Varhaug Old Churchyard is one of the highlights of the National Tourist Road for Jæren and the historic hiking path Kongevegen.
This is probably one of the most scenic spots on the road, and understandably so. After all, Varhaug is considered to be the most photogenic cemetery in all of Norway! Situated close to the North Sea, this cemetery overlooks the water on a flat, grassy plain. The tiny white chapel stands out in the distance, as does the iron grave monuments.
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About Varhaug
Distance to Stavanger: 46.7km (29.9 miles) / 46 minutes
Distance to Egersund: 39.2km (24.3 miles) / 38 minutes
First off, lets talk about the nearby village of Varhaug. After all, this is where the cemetery gets its name.
Varhaug is the second largest village along the Jæren coast and is the administrative centre for the Hå Municipality.
While people have lived here for thousands of years, the village wasn't founded until the late 19th century. Varhaug expanded quickly thanks to the construction of the train station along the Jærbanen, or Jæren Trainline. Why it was decided to build a train station in what was a scattered farming settlement is unknown, but nonetheless Varhaug got a train station. Perhaps it's because the farms close to the sea, as in Varhaug, have traditionally been wealthy and important to Jæren.
Above all, the Jæren coast is flat. That's what makes it unique. Varhaug is actually the highest village on the coast, with an elevation of 40-60m (130-200ft).
Agriculture has historically been the backbone of the region. However, it has gradually become less important as the village developed and Norway modernised. Agriculture is still important, but today the municipality is the largest employer. Another important company is Fjordkjøkken AS, a company that makes dinner meals for the Norwegian brand Fjordland. Some people commute to Stavanger for work.
At the moment, Varhaug is having a problem with growth. The surrounding agricultural land is considered some of the best in the country, and there's a resistance to building new homes on top of it. Moreover, the land is important to Norway's food supply. At the moment the future of the village is unknown; one possibility is to build apartments. However, that will affect the natural landscape.
The population of Varhaug is 3,239.
The Historic Churches
The site of the present-day cemetery is where the historic church used to stand. There have been at least three churches here. A stave church came first; likely built around the year 1200. Sadly, the stave church was demolished in the mid-17th century to make way for a more modern church. That church fell into disrepair and became a private property in 1725. A new church replaced it in 1828 - the architect is Hans Linstow, who also designed the Palace in Oslo. They demolished this church in 1905 when Varhaug's present-day church was completed in the village. This old church site was just too far away.
Varhaug Church in 1837: Click here to view a drawing of the church dated to 1837.
The current chapel is from 1951. It has some features of the old churches. The highlight are the church bells inside the chapel; these date back to 1791. Additionally, the sculpture Sapienta (wisdom) is preserved. The sculpture is from 1650-1720. According to the Stavanger Museum, where the sculpture is on display, it likely came from one of the first churches.
Factory owner Asbjørn Stueland commissioned the chapel. It is 15m2 wide and has 14 wicker chairs to sit on. The chapel is popular with weddings.
Varhaug Cemetery
Varhaug cemetery is ancient. In fact, it's believed that the original site was an important pagan worshipping site. That lends itself to the fact that a stave church stood here in the early years of Christianity. Typically, stave churches stood on pagan sites to show the new religion. Some of the graves date back to the Middle Ages.
This ancient cemetery is often described as the most beautiful cemetery in the country. This is due to its close position to the sea.
Today Varhaug Old Cemetery is a protected as a cultural monument.
Russian Shipwreck
One of the coast's most known shipwrecks took place here in 1842. A ship called 'Ingermanland', a Russian ship, encountered storms in the area and ran aground. After grounding, the sea lifted it up and drifted west with the wind. After drifting for 10 hours, it came ashore again. By then, the ship was completely wrecked. 503 people were rescued from the ship and 387 died. Among the dead were 21 women and 7 children.
A memorial for those who perished is at the cemetery.
Read more: English Wikipedia
Kongevegen
The cemetery is part of the historic Kongevegen route. This is an old road between Stavanger in the north and Ogna in the south. The name (English: King's Way/King's Road) is from a 17th century royal decree ordering farmers to provide a cart road along the coast. At the time, Norway had very few roads. The road was used by royals, farmers, and even pilgrims.
During the 19th century, the road moved inland to the present-day highway. Additionally, Kongevegen was abandoned when the railway opened.
Today Kongevegen is a popular walking path. Moreover, it is possible to see traces of the historic road as you walk along it.
My Thoughts
We stopped at the Varhaug cemetery very quickly. I didn't walk all the way up to the chapel, as the most scenic shots seem to be from further away. I did find it beautiful to stop at, but it's only necessary to stop here for a few minutes.
Practical Info
Address: Sør-varhaug 71, 4360 Varhaug
It appears in Google Maps as Varhaug Gamle Gravlund and Varhaug gamle kirkegård.
Parking: Dedicated carpark with free parking
Cost: Free
Signs: The cemetery has road signs pointing to it. There are no English information boards; just a stone written in Norwegian.
