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.

  • Geilo, Hallingdal, Oslo & the East, Stave Churches

    Seeing Double at Torpo Stave Church

    Seeing Double at Torpo Stave Church

    If you’re driving on the E7 between east and west Norway, Torpo Stave Church is one of the best roadside stops on the eastern side. The town of Torpo itself is a little sleepy and lacking in things to do, but the stave church is a true highlight. After all, it is one of the oldest stave churches in the country. It is the only preserved stave church in the traditional district of Hallingdal. It’s unique as the new church stands immediately next to it. It creates this intriguing juxtaposition between old and new church architecture in Norway.

    I have been to Torpo Stave Church a few times; I always make an effort to have my groups see it when we are driving on the E7. However, in September 2020 on my road-trip, I decided to make a quick stop there to take some photos. The church wasn’t open due to it being off-season. Still, I got some great photos of the outside and did a little research on the church.

    Here’s what you need to know about Torpo Stave Church for your visit.

    In this article...

    The Rv7 Highway

    You can reach Torpo Stave Church by taking the Rv7. You can find my guide to theRv7 by clicking the link below. 

    The Rv7 Highway
    Geilo Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    One of the oldest stave churches in Norway

    Torpo Stave Church
    Visiting Torpo Stave Church

    An early photo of the two churches together // Thomhav, C. Christensen (1857-1937) // Riksantikvaren

    There is a little back and forth about when Torpo Stave Church was built. Some say it was constructed around 1160, others say it may be closer to the end of the 12th century. In any case, it’s certain that Torpo Stave Church was the first church in Hallingdal and is the only preserved church. It’s also believed there was an older church on this site before the stave church, furthering the importance of Torpo Stave Church.

    According to a rune inscription, a man named Torolf built the church. A person with the same name is listed as the builder for Ål Stave Church. Ål is the next town over if you’re driving towards Oslo. Its stave church was torn down. The plank with the rune inscription is in the Historical Museum in Oslo, but you will see other inscriptions on the church. If you take a guided tour, the staff will highlight it. At the time, Hallingdal (the valley) belonged to the diocese of Stavanger. There is a rumour that one of the bishops of Stavanger is buried under the church, but it is just a rumour.

    There is another stave church surviving from Hallingdal, Gol Stave Church (Gol is a major town on the E7). However, Gol Stave Church now stands at the open-air museum (Folke Museum) in Oslo. There used to be many more churches in the valley, but they were all demolished at one point or another.

    Torpo Stave Church
    Torpo Stave Church (My Photo)

    Changes from the Reformation onwards

    After the Reformation, when Norway went from being Catholic to Lutheran, all stave churches underwent huge changes. Common for all churches is the addition of pulpits and pews. Windows were added later on. All the windows on Torpo Stave Church are from the 17th century. In the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries the church was richly decorated. When the Preservation Society bought the church, they removed these decorations.

    From 1725 onwards, Torpo Stave Church had private ownership.

    Details of the tarring on the church exterior

    Preservation for Ancient Norwegian Monuments takes over

    In 1851, Norway introduced a new law that affected stave churches. The law required that all churches have enough seating for 30% of the village’s population. Towns tore down their stave churches, as they didn’t meet the requirement. After all, we only have 28 of the original 1,000 remaining. In 1875, Ål Municipality took over Torpo Stave Church with plans of renovating it to accommodate the new law. When the Preservation for Norwegian Ancient Monuments heard of this, they knew it would damage the church’s original appearance. So, they set out to buy it. They tore down the choir while financial negotiations were underway. In 1880, the Preservation purchased the church. They took out all the post-Reformation decorations and kept everything in the remaining church original.

    Gorgeous detail around the portal

    Similarities to other stave churches

    Today, only the nave (central part) of the church is remaining. In the nave, you’ll see the original 14 pillars holding up the saddle roof. Inside, it looks very similar to the torn-down stave church as well as the stave churches in Sogn, particularly Borgund and Kaupanger. It’s believed that Torpo improved the construction method of Urnes Stave Church and took elements from Borgund Stave Church.

    Photo credit: Nina Aldin Thune / kunsthistorie.com

    Richly painted decorations

    The choir, which was demolished shortly before the Preservation bought it, had rich paintings. Luckily at the time, the paintings were in the nave, saving them. The vault had richly decorated paintings depicting Christ, the Apostles, and the legend of St. Margaret, who the church is dedicated to. This vault is the most famous part of Torpo Stave Church. It is some of the oldest decorative paintwork in Norway.

    Torpo Stave Church (My Photo)

    Torpo Stave Church (My Photo)

    The exterior

    If you don’t want to pay for entrance to the church, or perhaps you arrive off-season as I did, you are still in for a treat. Dragons, vines and animal heads decorate the portals. A bell tower stood next to the stave church; this is common of many stave churches – bells were too heavy for the supporting beams. However, it is gone due to the new church. The small wooden building across from the church was a room for the church people; it was the only place with heating. Still today, Torpo Stave Church is without electricity and heating.

    The new church

    Torpo built a new church in 1880. It is in a Neo-Gothic style and seats 200. In the 1970s, parts of the stave church’s choir were found under the new church. The new church is still in use and is not part of the admission to Torpo Stave Church.

    Information sign out the front

    Visiting Torpo Stave Church

    Location & Parking

    The stave church is located in the village of Torpo, which is off the E7 between Bergen and Oslo. At this point, you’re roughly halfway between Geilo and Gol, which will be on all the yellow roadsigns indicating how far away the next town is. You get a glimpse of the stave church from the highway, but it’s best to turn off and visit it properly. There are brown tourist signs on the highway pointing in the right direction, so it’s hard to miss it.

    Considering the popularity of this church, there’s very little parking. There is a small parking lot across the street, but I am unsure how busy it will get in the summer months. Please note that there is a private home next to the parking lot; don’t park in their space! They have signs up saying “privat” or “private”.

    Opening Hours & Admission Fees

    Typically, the church is open every day from the beginning of June to the end of August from 10am to 6pm. There’s a sign out the front indicating its opening hours, and you can find up-to-date information here.

    There is an admission fee of 70 NOK to enter the church (up-to-date info can be found here).

    Bathroom facilities are at the church, but there is no food/drinks place. You can get food and drinks from the Joker supermarket down the road.

    Travel Suggestions

    If you are thinking of staying in the area, I’d recommend staying in Geilo. Gol is a little industrial, whereas in Geilo you’ll get all the charm of Norway’s oldest ski town. Torpo Stave Church is a 30-minute drive east of Geilo and a 15-minute drive west of Gol. However, the detour is quick enough that you can still drive all the way to Bergen or Oslo.

    When we did this drive, we had left the Numedal Valley, had lunch in Geilo (so many good options) and were then making our way to Fagernes, where we spent the night. The following day, we went on the Valdres National Tourist Road – there are more stave churches in the area!

    Visitor info for Geilo can be found at the bottom of my Numedal Valley page (click here).

    Tell me what you think!

    Have you visited Torpo Stave Church or do you have any questions for me? Let me know in the comments 🙂

    The Rv7 Highway

    You can reach Torpo Stave Church by taking the Rv7. You can find my guide to theRv7 by clicking the link below. 

    The Rv7 Highway
    Geilo Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • Kongsberg, National Highways, Numedal Valley, Road-trips, Stave Churches

    Drive it Yourself: The Numedal Valley

    Drive it Yourself: The Numedal Valley

    The Numedal Valley is perhaps one of the best-kept secrets in Norway. Located between Kongsberg and Geilo, the valley contains the largest number of medieval wooden buildings in Norway; an impressive 40 ancient farm buildings and 4 stave churches. On this drive, we’ll see a lot of it!

    In this article...

    Download this Guide

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

    Download a copy of this road-trip to print and have it ready to go! All of my road-trip guides also come with interactive Google Maps, making it easier to navigate your way around. 

    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.
    • Interactive Google Map for easier navigation

    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: Numedal Valley

    Kongsberg

    Kongsberg is a fascinating town to explore, and if you have a full day I recommend making the most of everything on offer. 

    Historically, Kongsberg is an important place. It was founded by the Danish/Norwegian King Christian IV as a mining community in 1624 after the discovery of silver. One year later, the Kongsberg Silver Mines were established.

    With the rise of silver mining, Kongsberg became the largest industrial centre in Norway until the 19th century. The silver mining contributed to 10% of Denmark-Norway’s GDP, which was mostly spent on Denmark’s endless wars with Sweden.

    Christian IV hired Germans from silver mines in Germany to help with the establishment and education of silver mining in Norway. Most of the workers throughout the mines history were Germany, though Norwegians gradually took over. 

    The mines also contained high-purity gold and a large amount of copper, cobalt, lead-zinc and flourite. 

    The Kongsberg Mines were energy intensive and difficult to work in. Eventually gunpowder was used in the mines. This also helped establish Kongsberg’s defence industry. Today, Kongsberg is known as the home of Norway’s major defence contractor, Kongsberg Gruppen. Two of its well-known products are Kongsberg Cold and the Krag-Jørgensen rifle.

    Kongsberg is also the site of the Royal Norwegian Mint, which mints Norwegian coins and produces circulating and collectors’  coins for other countries.

    In Kongsberg you’ll find many museums. You can also visit the Kongsberg Mines, where some buildings are still standing. The mountain has many hiking trails for all levels, and many choose to hike to Kronene i Håvet, a collection of royal monograms in the side of the mountain (click here for info). 

    Due to the huge Danish and German influence, the architecture in Kongsberg is unique compared to other pats of the country. It has also largely escaped fired. 

    Kongsberg Travel Guide

    Flesberg Municipality

    Flesberg Stave Church

    Stave Church

    The Flesberg Stave Church is the first of the four churches we’ll see today. It is first mentioned in history in 1359, but is probably from the latter half of the 1100s or the first half of the 1200s.

    It doesn’t look like much of a stave church, doesn’t it? It’s changed a lot over the years. The first-ever painting of a stave church is of Flesberg stave church, and it’s from 1701. We can see just how much it’s changed.

    In the 1730s, the church underwent its first restoration. It was expanded and some of the old parts were removed; as you can see, the new parts weren’t in a stave style. In 1792, the church got a new roof and the stave church choir was torn down.

    Today, the only original part of the stave church is on the western side, where you can see stave decorations around the portal. There are so few parts of the old church left.

    Flesberg Stave Church

    Rollag Municipality

    Rollag Open Air Museum

    Museum

    The Rollag farmstead is now an open-air museum. The farm consists of fourteen buildings around a courtyard. The museum shows what farms looked like in this valley, and the architecture is authentic. The buildings come from other farms in Rollag. There are over 1,000 objects that show everyday life in the village.

    You’ll see signs to the museum about 30 seconds before reaching Rollag Stave Church. 

    The museum is open in the summer months.

    You can view their website here. 

    Rollag Stave Church

    Stave Church

    The Rollag Stave Church was built in the 12th century as a single nave church, the simplest type of stave church. In the 17th century, it was rebuilt as a cruciform church.

    While there isn’t much of the original church left, Rollag Stave Church is still regarded as one of the most beautiful rural churches in Norway.

    Around the church you’ll find ancient stone walls. Some have rings for horses. In the cemetery is an ancient stone cross. It’s believed this site was an ancient gathering place for Christians before they got a church.

    Rollag Stave Church

    Gamle Mogen Landhandel

    Vintage Shop

    This is an old country store turned museum. It was established in 1840 when a man from Telemark got a permit to sell liquor and make a store here. Inside you’ll find a good representation of an old country supermarket and general store. It’s not marked on Google Maps, so keep an eye out! There’s also a place called “Gamle Logen” in Oslo that Google Maps thinks you are talking about.

    Veggli

    Town

    The next town we pass through is called Veggli.

    The population here is 348 people. Veggli Church is located here. The church is from 1859 and is a typical rural church from this period.

    In Veggli you can drive a trolley on the disused Numedalsbanen. The trip starts in Veggli and ends at Rødberg. The trolley was used to inspect the railway line and was an important means of transportation for operators on the line.

    Behind the church in Veggli is an old cemetery. This is where a stave church used to be located. When the population grew substantially in the 17th century, the town needed a new church. At first, they rebuilt Veggli Stave Church just like they did with Rollag. However, when the new church was built in 1859, they demolished the old church. Only the apse wall survives, and it’s at the historical museum in Oslo. Some of the doors and details of the stave church were sold to farmers, who still have them on their properties.

    Mellom Kravik

    Historic Building

    This is considered to be one of the oldest private residences in Norway. The rooms on the ground floor are supply rooms, while the first floor has bedrooms. The loft has two rooms and each room has an entrance from the outside. It was likely constructed in the 14th century.

    The building is on a private residence and opens for the annual Medieval Week festival in the Numedal Valley.

    Next to it is an even older loft called Søre Kravik. Its architecture is descended from the Viking’s royal halls. This building is from the year 1300. The building functioned as a feast hall; the guests would sleep on the second floor and the main festivities took place on the first floor.

    Nore og Uvdal Municipality

    Nore Stave Church

    Stave Church

    The Nore Stave Church is the third church we pass. Its age is unknown, but judging the wood the church may be from 1167. The portal is the same as the one at Flesberg, which is from 1163-1189. 

    The floor-plan of this church is unique; no other church has this in Norway. Maybe other stave churches had this floor plan; there used to be 1,000 and now there’s only 28. There is also a central mast in the middle of the church, another unique element. 

    The inside of the church is absolutely beautiful and comes from all time periods, though most of it is from 1650-1750. 

    The church is open during the summer months. 

    Nore Stave Church

    Sevle Loft & Sevletunet

    Historic Buildings

    This is the newest of the lofts in Numedal. It’s from 1632 but the shape is typical medieval. What makes this one interesting is that it’s a bnb! The owners of the bnb are descendants of the original owners. One of the buildings is the old post office and the interior contains some original pieces. You can also stay in an old barn!

    Rødberg

    Town

    Rødberg is the largest town in Numedal with a population of 498. There are two powerplants here that utilise the waterflow from the dam (to the right). Rødberg was the terminal station of the Numedal railway line.

    Uvdal Stave Church

    Stave Church

    Compared to the other churches, Uvdal is located high on the hill-side and is surrounded by old farm buildings. The church was in use until the 19th century, when a new church was built further down the valley. The new church looks just like a stave church.

    It’s believed Uvdal stave church is from 1169. It has a central mast like Nore, used to hold up the bell. When excavations were done here, 200 coins were found from the 13th century and earlier. 

    Like the other churches on our drive, Uvdal has been extensively restored over the years. The inner core is the original stave church. 

    Uvdal Stave Church

    Uvdal Open-Air Museum

    Museum

    The museum is a historic farmstead located in the former village. You can see the vicarage storehouses, school house, and farm buildings. The open-air museum is open in the summer months, when they have local artisans with stalls.

    Uvdal Church

    Church

    This is not a stave church! Uvdal Church was built in 1893 to replace the Uvdal Stave Church as the main church. It’s built in the dragestil style, which takes inspiration from medieval and stave architecture in Noway. This church seats 350 people. You’ll notice this church has huge glass windows; that’s completely unseen in stave churches.

    Hole Municipality

    Dagali

    Village

    Dagali is a small mountain village close to Geilo. It is one of the highest settlements with permanent agricultural operations.

    Dagali has an airport that is today only used for recreation. There’s also the Dagali Opplevelser, which offers outdoor activities like wafter rafting and snowmobiling. In Dagali you’ll find an open-air museum with farm buildings from around the area.

    The climate here is subarctic, meaning there are very cold and very snowy winters and somewhat cool summers. Dagali airport has some of the coldest temperatures in southern Norway.

    Geilo

    We’ve made it to Geilo! With a population of 2,400, Geilo is primarily a ski resort town and one of the most famous ski areas in Scandinavia. It’s a great but expensive place to spend some time; after all, Geilo is known for having some of the most luxurious and expensive holiday cabins in Norway.

    The town is located roughly halfway between Bergen and Oslo on the national road 7 (E7), making it very accessible. Additionally, there’s the Bergensbanen, or the railway line linking Bergen and Oslo. Geilo was developed only when the railway was constructed, and it quickly gained a good reputation for winter sports.

    Geilo is the first skiing resort in the country and is still one of the largest. 

    The ski season lasts from late October to late April. There are 39 slopes covering 33km. There’s also an extensive cross country system in Geilo with 220km of tracks.In summer, there are plenty of sports activities.

    In the summer months, many Norwegians come here to go hiking or mountain biking. The Rallarvegen route from Finse to Flåm is extremely popular. That road is an old construction road that was used when the railway line was being constructed. 

    The town centre has a number of shops, including many outdoor and sports shops. There are two small shopping malls with free parking, and inside you’ll find supermarkets, cafes, bakeries, electronic stores and clothing stores.

    There are understandably many hotels in Geilo, and some of them are quite expensive. Some of them reflect the cabin lifestyle so may be basic, while others are more luxurious. They will have higher prices during the Norwegian summer holidays (late June to late August) and over the winter season. If you can, I recommend renting a cabin on AirBnB. When the owner isn’t using it they sometimes put it up for rent. It gives you a great opportunity to see what Norwegian cabins are like, and you really don’t need to stay in Geilo centre.  

    Geilo Travel Guide

    Continue the drive

    Valdresflye Tourist Road

    Cross the mountains on one of Norway’s most scenic tourist roads. 

    Valdresflye Tourist Road

    Previous Drive

    Telemark

    Take the scenic drive through Telemark from Dalen to Kongsberg.

    Telemark Scenic Drive

    This drive is part of the multi-day series “Ultimate Norway”. You can read about the whole drive below. 

    View Our 'Ultimate Norway' Road-trip

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

  • Dalen, Kongsberg, Notodden, Rjukan, Road-trips, Scenic Drives, Seljord, Telemark

    Drive it Yourself: Scenic Telemark Drive on the Fv37 & Fv38

    Drive it Yourself: Scenic Telemark Drive on the Fv37 & Fv38

    Telemark is a region in southern Norway famous for its natural beauty and industrial heritage. On this drive, we’ll pass the birthplace of skiing, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and go to one of Norway’s highest peaks! To finish it all off, we visit Norway’s largest stave church. Join me for a beautiful drive through Telemark.

    In this article...

    View Our 'Ultimate Norway' Road-trip

    Download this Guide

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

    Download this guide to have it as a PDF ready to go for your road-trip!

    All downloadable guides come with an interactive Google Map for easier navigation. 

    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.
    • Interactive Google Map for easier navigation

    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: Telemark

    Kongsberg

    Kongsberg is a historic mining town located in the southern part of Norway. It was also one of the wealthiest and important towns in Norway until the mid-19th century, making it an interesting place to visit. Kongsberg was established as an industrial town based on silver mines in 1623. It was initiated by King Christian IV, who brought Germans from the silver mines in Saxony to show the Norwegians how to mine. Kongsberg was Norway’s largest mining community and is the country’s oldest industrial town. It was Norway’s second-largest town in the mid-19th century, after Bergen.

    Kongsberg Travel Guide

    Løka Gamle Bridge

    Historic Bridge

    The Løka old bridge is a girder bridge from 1924 designed to cross the Jondalselva. It is built in concrete, which works the same way as steel in truss bridges. The railing supports the bridge, which is also called the whale bridge. There are only three bridges of this type in Norway. It replaced an older stone vault bridge, which is also preserved nearby. The bridge is on the westbound side of the highway.

    Notodden Municipality

    Notodden municipality is named after the historic town of the same name. The municipality borders the Telemark Canal and the eastern course of the Heddalsvatnet lake. Much of the municipality wasn’t inhabited until the beginning of the 20th century, when Notodden was established as a centre of industry.

    Notodden town is an interesting historic town, but it is not on the Fv37. To get there, shortly after entering the municipality there is a turn off onto a road that’ll lead to Notodden (20km / 12 miles away). Notodden is on the E134 highway.

    Gransherad

    Village

    Gransherad is a small settlement with around 750 people living there. The composer Klaus Egge was born in Gransherad. Gransherad Church is from 1849. Before this church, there was a stave church from the 14th century here.

    From Gransherad, you can follow the Fv361 to the E134, where you can head to Notodden.

    Tinnoset

    Village

    Tinnoset is a small settlement at the point where the Tinnsjå lake and Tinnelva River meet. Historically there was a hydropower plant here. This is where the ferries from Mæl (on the northern end of the lake) would offload their goods onto the train at Tinnoset railway station so they could be transported to Notodden. The railway station is still standing and is now a heritage-listed building. The address is: Tinnoset 31, 3691 Gransherad

    After Tinnoset you will be driving along the Tinnsjå Lake. The Tinnsjå Lake is Norway’s third-deepest lake, with an average depth of 190 metres.

    Gravtjørn Rest Area S/F Hydro Sabotage Site

    Historic Site

    The S/F Hydro was a Norwegian steam-powered railway ferry that delivered raw materials and fertiliser from the factory at Rjukan to the port in Skien. The ship was sunk by members of the Norwegian resistance in 1944, as the Nazi’s were using it to transport heavy water out of Norway. This happened in the lake parallel to where the parking place is, and there is an information sign at the parking place.

    Tinn Municipality

    Tinn municipality is mostly a mountainous municipality with parts of the Hardangervidda plateau included as well as Gaustatoppen, a famous mountain peak. The coat-of-arms represents five droplets of water. The design was chosen to represent the five rivers in the municipality and the importance of hydropower for the development of the town.

    Mæl Station

    Historic Site

    Mæl station was the ferry station on the historic Rjukanbanen railway that used to operate here. The station shut in 1991.

    The Rjukanbanen is the railway line running between Mæl and Rjukan. It was opened in 1909 and closed in 1991. The line was a private railway owned and operated by the Norsk Hydro company. There was a need to transport raw and materials in and out to the coast. The Rjukanbanen was the innermost link in an original four-part transport chain from the factory in Rjukan to the port in Skien. The railway will forever be linked to the introduction of modern industry in Norway, but also Norwegian war history. The battle for heavy water during World War II ended when the Norwegian saboteurs sank the steam ferry DF Hydro at a depth of 430 metres on Tinnsjøen on 20 February 1944.

    Mæl is still a port of call for the Tinnsjø ferries MF “Storegut” and “DF Ammonia”, two ferries which in the summer months are open for charter trips and tours. There is a place to park here as well as information signs about the history of the area.

    A short detour off the highway is a war memorial. Address Rollagvegen 44, 3658 Miland, Norway

    Miland

    Settlement

    Miland is a small village with a population of 291. The area is considered to have some of the nicest plots with views towards the mountain Gaustatoppen. Mæl church is located here and is a wooden church from 1839. It was built to replace an old stave church.

    Baustasteinen på Miland is a memorial stone is from 1914 and is in memory of those who fought for Norway at the initiative of the youth association. It has a quote from Per Sivle: “And if there were those who wanted to ravage the country, there were also those who wanted to defend it”.

    Rjukan

    Rjukan is a fascinating town. Here you will find the Vemork Museum, which is about Rjukan’s development as an industrial city and the role of the hydropower plant during World War II. After all, Vemork was the site of Norway’s most famous sabotage operation. 

    Rjukan Travel Guide

    Gaustabanen

    Funicular

    Gaustabanen is a treat. You ride an underground funicular that was built for NATO during the Cold War (the purpose remains a mystery) and come out the other end on Gaustatoppen, a nearly 2000m-high mountain that (on a clear day) has a view over 1/6 of Norway!

    This is not to be missed (unless the weather is bad). But you will need at least 2 hours – preferably 3-4 – to do this ride. 

    Gaustabanen

    Vemork Museum

    Museum

    The museum at Vemork is famous for its presentation of Rjukan’s war history. During World War II, Vemork was the site of the Norwegian heavy water sabotage, where Norwegian saboteurs prevented the Germans from producing nuclear weapons from heavy water, which was produced here. The exhibits in the museum present the four heavy water sabotages and the allied efforts to develop a nuclear bomb.

    During the war, the Nazis took over Norsk Hydro. German scientists discovered that uranium is useful for energy and weapons. Also, heavy water acts as a moderator in a reactor and contributes to the refining of uranium, suitable for atomic bombs. If you aren’t a science person, all that matters is that the Nazis were developing heavy water at Vemork in Norway for their atomic bomb.

    Norwegian resistance members discovered this, and immediately set about sabotaging their operations. They launched several attacks on the facility. The most famous is the sabotage operation in winter 1943. While they were able to damage the facility, production soon continued. However, the Norwegians were able to destroy the boats leaving Rjukan via Mæl and thus halt the Nazi plans to export the heavy water back to Germany.

    The museum is open throughout the year. You can find up-to-date information on their website:

    https://www.nia.no/en/vemork/

    Hardangervidda Nature Centre

    Museum

    The road follows the southernmost side of the Hardangervidda National Park, which is a popular place for hiking. In fact, there’s even a hiking trail where you can follow the route the resistance members took when they damaged the Vemork facility. The Hardangervidda National Park Centre contains maps and useful information if you want to set off on a hike. There’s also a cafe and small museum here.

    Visit their website here: http://www.hardangerviddanasjonalparksenter.no

    Vinje Municipality

    Vinje municipality is a remote municipality with about 1.2 inhabitants per square kilometre. The municipality is located at the northern end of Telemark and extends into the Hardangervidda National Park.

    Rauland Church

    Historic Site

    Rauland Church is a historic church site. In pre-Christian times, the site where the church is today was probably a pagan worshipping site. After the Christianisation of Norway, the site was replaced with a stave church. The stave church stood until 1801, when it was demolished to make way for the present church. Several famous people from Telemark are buried at the church, including Myllarguten (see below).

    Several elements of the old stave church are in the building, such as two cast iron crucifixes from the 12th century, the church bell, collection box, baptismal dish and several candlesticks.

    To get there, follows signs from Krossen. The church is 5.5km from the town on the Fv362 towards Haukeli.

    Åmot

    Village

    Åmot is a small town with a population of 673. The word “Åmot” refers to two rivers meeting and is a common placename in Norway. Åmot is roughly halfway on the E134, so it is a popular stop with truck drivers and therefore also an important traffic hub.

    Nesland Church

    Historic Site

    Nesland Church is a small wooden church from 1847 built in the Empire style. The old Nesland church was a stave church and it’s not sure when the church was built. In the Middle Ages, Nesland Church must’ve been a vigil church, where the congregation gathered every Midsummer night to keep vigil. In the 19th century, the church had become too small for the congregation, so a new church was built. This is common for almost all churches in Norway; in the 19th century a law was passed that a church must fit at least 30% of the congregation. Because of that, most stave churches were too small and therefore torn down.

    Tokke Municipality

    The municipality is located at the end of the Telemark Canal and the administrative centre is the end point for the scenic canal cruise.

    Tokke has long traditions of exporting brynestone all the way back to the Viking Age. The stone is a sharpening stone. The stones from Tokke have been discovered in archaeological digs in many places in Northern Europe, including Iceland, Poland and England. Today the main industries are agriculture and forestry.

    There used to be bears in the area, which is why the coat-of-arms is of a bear. Bears also feature in many local legends and stories from Tokke.

    Dalen

    Dalen is a short detour off the Fv38 but well worth visiting. Dalen is a small town located on the westernmost endpoint of the Telemark Canal. The Telemark Canal goes all the way to Skien on the coast of Norway – originally the canal was used for industry, but today it is more popular with tourists. When the canal was completed, it was referred to as the ‘eighth wonder’. Ferries were able to link Telemark with Oslo through the canal and then Oslofjord.

    Dalen Hotel is a famous historic hotel; it is one of the best preserved hotels from the 1800s. The hotel was built with the opening of the Telemark Canal in 1892. When it opened, it became popular with European royals.During the occupation, it was a resort for German officers. Most of the interior was stripped and sold for parts. The building fell into disrepair.

    After the war, the building was bought by singer and evangelist Aage Samuelsen. The hotel got a lot of attention and was restored in the 1980s. The hotel reopened in 1992. In 2000, the hotel won the Europa Nostra award for outstanding conservation. The architecture is a mix of Swiss chalet with national romanticism and Dragestil, a type of Norwegian architecture inspired by Viking and medieval art.

    Dalen Travel Guide

    Eidsborg Stave Church

    Historic Site/Museum

    Eidsborg Stave Church is one of the 28 remaining stave churches in Norway. Built some time between 1250 and 1300, the church stands out for being one of the smallest stave churches. Additionally, it is an important pilgrimage church that gave way to its own cult in the old times! Eidsborg Stave Church is located on the hill above the village of Dalen, and today is part of the Vest Telemark Museum. A visit to the church also includes a look at the historic farm buildings from the region.

    To get here, continue through Dalen and up the switchback road. Eidsborg Stave Church is 6km out of Dalen and has the address Museumsvegen 9, 3891 Høydalsmo

    Skafså Church

    Historic Site

    Skafså Church is from 1839 and is known for its interior. The church used to have a crucifix, but the crucifix is now in a museum to preserve it. The crucifix shows the crucified Jesus with a king’s crown, i.e. not the usual crown of thorns. In the 1950s the church was restored. At the front of the choir are bridal chairs modelled after an old Renaissance chair from the former stave church, which was probably demolished in 1826 because it had fallen into disrepair.

    Åmsdals Verk

    Village

    Åmdals Verk is a small village that grew up around the mining activities of Åmdals Verk Gruver, or the mines. The history of copper mines in Åmdal goes back to 1540, when King Christian III of Denmark/Norway sent German miners to Telemark to start mining. The first quarrywas called Moisesberg. The ore tunnels were founded in 1689. The copper mines have a complicated history with operations, shutdowns, and problematic owner.s The miners were the heart in an urbanised mountain village where the minter’s everyday life dependned on good ore deposits and political conditions outside Europe.

    The museum building is located in a reconstruction of the old sjeide house.

    The museum is called Åmdals Verk Gruver and has the address Åmdalsvegen 42A, 3882 Åmdals Verk and is located a few minutes out of town off the Fv38. Check the website for up-to-date opening hours: http://www.vtm.no

    Kvitseid Municipality

    Kviteseid is a municipality in the upper part of Telemark. The municipality has existed since the Middle Ages and was an important administrative centre in Telemark. Kviteseid was originally an agricultural community without any real urban development. The most important industries here are still agriculture and forestry, though tourism is on the rise.

    Kviteseid is known for its distinctive cultural traditions, including folk music, arts and crafts, food and architecture. The dialect in Kviteseid is one of the Norwegian dialects that has preserved the most features from Norse and is close to the most conservative form of nynorsk.

    Vrådal Church

    Historic Site

    Vrådal Church is a long church from 1886 that has space for 250 places. The pulpit, altar, baptismal font, brass candlesticks, altar foot and other furniture from the old church are in the current church. The previous church was from 1686 and was demolished when the new church was completed. There was likely a stave church here before then what would’ve been similar to Eidsborg Stave Church. The church from 1686 was likely the first octagonal church in Norway.

    The church is located on the westbound side of the highway with the address Vråliosvegen 461, 3853 Vrådal

    Drangedal Municipality

    Drangedal municipality is largely a forest municipality with the industry centered around land and forestry. The municipality is seeing a declining population. Despite that, Drangedal is a known area for skiing and is home to the largest ski resort in Telemark called Gautefall. Drangedal has a large number of cabins because of the ski opportunities and proximity to larger cities. Drangedal was also one of the first municipalities to get full broadband coverage.

    Prestestranda

    Village

    Prestestranda is the administrative centre and has a population of 1,300 people. The site was developed after the railway station was laid there when the Sørlandsbanen from Bø to Kragerø opened in 1927.

    The Drangedal Bygdetun is an open-air museum with 19 historic buildings, most of which were gifts from the villagers. Drangedal Church is from 1773.

    Kragerø Municipality

    Kragerø municipality is a coastal community named after the town of the same name. In total, there are 495 island, islets and reefs and 4,000 holiday homes here, making Kragerø a popular summer destination for Norwegians. In fact, Kragerø was even referred to as “the peal among coastal towns” by Edvard Munch. More will be covered in the section about Kragerø town.

    Kragerø

    Kragerø is a well-known holiday destination for Norwegians. Located at the end of a peninsula between the Kilsfjorden and Hellefjorden, the town grew as an important harbour from the 16th century onwards. Timber was shipped from the forests Telemark out of Kragerø and onwards to Europe. The town’s business was characterised by timber exports, shipping and shipbuilding from then until the First World War, and at one point Kragerø was one of Norway’s largest shipping towns.

    KRAGERØ Travel Guide

    Continue the drive

    Numedal Valley

    The Numedal Valley will take you from Kongsberg up to the mountains of Western Norway. 

    Numedal Valley

    Previous Drive

    Egersund to Dalen

    This drive goes from the southern cost up to the mountains. 

    Egersund - Dalen

    This drive is part of the multi-day series “Ultimate Norway”. You can read about the whole drive below. 

    View Our 'Ultimate Norway' Road-trip

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

    Download this guide to have it as a PDF ready to go for your road-trip!

    All downloadable guides come with an interactive Google Map for easier navigation. 

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  • Dalen, Egersund, Jæren, Road-trips, Scenic Drives, Southern Norway

    Drive it Yourself: Egersund to Dalen

    Drive it Yourself: Egersund to Dalen

    Looking for an alternative road to the mountains, bypassing the tourists, highways and seeing the secret beauty of Norway? This drive is perfect. I know, the Egersund to Dalen drive is not the most commonly suggested route in Norway, but it is worth the consideration. Both towns are very cute and scenic with plenty to do, and they are separated by a beautiful valley and mountain range that you’ll pass.
    On this page, you’ll find practical info outlining what you’ll see between the two towns, plus where you can stay and what you can do. Be sure to watch my own drive, where I’ve put together a timelapse with information. 
    If you have done this drive, or have any questions for me, let me know in the comments. 

    In this article...

    View Our 'Ultimate Norway' Road-trip

    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. 

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    The drive: Egersund to Dalen

    Egersund

    Egersund is a charming small town on the south coast of Norway. It has lots of wonderful shops and cafes, making it a perfect place to stop on your road-trip. 

    Egersund Travel Guide

    Trollpiken

    Rock Formation

    Trollpikken is a unique and strange rock formation in Norway. In the last few years, it has gained popularity due to its, well, shape. ‘Pikk’ is a relatively new word in Norway that translates to ‘dick’, and as you can see in the image, the name describes what locals have come to recognise the formation as.
    Trollpikken made the news in 2017, when it was vandalised and severed off using power tools. The locals were saddened by this and a crowdfunding campaign raised an incredible 226,000 NOK and within two weeks the rock was reattached (watch the video on the left!). One person was arrested for vandalism.
    Since this incident, there was more effort made in promoting Trollpikken. It’s got its own website now (click here), which goes over the history, folklore, and practical info of the site. There are road signs leading to the large carpark, and the walk to the monument is well marked with modern signs. The name is also recent; it’s only from 2017.
    For those interested in geology, the rock is anorthosite. This is a very rare type of rock that’s found on the south-western coast of Norway and the moon. Yes, the moon! When astronauts were training for going to the moon, they came here to practice collecting rock samples. Trollpikken is 12m (39ft) high.
    It is relatively easy to hike to Trollpikken, and the info can be found here: https://ut.no/turforslag/1113153/trollpikken

    Helleland

    Village

    Helleland is a small village just outside Egersund. The language used here is nynorsk rather than the commonly used bokmål. The Sørlandet train connection between Oslo and Stavanger runs through (and stops at) Helleland.
    Helleland Church is from 1832. It is built in wood and has seats for 500. The architect was Hans Linstow, who also designed the Royal Palace and Karl Johans gate in Oslo.
    In Helleland, there are memorials dedicated to the British aircraft which crashed during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany in connection with the Operation Freshman sabotage attempt, part of an action that was aimed at the Vemork hydroelectric plant, site of heavy water production. Furthermore, there is a cave in the forest which was used as a hiding place during World War II. People who had kept illegal radio equipment hid in this cave, and the Germans never discovered them.
    You’ll find a grocery store in Helleland (Coop). 

     

    Terland Klopp

    Bridge

    Terland Klopp was built around 1800 as a stone slab bridge. With 21 runs and 60 metres, it is considered the largest in the Nordic region of this type. The bridge crosses the river Gyaåna, which we are following on this road. The valley we are in is called the Gyadalen Valley.
    Terland Klopp has not been in use since 1977; today it is a listed monument. It is considered the best-preserved bridge of this kind. 

    Agder County

    We now cross over into Agder kommune. Originally, Agder was a medieval petty kingdom that governed itself until Norway was unified into one Kingdom. The name Agder was not used between 1662 and 1919; it was reinstated after the counties Aust-Agder (East Adger) and Vest-Adger (West Adger) were established. Since 2020, those two counties were merged into one: Adger. 

    Sirdal Municipality

    Tonstad

    Village

    Welcome to Tonstad! The name means “Tone’s Farm” and is a typical small town name; towns were often built around farmsteads where the church was located. The church here is Tonstad Church and it’s from 1852. It seats 300.
    The town has a large hydroelectric power station and a large ski centre. In fact, Tonstad has one of Norway’s most modern biathlon facilities, and it is known for producing many highly regarded biathletes. The local high school uses the facility for training.
    Tonstad is located on the northern end of the Sirdal Lake. In July, the boat ‘Snorre’ does tours of the lake every Wednesday. A guide on board tells you the stories and local legends, as well as some tales of Vikings from the Norse Sagas. 
     At Tonstad you’ll find road signs leading to Kjerag, a famous natural monument and hiking trail.

    Dorgefossen

    Waterfall

    Dorgefossen is a regulated waterfall, though it is more like a gorge. Due to the water regulations, the waterfall is much smaller than it used to be.
    An old legend from Sirdal tells that death row inmates got one last chance to save their lives by jumping over Dorgefoss. If they managed to do so, they would be free. If they did not succeed, the fall of the waterfall and the rapids fulfilled the death sentence.
    It is possible to swim in the river, but without warning water can be released from the pond, making the water colder than normal.
    By the road, there is a picnic area with restrooms and information boards. The road we drive over goes over the waterfall via the Dorge Bridge. The bridge is from 1919.

    Sinnes

    Village

    Sinnes is a small village located in the upper part of the Sirdal valley. There are two ski centres here: Ålsheia and Tjørhomfjellet. Together, they make the largest alpine facility in southwestern Norway.
    Several alpine and cross-country competitions are held in the area. The largest one is Sesilåmi, which is a 52km long ski run.
    Sinnes is a popular cabin area for people from Stavanger, Sandnes and Jaeren.

    Setesdalsheiene

    Mountains

    The mountains to the north are called Setesdalsheiene. Just north of them is the Hardangervidda plateau, while the Ryfylke mountains lie to the west. The highest point is 1,300m (4,300ft). Wild reindeer herds live here.

    Håhellervatn

    Lake

    The lake on our right is Håhellervatn. The total walking distance around the lake is 6km (4 mi).  
    On the east side is a cave called Håhelleren. It has a lot of stories associated with it. After the Napoleonic Wars, two families moved to the area. They first settled in a fisherman’s hut, and then built a home. Their main job was to keep the road clear and shelter road users in bad weather. They were unable to grow grain on the site, but they did try to grow potatoes, though without luck. After living here for 26 years, they realised it was not such a great place to live and they moved to Sirdal. After their house was torn down, road users used the cave for shelter if need be. Today there is a tourist cabin on the sight, and up to 16 adults can take accommodation in the cave.

    Valle Municipality

    Valle
    town

    Valle is the first major town we’ll pass after crossing the mountains, making it a good place to stop.  We have now entered the traditional district of Setesdal; it’s a valley (dal) that up until recently was very isolated. The name Valle comes from the farm where the church was built. There used to be a stave church on the site called Hylestad stave church; sadly it was torn down in the 19th century to make way for a new church. Fortunately, the portal carvings were saved and are on display at the Historic Museum in Oslo. They illustrate the legend of Sigurd Favnesbane (Sigurd the Dragon Slayer), who is described in the Prose Edda and Beowulf saga. An important historic site is Rygnestadtunet, an old farm. It was built by Vonde-Åsmund (Asmund the Evil) in the mid-1500s and has been well-preserved. Today it is an open air museum, where the interiors reflect the period around 1919. Around the farm, grave findings indicate that the site was settled as early as 900AD.  As mentioned above, Valle was incredibly isolated. To get out via the north, travellers had to follow the river and take a path on a torturous steep cliff face. This was the only way out until the 1870s. Today, the European Highway 9 (E9) crosses through the valley and under the torturous mountain thanks to a nice tunnel.  Valle is known for its ancient silver smitheries. Today, the local high school specialises in silversmith and goldsmith training. Students from all over Norway and abroad come here to train to become jewellers.

    Sylvartun Museum

    Museum

    Sylvartun was the central silversmith and folk music arena in Setesdal valley. Exhibitions in the museum focus on musical instruments and the visualisation of music and dance traditions in the valley.
    Visitor information can be found here. 

    Store Bjørnevatn

    Lake

    We pass a large lake called Store Bjørnevatn. It’s about 15km (9 mi) north of Valle. The elevation is 801m (2,628 ft) above sea level. 

    Skafså

    Town

    Skafså is a small town known for its mountain farm Grimdalen. Today it’s a museum with farm buildings from the time of barter economy in the 17th century.
    Famous sculptor Anne Grimdalen is from here, and there’s a gallery with 300 of her sculptures here.
    Skafså Church is from 1839. There used to be a medieval crucifix standing outside the church; this is now at the Vest-Telemark Museum.

    Dalen

    This drive ends in Dalen, a small town located on the westernmost endpoint of the Telemark Canal. The Telemark Canal goes all the way to Skien on the coast of Norway – originally the canal was used for industry, but today it is more popular with tourists.
    When the canal was completed, it was referred to as the ‘eighth wonder’. Ferries were able to link Telemark with Oslo through the canal and then Oslofjord.
    Dalen Hotel is a famous historic hotel; it is one of the best preserved hotels from the 1800s. The hotel was built with the opening of the Telemark Canal in 1892. When it opened, it became popular with European royals.
    During the occupation, it was a resort for German officers. Most of the interior was stripped and sold for parts. The building fell into disrepair.
    After the war, the building was bought by singer and evangelist Aage Samuelsen. The hotel got a lot of attention and was restored in the 1980s. The hotel reopened in 1992. In 2000, the hotel won the Europa Nostra award for outstanding conservation.
    The architecture is a mix of Swiss chalet with national romanticism and Dragestil, a type of Norwegian architecture inspired by Viking and medieval art.
    A night at the hotel starts at 3,000 NOK, with rooms going up to 8,300 NOK.

    Dalen Travel Guide

    Continue the drive

    Telemark

    Take the scenic drive through Telemark from Dalen to Kongsberg.

    Telemark Scenic Drive

    Previous Drive

    Jaeren Tourist Road

    Travel down the southern coast on this scenic, beachy road. 

    Jaeren Tourist Road

    This drive is part of the multi-day series “Ultimate Norway”. You can read about the whole drive below. 

    View Our 'Ultimate Norway' Road-trip

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

  • Jæren, National Tourist Roads, Road-trips, Southern Norway

    Jæren Tourist Road

    Drive it Yourself: Jæren Tourist Road

    Jæren is a traditional district in Rogaland county, south of Stavanger. The landscape characterises the area; Jæren is the largest flat lowland area in Norway. Unlike most of Norway, the coast here is flat with no islands and very sandy beaches. The word ‘Jæren’ (almost pronounced like Yeah-en if you make ‘Yeah’ very nasally) is from the Old Norse Jaðarr, which means ‘edge’ or ‘brim’. It’s a common word found in Norway; around 30 farms have this name. It refers to the coastline. Until the 20th century, Jæren was spelled ‘Jaederen’, which is Danish. You can still see this word in some places.

    This drive is part of our ultimate Norwegian road-trip. Click the button below to view the whole drive. 

    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. 

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    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. 

    The Drive: Jæren Tourist Road

    Sola Strand Hotel

    Hotel

    Sola Strand Hotel is located just outside Stavanger city centre, close to the airport and Sola Beach. Alternatively, you could start at Sola Ruin Church or Domsteinane, mentioned below. If you are staying in Stavanger, I recommend stopping by ‘Swords in the Rock’ before you leave. The video above begins at Sola Strand Hotel and stops at Domsteinane first. 

    The Sola Strand Hotel is a great hotel to stay at – it’s right on the beach, has all the facilities of a resort, and is the starting point of this drive!

    Domsteinane

    Historic Site

    Domsteinane is a unique place in Norway. It’s often nicknamed ‘Norway’s Stonehenge’ because of the unknown status of why the rocks are laid out this way.

    Read my separate guide to Domsteinane below. 

    Domsteinane

    Detour: Ølberg Camp

    WWII Site

    Ølberg Camp (Ølberg Leir) is a disused military camp primarily for the storage of ammunition. The camp was established by occupying German forces in 1940 in connection with their military activity at Sola. Sola Airport was a civilian airport, but under German occupation it had important military use. For security reasons, they placed the aircraft ammunition at a separate camp away from the airport. This is the Ølberg Camp.  The camp consists of ammunition houses, bomb shelters, and storage sheds. The ammunition houses are simple timber buildings. The bomb shelters are between these structures. Nearly half the buildings are still standing. Moreover, the original road structure is also im place.  After the war ended in 1945, the Norwegian Armed Forces took over the camp. They further used and developed the camp until 2003, when it closed. In 2007, it was sold to the Sola Municipality. The National Heritage Board is preserving 23 buildings and the surrounding pine forest, the only forested area in Jaeren.

    Note – it is not visible from the road. 

    You can view images by clicking here and here. 

    Vigdel Fortress

    WWII Site

    Vigdel Fort is a coastal fort that was actively in use until 2007. The fort is leftover from the German occupation. It was one of the Germans’ methods of protecting Sola Airport from attacks from the sea.  There was one such attack that influenced their decision to fortify the coast. On the 17th of April 1940, the British attempted to fire at Sola Airport from the sea. After several hours of intense gunfire, the British cruiser HMS Suffolk and several cruisers were forced to retreat. The German bombers had been no match for them. The British had conducted the attack in an attempt to recapture Trondheim from the Germans and stall the Germans’ advancement in Norway. After the battle, the English scrapped plans for a similar attack on Trondheim.  Vigdel Fort was built to prevent an attack like this from happening again. Most important to them was their air force, and it was one of the key strategies for the occupation. The fort was to protect the airforce at Sola Airport. However, the English never returned to attack Sola Airport by ship. Moreover, the fort was never really used. It was too far from the airport to be of any use during air raids. After the war, the Norwegian Army used Vigdel Fort as a training facility. Since it has fallen out of use, the site has been transformed into a popular hiking area.

    Images can be seen here.

    Hellestø Beach

    Beach

    Hellestø Beach is a beautiful place to go for a walk. It’s a sandy beach surrounded by rocky hills. The parking place is free, and it’s a short walk to get to the beach. There are no facilities here.

    TS Museum

    Museum

    The TS Museum in Stenebyen (Tjelta) has a unique collection of old tractors, cars, mortorbikes and trucks. In total, there are over 180 vehicles. All of them are still operating. 

    Visitor information can be found at their website (click here). 

    Bore Church

    Historic Church

    The earliest mention of Bore Church is in 1322, but the church was not new at that time. It’s likely that Bore Church was built as a stave church around the end of the 12th century. Only the baptismal font is preserved from the original church. The stave church was torn down in 1640 to make way for a more modern church. In 1895, the church and cemetery was rebuilt 1.5km (0.9 miles) to the northeast. After this church was finished, the old church was torn down.

    Bore Beach

    Beach

    Bore Beach is located just north of Orre Beach, the longest beach in Norway. Bore is a great beach for swimmers and surfers; when we visited, we got to see a surf school heading out!

    In the carpark you’ll find toilets and showers.

    Orre Beach

    Beach

    At 5km (3 miles), Orre Beach is the longest beach in Norway. With its white sand and good swimming or surfing conditions, it will make you think you are in a warm country. However, once you get in the water, you’ll be reminded that you are actually in Norway.

    Orre Beach is often mentioned among the best beaches in the world when it comes to its efforts to maintain a clean and preserved environment.

    Close to the beach is the Friluftshuset. This building has an information centre about outdoor life and nature conservation. There is also a cultural centre with concerts and art exhibitions. A cafe serves food and drink, and there are restrooms here. It’s open daily in summer and on weekends the rest of the year, between 11am and 4pm. 

    Orre Old Church

    Historic Church

    Orre Old Church is the oldest building in the area. You can read my guide to Orre Old Church below. 

    Orre Old Church

    Hå Gamle Prestgård

    Historic Site

    We didn’t stop here on our drive because the facility was closed, but you certainly can visit on your own drive. 

    Hå Gamle Prestgård is a contemporary art gallery and local cultural history museum located inside an old vicarage. Rotating exhibitions highlight Norwegian and international contemporary artists. There is a permanent archaeological exhibition with ancient objects from the area.

    The vicarage is from 1637 or earlier, and the oldest building is from 1787. The facility has undergone many renovations and has been listed for protection since 1920.

    There are two outbuildings with showrooms. In the main house is the café. If you walk around the site, you’ll see remains of settlements from the Stone Age (8200 years old) and old burial grounds from the migration period.

    Obrestad Lighthouse

    Lighthouse

    Orre Old Church is the oldest building in the area. You can read my guide to Orre Old Church below. 

    Obrestad Lighthouse

    Varhaug Old Cemetery

    Historic Site

    Varhaug Old Cemetery is an ancient site located on the old Kongevegen road. 

    Varhaug Old Cemetery

    Kvassheim Lighthouse

    Lighthouse

    Kvassheim Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse. 

    Kvassheim Lighthouse

    Hå Municipality

    Hitler's Teeth in Brusand

    WWII site

    Brusand is a small village with a population of 430. It is known for its beach, which has sandy dunes. Also, the largest carrot packing plant is located here!

    Brusand is also known for its Hitler Teeth, which are a series of concrete blocks set up alongside the highway. These are anti-tank obstacles set up by Germans in World War II.

    They were placed here by prisoners of war and forced labour workers. The Germans were worried an Allied invasion would come by sea, so they had these concrete blocks built to delay tanks advancing towards settlements. However, no Allied invasion ever came. 

    The prisoners sabotaged the teeth by mixing in more sand than concrete, making them weaker. They used to be on the whole coast, but this is one of the few spots that still has them.

    Magma Geopark

    Natural Attraction

    Shortly before Egersund is the Magma Geopark, an area with such a unique geology that it has been recognised by UNESCO. Here is also the world’s only sandy beach consisting of moon stone.

    The rock here is the same as the one found on the moon: Anorthosite. Astronauts have even visited the area to prepare for taking rock samples on the moon.

    Egersund

    Egersund is a charming small town on the south coast of Norway. It has lots of wonderful shops and cafes, making it a perfect place to stop on your road-trip. 

    Egersund Travel Guide

    Continue the drive

    Egersund to Dalen

    Cross the mountains over to Dalen in Telemark. 

    Egersund to Dalen

    Previous Drive

    Ryfylke Tourist Road

    Take the drive from Odda to Stavanger via the traditional region of Ryfylke. 

    Ryfylke Tourist Road

    This drive is part of the multi-day series “Ultimate Norway”. You can read about the whole drive below. 

    View Our 'Ultimate Norway' Road-trip

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

  • Jæren

    Kvassheim Lighthouse

    Kvassheim Lighthouse

    Kvassheim Lighthouse is one of the highlights of the Jæren Scenic Road in Southern Norway. Situated between a rocky coast and ancient pastures, the view is next to nothing. If you find yourself driving on this national tourist road, be sure to stop here!

    In this article, I look into the history and importance of Kvassheim Lighthouse, plus the practical info for visiting yourself.

    In this article...

    The Fv44 Highway

    You can reach Kvassheim Lighthouse by taking the Fv44. You can find my guide to the Fv44 by clicking the link below. 

    The Fv44 Highway
    Egersund Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    Why build a lighthouse here?

    Up until the completion of the Jærbanen, the whole coast consisted of scattered farmland instead of settlements. Moreover, it was a very low populated area in Norway. Yet, the coast saw an increase in traffic in the 19th century. And the Jæren coast is notorious for shipwrecks, especially on this stretch.

    Between 1843 and 1851, there were 19 shipwrecks on the coast. Jæren had a reputation for being a ship cemetery. In fact, it is said that if you want to pull apart your ship, simply leave it on the beach over the winter. When you return in spring, the waves would’ve reduced the ship to scrap.

    Click here to see an image of a crew being rescued off a ship on the Kvassheim shoreline in 1896. And if you click here, you can see another ship stuck on the coast.

    In 1862, the Society for Shipwreck Rescue began as a response to the high number of shipwrecks along the coast. Jæren was important to them, and lighthouses began to pop up along the coast – including Obrestad. However, these lighthouses didn’t work as well as needed. Then, in 1896, three ships sank off the coast of Kvassheim in less than a day. They’d found a good lighthouse spot.

    Building Kvassheim Lighthouse

    They needed a lighthouse and fog signal at Kvassheim. So, they built a lighthouse and foghorn in 1906. The fog-signal was fired every 10 minutes when there was fog, and a guy on a nearby farm was in charge of managing it. It wasn’t an immediate success; the lighthouse was weak and the fog signal didn’t work. A second lighthouse and manned fog signal were completed in 1912. However, the fog signal became electronically operated in 1916.

    The layout of the complex today is from 1912. It is for a family, meaning that the family would live on site. In 1916, the staff increased with a new lighthouse keeper, who got his own home. The home is still on the site today.

    WWII Use

    The Jæren coast was important to the occupying German forces during the war. They thought an Allied invasion by sea was imminent and worked on securing their ‘Atlantic Wall’. The Allied invasion never happened, and today there are traces of German occupation along the coast.

    Kvassheim Lighthouse was not lit during the war. Moreover, for long periods Germans lived on the property. Bunkers were built along the shore, and minefields were laid at the beaches. Near Brusand, the next town south of Kvassheim, ‘Hitler’s Teeth’, or concrete tank barriers, still stand.

    Automating the Lighthouse

    After the war, the lighthouse use declined. In 1956, the fog signal was replaced with a typhoon fog signal system. Since 1984, the fog signal is automatic.

    Click here to see an image of the lighthouse from before 1956.

    In 1990, a new automated lighthouse replaced the building. It is about 70m (320ft) west of the old building.

    Present day use & visiting

    Kvassheim Lighthouse underwent a major renovation in 2003. Today the Jæren Recreational Council manage the property. They use it as a museum and cafe. The cafe is in the machine house.

    The lighthouse keepers home is now the museum. On the lower floor is an exhibition about rescue operations on the Jæren coast. The second floor has an exhibition about the wetlands. In total there are 23 protected wetlands nearby. In the garden is a free exhibition about the sinking of a Russian navy vessel – there’s a memorial in the nearby Varhaug Cemetery.

    Lastly, it’s possible to rent the lighthouse overnight to sleep. The assistant’s home and outbuilding are rehabilitated into cozy, unique accommodation! Information about renting is only available in Norwegian, and it can be found here.

    The museum is open in the summer months, and the cafe is open more regularly. Click here for info on visiting the centre (in Norwegian).

    It is, of course, possible to visit the lighthouse all year round from the outside. There is a large parking facility and walking trails in the surrounding area.

    The Fv44 Highway

    You can reach Kvassheim Lighthouse by taking the Fv44. You can find my guide to the Fv44 by clicking the link below. 

    The Fv44 Highway
    Egersund Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • Numedal Valley, Oslo & the East, Stave Churches

    Uvdal Stave Church

    Uvdal Stave Church

    The Numedal Valley contains the best-preserved collection of medieval buildings in Norway. When driving from Kongsberg towards Geilo, you’re treated with gorgeous views, ancient farms, and many stave churches. Four, to be precise. The last one before Geilo is Uvdal Stave Church, and much like the others, it doesn’t disappoint.

    Compared to the other stave churches (Flesberg, Rollag and Nore), Uvdal is high on the hillside. Moreover, it is still surrounded by ancient farm buildings. This church was in use until the late 19th century when the town built a new church further down the valley. The new Uvdal Church looks exactly like a stave church, so don’t get the two mixed up!

    In this article...

    The Fv40 Highway

    You can reach Uvdal Stave Church by taking the Fv40. You can find my guide to the Fv40 by clicking the link below. 

    The Fv40 Highway
    Geilo Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    History of Uvdal Stave Church

    Like the other churches in the valley, the exact date is unknown. However, it’s believed Uvdal is from around 1169 thanks to the dating of the timber used in the construction. Much like Nore, it is a single nave stave church with a central mast. The mast is to hold up the tower with the bell, and these two stave churches are unique in Norway. Also, like the other churches, there are remains of a previous church underneath.

    In 1978, archaeological excavations found a large number of objects. They found 552 coins: 44 are from 1177-1202 (the reign of King Sverre), 40 are from 1200 and 120 are from 1217-1263 (the reign of King Håkon). Textiles and other objects were also found. One of the most interesting discoveries is a pilgrims mark of St. Olav on a wall. It’s from the 13th century and is interesting as this is not a pilgrims church or on the way to Nidaros Cathedral, where Olav is buried.

    In written material, Uvdal is first mentioned in 1327.

    Expansion & Renovations

    The original stave churches were very small, and over the centuries they became impractical. Because of this, they have been constantly expanded, renovated, and redesigned. For Uvdal, it’s almost as if each century has added something to the church.

    The first extensive renovations came after the Reformation in 1537. Between 1651 and 1682 Knut Jørgensen Winter was a parish priest in the valley. He came from Denmark and had big plans for the Rollag, Nøre and Uvdal stave churches. In the 1650s the church got a flat ceiling, and in 1656 the interior was painted. Furthermore, in 1684, the church got an extended chancel. In the 1720s and 1730s, further extensions changed it into a cruciform church (cross-like floor plan).

    Exterior Decoration

    In 1760 the exterior got panels; before then, it was bare timber. The church has always been covered in tar, as are all stave churches.

    One of the most interesting aspects of the church is its western portal, or western entrance. It is richly carved from the late Middle Ages and includes a depiction of Gunnar. Gunnar is the lead character in the Volsungesaga, a pre-Christian saga based on ancient Germanic myths.

    Gunnar depicted on another stave church

    In the story, Gunnar murders his brother-in-law and hides his gold. Atle, the King of Hunaland, wants Gunnar to tell him where the gold is. So, Atle ties Gunnar’s hands behind his back and throw him in a snake pit – a common theme in old sagas. Gunnar manages to play a harp with his feet, and all the snakes fall asleep. Well, except for one, who kills Gunnar, but still. Gunnar is a hero! When Gunnar dies, Atle is unable to ever learn the hiding place of the gold. Gunnar in the snake pit is a very popular motif in Norwegian and Swedish medieval art, and snakes are found all over stave churches.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9vMyCQCP24

    Interior Decoration

    In 1760 the exterior got panels; before then, it was bare timber. The church has always been covered in tar, as are all stave churches.

    One of the most interesting aspects of the church is its western portal, or western entrance. It is richly carved from the late Middle Ages and includes a depiction of Gunnar. Gunnar is the lead character in the Volsungesaga, a pre-Christian saga based on ancient Germanic myths.

    Gunnar depicted on another stave church

    In the story, Gunnar murders his brother-in-law and hides his gold. Atle, the King of Hunaland, wants Gunnar to tell him where the gold is. So, Atle ties Gunnar’s hands behind his back and throw him in a snake pit – a common theme in old sagas. Gunnar manages to play a harp with his feet, and all the snakes fall asleep. Well, except for one, who kills Gunnar, but still. Gunnar is a hero! When Gunnar dies, Atle is unable to ever learn the hiding place of the gold. Gunnar in the snake pit is a very popular motif in Norwegian and Swedish medieval art, and snakes are found all over stave churches.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9vMyCQCP24

    Interior Decoration

    The oldest decorations inside the church are from 1656. However, most of the decoration comes from the period 1721-1723 and the painting style is Rococo. Rich decorations of flowers and vines cover the interior. The artist (or artists) is unknown, but it’s clear inspiration came from European art.
    Parts of the medieval floor are preserved. Until 1620, the only light came from portholes high up, but that year two windows were put in. The pews were added in 1624. It’s not clear when the church got its pulpit and altarpiece, but they were there in 1656.

    The most interesting interior item is no longer inside the church. It is a 30cm high crucifix of bronze and enamel. It came from Lingoes in France and was made during the 13th century. It’s not known how a French object made its way to this remote valley. Today you can see the crucifix in the Cultural History Museum in Oslo.

    The church today

    Uvdal Stave Church was taken out of use in 1893 when the new church was completed in the new village centre. Services occasionally take place here in the summer, but mostly the church is a museum piece. It’s probably lucky the village was built up in a different location, otherwise, the stave church may have been torn down.

    Visiting the church

    You can visit Uvdal Stave Church throughout the year, but it’s only open in the summer months.

    The church is open daily from the beginning of June until the end of August. Tickets cost 80 NOK for an adult.

    Up-to-date opening hours and admission fees can be found here: https://www.stavechurch.com/uvdal-stave-church/?lang=en

    The Fv40 Highway

    You can reach Uvdal Stave Church by taking the Fv40. You can find my guide to the Fv40 by clicking the link below. 

    The Fv40 Highway
    Geilo Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • Numedal Valley, Oslo & the East, Stave Churches

    Nore Stave Church

    Nore Stave Church

    Nore Stave Church is the third church you’ll pass if driving up the medieval Numedal Valley from Oslo towards Geilo. And, like its neighbours, it has unique qualities. What makes this church special is that its floor plan is unknown in Norway. It is an original cruciform church. In comparison, the other stave churches were rebuilt as cruciform churches much later. Additionally, Nore Stave Church is well decorated. Its interior is special in so many ways.

    In this article, I explore what makes this church so special. This includes its history, architecture, and decoration. At the bottom you’ll find some info on visiting the church.

    In this article...

    The Fv40 Highway

    You can reach Nore Stave Church by taking the Fv40. You can find my guide to the Fv40 by clicking the link below. 

    The Fv40 Highway
    Geilo Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    History of Nore Stave Church & Nore Community

    Nore is a tiny village located along the Norefjord, a lake that continues on from the Numedal River. On the west side of the lake is the original settlement, including farms and the church. On the east is the main road through the valley. The bridge is from 1930; before then, the locals had to take boats across. The word ‘Nore’ comes from the Old Norse ‘nore’ meaning “narrow sound or strait”, referring to the lake. Nore stave church is south of the main town.

    What about the church? Well, its age is somewhat unknown. Looking at the wood, it’s believed that the church is from some time after 1167. The portal is the same age as the one found in Flesberg, which is from between 1163 and 1189. The centre mast in Nore was felled in the winter of 1167/1168, and it’s believed they built the church with fresh wood, likely in the following summer.

    During an archaeological excavation, archaeologists found coins under the floor. In total there are 276 coins, and 24 of them from Håkon Håkonsson’s reign (1217-1263).

    The unique building style of Nore Stave Church

    The floor plan of Nore Stave Church is unique. It is built as a cruciform church with an even floor plan; a style unknown in any other church in Norway. The big question is whether it was originally built as a cruciform church, or if later builders added the arms. In other stave churches, the cruciform floor plan came much later. Stone churches in Norway didn’t have this floor plan either. The closest similarity is a church in Kalundborg, Denmark, built in the late 12th century. It’s pretty much unknown where this Norwegian builder took inspiration. Other stave churches may have had this style, but they are all gone. After all, there are only 28 stave churches remaining of the original 1000.

    There’s lots of evidence for age of the floor plan. First off, the staves in the middle walls are younger than the corner staves, likely from the 15th century. Still, there are grooves in the staves indicating that the centre mast (the large vertical beam in the middle of the church) is from the original construction. Therefore, it is likely that the younger staves were added to reinforce or repair the church.

    The Centre Mast (Source)

    In the middle of the church is its central mast, a large vertical beam. It supports the tower (turret) on top of the church. While the tower is from 1730, the central mast is dated to the original stave church. This suggests that there has always been a tower on the church, it was simply replaced later on. The tower and central mast had to be strong enough to support and ring the church bells. It is uncommon to find a tower on a stave church; often the church bells were kept in a separate building as their weight was too much for the stave church.

    The uniqueness of the architecture has given the style the name “Nummedals-type”.

    Nore Stave Church around 1930 (Source)

    Renovation in the 17th & 18th centuries

    Like many stave churches, especially the ones in Numedal Valley, Nore underwent huge changes between 1650 and 1750. The first renovations added the chancel, transepts, western porch and sacristy. Only the nave (the middle of the church) is in its original form.

    The overall construction is complex with bits of the old and the new scattered around the church. Still, the main structure of the stave church is original and in tact. Moreover, builders reused older parts of the church in newer constructions.

    Saving Nore Stave Church

    Like many other stave churches in Norway, Nore was old and in desperate need of repair in the 19th century. The locals wanted a newer and larger church. There was interest in demolishing the stave church. However, in 1888, art historian and author Lorentz Dietrichson (1834-1917) purchased the church. He had a major role in founding the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments (Fortidsminneforeningen) and donated Nore Stave Church to the Society in 1890.

    Nore Stave Church Today

    Restoration Work

    The last comprehensive restoration was done in 1927, after the Society took over. At this point, the church was leaning strongly and had to be straightened. Some beams were replaced due to rotting. The terrain under the floor had to be levelled.

    The interior of Nore Stave Church (Source)

    Medieval Crucifix (Source)

    Interior & Exterior Decoration

    Nore Stave Church is beautiful both inside and out – sounds like a motivational poster! But seriously, the decoration of this church makes it special.

    The decoration is from all time periods. For example, under the pulpit and to the west of the nave are remains of benches from the Middle Ages. These were the only seats; before the Lutheran Reformation you had to stand in the church. The seats were for the old and the sick. There are two rune inscriptions in the church, one being a prayer saying “grant me all that is good.”

    Most of the medieval inventory is gone, except for the baptismal font. There are two carved crucifixes in the church and they are from the 13th century. They’ve undergone some surgery over the years, though. One got a new face and the other got new arms and a thick second coat of paint!

    Lots of images and sketches of the church can be found at snl.no (click here)

    Most of the decoration is from 1650-1750. The wall paintings are mostly from this time, and the paintings depict Bible verses, leaves, flowers and fruit. The decoration is very like Flesberg, which is from the same period. The altarpiece is a copy of the one in Kongsberg Church, also like Flesberg. The portal on the porch is decorated with animal and plant imagery. There are also two winged dragons (a pagan symbol) that have wound their necks around each other. Above the portal is a large plate with embossed lions that holds the Danish/Norwegian King Frederik IV’s crowned monogram. Below the monogram is the date “1723”.

    Stave Churches were not built with windows. If anything, they had tiny circular windows. After all, glass was not common in Norway at the time and it can get very cold in the winter! The windows on the church were added to the church in the 17th century.

    Grave of one of the priests of Nore Stave Church.

    Surrounding Cemetery

    The cemetery is older than the church. Archaeological excavations show that an older burial ground stood under the church. Two medieval tombs were found under the church, and one theory is that it was the builder of the church and his wife. The graves were sunken and the area was levelled by filling in the graves.

    It’s believed that another church stood here before the present church, but it was in a slightly different position. The oldest graves are to the south than those from the time of the stave church. The older church may have had a different orientation.

    The cemetery is surrounded by an old stone fence. The village road used to pass through the graveyard. On the north side is a stone slab with an iron ring to tie a horse on.

    Visiting the church

    The church is open from mid-June to mid-August every day between 10am and 6pm. Tickets cost 70 NOK for an adult. The up-to-date information can be found here.

    There are brown tourist road signs pointing to the church and it can be seen from a distance, so it’s fairly easy to find. Just follow Fv40 (the main highway through the Numedal Valley) and turn off to cross the bridge.

    There is a parking area in front of the church (free).

    The Fv40 Highway

    You can reach Nore Stave Church by taking the Fv40. You can find my guide to the Fv40 by clicking the link below. 

    The Fv40 Highway
    Geilo Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • Numedal Valley, Oslo & the East, Stave Churches

    Rollag Stave Church

    Rollag Stave Church

    Rollag Stave Church is the second church along the road in the historic Numedal Valley. The valley has the largest number of medieval wooden buildings in Norway. If you drive up the valley from Kongsberg to Geilo, you’ll pass many of these ancient buildings.

    The stave church is just off the highway and north of the village of Rollag. Moreover, while it has undergone many changes since it was built, it’s still well worth visiting.

    In this article...

    The Fv40 Highway

    You can reach Rollag Stave Church by taking the Fv40. You can find my guide to the Fv40 by clicking the link below. 

    The Fv40 Highway
    Kongsberg Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    History of Rollag Stave Church

    An old photo of Rollag Stave Church. Likely early 20th century. (Source)

    It’s believed the first church in Rollag stood here around the second half of the 12th century. Moreover, the church we have today may be the second one on the site. Rollag Stave Church is in documents from 1425. The church is older than that, though.

    The most famous parish priest is the Danish Knut Jørgensen Winter. He came from Jutland in 1651 to be the priest and his first task was to rebuild the church. Winter first painted the inside and added benches and windows. He also had a new choir and altarpiece built. On the outside of the church, he had the monogram of Christian V placed on the wall. The church is unique for its heavy Danish influence.

    Later restorations expanded and changed the church dramatically. During the last restoration, attempts were made to bring it closer to Winter’s 17th century church.

    Architecture

    Rollag Stave Church is a single nave simple stave church. This is the most basic type of stave church construction. It has a square nave. It has four outer corner staves supporting the structure.

    In 1660, Rollag was rebuilt as a cruciform church, which was the style of the time. Cruciform churches have a floor-plan of a cross. Almost everything was replaced, though the original staves are still in place. They are just hidden under the modern construction. Further expansions took place in the 17th and 18th centuries. The nave is longer, the church received a porch, and the roof was raised.

    The last major restoration took place in 1932. They brought the church back to an earlier style.

    While there isn’t much of the original church left, Rollag is still regarded as one of the most beautiful rural churches. A unique feature of the church is that every generation has left their mark. They have expanded and rebuilt the church as they needed, demolished and painted walls. They have added and removed bits from the church to suit their needs.

    Exterior Decoration

    Much of the exterior is from the 17th/18th century restoration. The windows, tower, and extensions are not from the original stave church. If you are looking for the original church, it’s the core centre.

    A unique feature of the church is the monogram outside. The outer wall monogram of Christian V is from 1697. The board also has the inscription ‘IHS’ at the top (Iesus Hominum Salvator – Jesus, Saviour of Men). This monogram is the first carved in wood in the Numedal Valley.

    Exterior door decoration

    Interior Decoration

    If you are lucky enough to see the inside of the church, you’re in for a treat. Rollag Stave Church is generally regarded as having one of the most beautiful interiors.

    The decoration is a mix of every generation that has passed through the church. There is art from the early Middle Ages through the baroque and rococo periods right up to the modern day.

    Rollag Stave Church interior (Source: LokalHistorieWiki)

    Benches were never inside stave churches. In Catholic times, you had to stand up and listen to the service, which was in Latin. Benches are a Lutheran addition. Also, the service was in Danish in the Lutheran times.

    The interior is richly painted. For example, on the choir you’ll see depictions of foliage and exotic fruit. These paintings represent the fruits of paradise. Interestingly, the paintings are Catholic motifs that they painted during Lutheran times. Additionally, the altarpiece has a relief of the eucharist. This is a casting of a silver relief found in Frederiksborg Castle Church in Denmark.

    The pulpit is the first rococo artifact in Numedal. Most importantly, it has one panel for each of the four evangelists. The fifth panel has the inscription “Painted in 1763 by E. Dram”. He worked on decorations in Kongsberg Church and Veggli Stave Church.

    In the 1770s, all the interior wall decorations were painted over in blue paint. They were uncovered again in the 1932 restoration.

    What makes this church different than others?

    I find this church is unique when it comes to its Danish influence. Not architectural influence, but rather the decorations both inside and out.

    Around the church

    The stone wall around Rollag Stave Church

    In the cemetery you’ll see an old stone wall. Some stone slabs have a rather ring for horses. Moreover, the birch trees were planted along the wall in 1936. Some graves are from the early 19th century. The church used to have a tomb cellar under the choir, but it was filled in with sand in 1870.

    Also in the cemetery, close to the Christian V monogram, is an ancient stone cross. It’s not known when this was placed here or why. One theory is that this site was an ancient gathering place for Christians before they got a church. Close by is the historic Rollag farmstead, and it’s known that churches were built on the wealthiest properties.

    Close by is the Rollag Vicarage. It has six buildings and is heritage listed. The oldest part is from 1630, and the bishop’s home is from 1720. It still is the parish priests residence and is therefore private property. Just south of the church is the disused Numedalsbanen.

    The church today

    Rollag Stave Church is still owned by the congregation and still functions as the parish church. Every other Sunday from March to November, the congregation comes here. The villagers are very proud of their church, and rightly so!

    During the summer months, between mid-June and mid-August, the church is open to the public daily from 11am to 5pm.

    Visiting Rollag Stave Church

    When driving on the Fv40 (the main road through the Numedal Valley), you’ll see the turnoff for the church – it’s marked as a brown sign. Note that it’s in Norwegian, so it says “Rollag stavkirke”. The church is 6km off the main highway, and you drive through beautiful farmland. The road you’ll drive on is Rollagsvegen, and you don’t need to go back to this turn-off after visiting the church. I recommend following Rollagsvegen until it rejoins the Fv40. It’s such a beautiful drive.

    You will see a tiny parking place when approaching the church, but if you drive past it you’ll reach a larger parking lot. Parking is free.

    Church of Norway website: https://kirken.no/nb-NO/fellesrad/Rollag/kirker/rollag-stavkirke/

    Medieval Week in the Numedal Valley + Visitor Information: https://middelalderuka.no/index.php/en/stavkirker/rollag-stavkirke

    The Fv40 Highway

    You can reach Rollag Stave Church by taking the Fv40. You can find my guide to the Fv40 by clicking the link below. 

    The Fv40 Highway
    Kongsberg Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • Kongsberg, Numedal Valley, Oslo & the East, Stave Churches

    Flesberg Stave Church

    Flesberg Stave Church

    Flesberg Stave Church is the first stave church you’ll pass when making your way up the historic Numedal Valley from Oslo towards Geilo. However, it doesn’t really look like a stave church. That’s because it was extended in the early 18th century. They removed most of the stave church. Still, there is a story with this church, and it’s well worth a stop on your Numedal road-trip. Here’s my overview of Flesberg Stave Church.

    In this article...

    The Fv40 Highway

    You can reach Flesberg Stave Church by taking the Fv40. You can find my guide to the Fv40 by clicking the link below. 

    The Fv40 Highway
    Kongsberg Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    The original stave church

    The first written description of Flesberg Stave Church is from 1359. It’s believed the church is from the latter half of the 1100s or the first half of the 1200s. The church was a single nave church with four-free standing internal posts bearing a central raised roof. It is the stave church category ‘churches with elevated naves’, in the same category as churches like Borgund, Gol, Lom and Kaupanger.

    We know what Flesberg used to look like. Luckily, one of the first-ever paintings of a stave church is of Flesberg from 1701, shortly before it they rebuilt it. From this, we can see how much Flesberg looked like the churches mentioned above.

    Flesberg Stave Church in the 1930s (Source)

    Rebuilding the church

    The priest in the 1730s, Johannes Berthelsen, complained the church was too small. So, they made plans to expand the church. In 1735, the chancel and aspe, as well as the east nave, were removed. They added two transepts. The new church was a cruciform plan. The new additions were not built in the stave style, but rather the modern horizontal log style. In 1792, they rebuilt the roof.

    The stave church choir was torn down. Moreover, the middle poles were removed. It’s not known how many poles stood here, but there are traces of corner bars.

    The only part of the original stave church is on the western side.

    Stave decorations

    On the west portal you can see stave decorations. You’ll see carved vines and animal ornamentation. These are only tiny remnants of the original decor.

    Today Flesberg has little in common with the other stave churches. There are so few indications of the original church.

    Churchyard

    The churchyard is fence with slate from the Haukeli farm on the west bank of the Lågen River. Some slates have iron rings attached to them; this was for the horses. The oldest ring is from 1661.

    The stone fence is shown in the 1701 painting. The fence is at least that old.

    Outside the church you’ll find some very old gravestones. Moreover, there is also a blue plaque saying that elections took place at this church in 1814. This isn’t unique; many churches in Norway have this blue plaque.

    Restoration Work

    They did an extensive restoration in the 1870s, but it did no favours for the stave part of the church. The National Heritage Board did a new renovation between 1955 and 1965. This renovation brought the church back to its 18th century appearance.

    Exterior decoration

    The western portal of the ship is where you’ll find some exterior decoration. The entrance has two lion figures above it. The posts on either side of the doorway are richly decorated with carved vines and animal ornamentation.

    Interior. From Wikipedia.

    Interior decoration

    The interior of the church is well known. It’s not open to the public all the time (see below), so there is a chance you won’t be able to see inside. I didn’t get the opportunity to see inside, but I still think it’s worth putting an overview here.

    The interior of the church is redecorated to look like the church did in 1735. There are very few remains of its medieval era. The whitewashing on the walls was removed in the 1950s. They discovered decorative paintings from the Middle Ages. Some fixtures date back to the Middle Ages, including a bell and the baptismal font. Otherwise, the pulpit is from the 1600s and the chandeliers are from the 18th century. The 1701 painting of the church is inside.

    Flesberg town

    Flesberg is a sleepy community with little opportunities for shopping or sightseeing. This is partly because the town is close to Kongsberg, a large and famous Norwegian town known for its historic mines.

    The name Flesberg comes from an old farm. The Flesberg Stave Church is built on the farm. This is very common in small towns in Norway. They built churches on the richest farms, and eventually the farms became the towns. Fles means ‘rock’ and berg means ‘mountain’.

    Today around 1,172 people live in Flesberg. Forestry and agriculture are the main industries. Many people in Flesberg commute to nearby Kongsberg.

    Visiting the church

    Flesberg is open throughout the summer (late June to early August) on Tuesdays – Fridays and Sunday fro 12pm to 5pm.

    Tickets are 35 NOK pp.

    The Numedal Valley, which is the best preserved medieval valley in Norway, has a Medieval Week. If you happen to be in Numedal during Medieval Week, the church is open every day from 12pm to 5pm.

    Flesberg is still an active church for the community.

    Flesberg is located on the Fv40 highway that connects Kongsberg to Geilo in central-eastern Norway. It is marked with brown signs saying “Flesberg stavkirke”.

    We parked across the street, where there is a large parking area.

    The Fv40 Highway

    You can reach Flesberg Stave Church by taking the Fv40. You can find my guide to the Fv40 by clicking the link below. 

    The Fv40 Highway
    Kongsberg Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide