with the first cruise ship coming into Geiranger in 1869. Today, Geiranger is the second-largest cruise ship port in Norway after Bergen.

    Besides tourism, agriculture is an important industry with around 160 farms producing milk and meat products. Many factories have long traditions for producing meat products, especially salted and cured meat. One of the most famous companies here is Orkla, which produces frozen pizzas (among other things). Since 1979, over 500 million frozen pizzas have been produced at the factory.

    Norwegians are obsessed with frozen pizzas. The number one hit song in 2005 was all about the love of frozen pizza. Click here to hear it. 

    Ørnesvingen

    Scenic Road

    Ørnesvingen is a series of 11 hairpin bends that will take you down to sea level from 620m high. At the top of the bends is the Ørnesvingen viewpoint platform, where you get a spectacular view of the Geirangerfjord, the Seven Sisters, and Geiranger village.

    The road officially opened on 15 September 1955, giving Geiranger a year-round road connection. Yes, this is the only road open in and out of Geiranger all year round. The road got the name “Ørnesvingen” because the area traditionally had lots of eagles (Ørnes = Eagle).

    The climb is steep – 10% – and it can be difficult in summer but especially winter. Traffic can make it difficult as well, so just take your time.

    The viewing point is worth stopping at but it creates its own set of issues. The parking lot is small and during summer it’ll be crowded with buses. Then, you have to cross the road to get to the viewpoint. There are no lights or pedestrian crossings; you just have to make a run for it. If you are spending the night in Geiranger, I recommend coming back later in the day if it’s too crowded. The area also creates traffic jams.

    Geiranger

    You have now made it to Geiranger!

    You can learn about Geiranger through our travel guide. 

    Geiranger Travel Guide

    Continue the drive

    Geiranger - Lom Drive

    Drive up the mountains on this continuation of the tourist road. 

    Geiranger - Lom Drive

    Previous Route

    Atlantic Road

    The Atlantic Road is located close to Åndalsnes. 

    Atlantic Road

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

  • Åndalsnes, Molde, Stave Churches

    The oldest of the Møre type: Rødven Stave Church

    The oldest of the Møre type: Rødven Stave Church

    Everyone flocks to Åndalsnes to embark on an epic outdoors journey. Whether it be hiking one of the nearby mountains, heading out on the water, or even driving up the Trollstigen Scenic Road – Åndalsnes has it all. Still, for those who like history – like me! – you might want to take a short trip out of the town to visit the incredible Rødven Stave Church (Norwegian: Rødven stavkyrkje/stavkirke).

    If you are driving down from Molde and/or the Atlantic Road towards Åndalsnes, the stave church is more or less on the way. Built in the characteristic Møre type with the somewhat funny supporting beams, Rødven Stave Church is old and important to the town. I got to visit the church in September 2020. While it wasn’t open, like everything that year, it was fun getting to walk around outside. Here’s some information about the history and importance of the church, plus what you can do if you visit.

    In this article...

    The Fv64 Highway

    You can find this stave church just off the Fv64 highway. You can find my guide to the E6 by clicking the link below. 

    The Fv64 Highway
    Åndalsnes Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    History of Rødven Stave Church

    The Site & Early Church

    The village of Rødven isn’t an important village, though it is very pretty! Yet, the fjord it sits on – the Romsdalsfjord – was well populated in the old times and a thriving agricultural region. The site of the church doesn’t make sense to those of us today who have to drive to it. The road is very long, narrow and windy from the highway – but back then the main method of transport was boats. Located on the hillside, the church is visible from almost anywhere on the fjord. So, the site is the best place to build a community church.

    This is not the first church to stand on the site. In the 1960s, archaeological surveys discovered evidence of an earlier church. The predecessor to the stave church was the pillar church. This is where wooden beams go deep into the ground – and evidence of these pillars are on the site.

    Rødven Stave Church's History

    The age of Rødven Stave Church is unknown because the church has bits from different periods of history. Additionally, since this is such a rural church, very little is written on it throughout history. We do know that a heavy storm in 1689 took hold of the tower and blew it out to sea. This is around the time the church started to undergo a series of renovations. In 1712, the church was in poor condition and extensive work began to repair the church. Most of what we see today is from this renovation period. Again in the 19th century, the church was in poor condition. Authorities threatened to prosecute the owners of the church. Still, little work happened to the church.

    In 1908, the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments took over the responsibility of the church. Today their Romsdal division maintains the church. It is the responsibility of the farmers in the village to keep an eye on the church. Rødven Stave Church remains one of their most important projects. It is the oldest and only pre-Reformation Møre type church remaining, and the church is suffering from leaks and wall damage. The other Møre church remaining, Kvernes Stave Church, was recently discovered as being much younger than thought. It’s believed to be from the 1600s.

    Architecture & style

    As mentioned above, the church is the Møre type (Møre is the name of the region we are in), which is a unique type in Norway. What characterises a Møre church is the external support beams holding the church up. It is pretty adorable to see a church like this held up by these massive beams, but they are essential to making sure the church doesn’t collapse. In other stave churches, these support beams are inside the church and are richly decorated. In Norwegian, these support beams are known as ‘skordene’.

    Another unique feature of the Møre churches is their simple interior. Rødven today by no means has a simple interior, but compared to other churches, the interior design is much plainer. Additionally, there are less external decorations than other stave churches. The church looks more like the predecessor ‘pillar church’ than a stave church.

    The church is made up of several pieces from different periods of history, making it tricky to characterise. Originally, it was a simple long church with a rectangular nave. The south portal is unique: it consists of twisted stalks ending in folded leaves. The south portal is likely from the first half of the 12th century and may have come from the earlier church.

    Most of the architecture found in the church today is from the renovation period of the 17th and 18th centuries. The external gallery around the church was removed around 1600, about the same time the chancel was pulled down and replaced. Of the original church, it’s believed that the pillars and inner walls are original. The panelling, tiles and windows on the church are from the latter half of the 18th century.

    Interior Decoration

    The interior is a mish-mash of everything. The ceiling is very low, making it feel cosy or claustrophobic, and the walls are richly painted but faded. Most of the interior is from the 1712 renovation.

    The oldest item inside the church is the life-size crucifix. It’s believed to be from between 1250 and 1275. It is one of Norway’s finest examples of early Gothic style. There is also a marble slag from the mid-1200s.

    Otherwise, the pulpit and altar are from 1712. The benches are from different periods in history. Some of them have the Danish/Norwegian King Christian IV’s monogram (1641), while others have Christian V’s monogram (1673). Benches are from after the Reformation; Catholic churches in Norway didn’t have benches. You had to stand through the several-hour Latin service. That was one pro of the new Lutheran religion: you could sit and listen to a much shorter Danish service!

    If you want to see some photos of the interior, there’s a huge collection of images here.

    Exterior Decoration & Surrounds

    Photos of the church from 15 years ago show bare wood and faded tar. However, when I visited in 2020 the church looks almost freshly tarred.

    Archaeological excavations in the 1960s found marks under the earth. These show that pillars were buried in the ground. Traces of settlement and tombs from the Iron Age and Roman times near the church were found. Also, coins from the 12th century were discovered under the present church.

    The portals are worth taking a look at as they depict different periods in history. On the north side, the portal is Romanesque and from the end of the 12th century. The south portal is unique to stave churches and has Gothic features from around the 13th century.

    The cemetery around the church is in its original spot.

    The new Rødven Church

    Rødven Stave Church isn’t an active church anymore; it has been this way since 1907. The new church, which is the bright red one across the street, is from 1907. It is the church the community uses today.

    Rødven Stave Church Today

    Sign out the front in Norwegian, English and German

    Rødven Stave Church is no longer an active church; it is a museum that is open in the summer months.

    There is one worship service every year. It’s on Olsok, the eve of St. Olav’s Day. This day is a celebration in Norway and the Faroe Islands, plus some parts of Sweden. The day commemorates St. Olav, who died in battle in 1030. After he was buried where today’s Nidaros Cathedral is in Trondheim, he became a saint for his contributions to establishing Christianity in Norway. Until the Reformation in the 16th century, Olsok was a major church feast. The late 19th and early 20th century saw a renewed interest in Olsok. The Roman Catholic Church in Norway recognises it as a major feast in the country. Meanwhile, the Lutheran Church recognises it primarily in Nidaros Cathedral and some other churches. Ever since 1930, the 29th of July (when he died in battle), St. Olav’s Day has been a flag day.

    Sign from the road Source: Google Maps

    Approaching the church (parking area to the right) Source: Google Maps

    Guided tours are available in the summer. The church is well signed from the main highway (Fv64) that links Kristiansund to Molde via the Atlantic Road and then onto Åndalsnes. Keep in mind the road between the highway and the church is very, very narrow and windy. Drive carefully.

    Good to know

    • Updated opening hours & admission fees can be found by clicking here.
    • Norwegian name: Rødven Stavkyrkje or stavekirke (all the signs are in Norwegian)
    • Parking: Free off-street parking, but small parking area
    • Facilities: None
    • Distance to Åndalsnes: 30 mins (32km / 20 miles)
    • Distance to Molde (via ferry): 1 hour 18 mins (43km / 27 miles)

    I hope you enjoyed this article and let me know in the comments if you have any questions. If you’ve been to the church, also let me know below!

    The Fv64 Highway

    You can find this stave church just off the Fv64 highway. You can find my guide to the E6 by clicking the link below. 

    The Fv64 Highway
    Åndalsnes Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide