Why Kvernes Stave Church is Worth a Stop near the Atlantic Road
When doing the Atlantic Road, it’s worth knowing that it’s a rather short drive. The best way to enjoy the scenic road is to drive all over the region – not only the famous stretch over the islands. One of the most popular places to head to is Kvernes Stave Church. This is one of three stave churches in the Møre og Romsdal county. It has a fascinating story that came to its grand conclusion in 2020. The church is a short drive from the Kristiansund end of the Atlantic Road, so it’s worth heading here. I visited the church on a very wet and windy day in September 2020. While it was closed to the public, I got to walk around the outside and admire this unique building. Here’s my guide to what Kvernes Stave Church so special.
In this article...
The Earliest Church
The first church on this site was likely built in the 1300s. In the Middle Ages, there were 53 stave churches in the Møre og Romsdal County, and Kvernes was one of them. The name, kvernes, comes from the Old Norse word hverfa, meaning ‘to turn’. This is in reference to the headland. Kvernes Stave Church stands high on the hill, and it is visible to any boats passing on the fjord. The area around the church is well documented in history and was a wealthy property. There are many heritage monuments (grave fields, the Ting district, the phallic stone, place names like Lunden) that show the importance of the farm here in the Iron Age and early medieval period. The location of a church here supports this.
Yet, the church we see today is not the original church. That’s where things get interesting.
When was this church built?
Until 2020, there was a lot of debate over the age of this church. The original theory was that the stave part of the church (the nave) is from the 14th century, while there are extensions from the 17th century. The dating of the church was unknown, but it was always considered the youngest stave church remaining in the country. Knowledge of the church was largely based on guesswork since most of the archives were destroyed by a fire in 1734.
The best evidence of the age comes from the epitaph in the nave. It commemorates minister and sawmill owner Anders Erichsen (1575-1662) and his contribution to the church. The epitaph says that he commissioned the construction of the chancel and the baptistry in 1633. The epitaph doesn’t mention anything about the nave, so he might have funded renovations.
A breakthrough in 2020
The church made history in 2020. Through dendrochronology, which is the study of the number and width of tree rings to establish the age of building materials, the church was found to be from 1633. The church is unique because the middle of the church is in the stave technique, which was not used in the 17th century. Meanwhile, the extensions are in the more appropriate-of-its-time cog method. Stave churches were Catholic, but in 1536 the Reformation happened, and Norway converted to Lutheranism.
Stave churches became Lutheran, but new Lutheran churches were not built in the stave style. This is not only because of its Catholic origins but also because the style was outdated. The fact that Kvernes was built 100 years into the new religion and in an outdated method is very unique.
It’s worth mentioning that the theory that the church was new is not new. The first theory that the church was post-Reformation is from 2010 by stave church researcher Ola Storsletten.
The epitaph is now seen differently. It’s assumed that Anders Erichsen funded a partial construction of the church, but the church in its entirety is from 1633.
This makes Kvernes very special. It is the only stave church in Norway built after the Middle Ages and Reformation. Now there is a theory that Grip Stave Church is also post-Reformation. If this is proven to be true, Rødven Stave Church will be the only Middle Ages stave church in the county.
Architectural Style, or ‘What’s with the Supporting Beams?’
Kvernes Stave Church is built in the Møre style, which is characterised by those supporting beams you see on either side of the church. The rough sloping beams hold the staves to the ground. The only other church that looks like this is Rødven Stave Church. It’s not known if they are original beams or if they have been added later on.
So, the beams are a way of reinforcing the church. It could be because the church is exposed to bad weather and needs extra support, or the church was slipping on the ground and needed further support. In any case, it creates a very unique look!
The Møre type also has intermediate staves in the long walls. In contrast with other stave churches, the Møre churches have roof beams across the nave.
The church has undergone later renovation. Parts of the church were rebuilt in 1776, and in 1810 the steeple was added.
Interior Decoration
Most of the interior decoration is from the 17th century. The walls are richly painted with rosemaling style. There are also some depictions of biblical scenes. The walls were later whitewashed, but efforts have been made in recent years to uncover the original decorations.
The altarpiece is unique. It’s believed it was made in the Hanseatic city of Lubeck in the 17th century.
The pulpit is from the 1630s and is of a Dutch character. With this and the Hanseatic links considered, it’s clear this property had links to the international export of dried fish and timber.
Another unique piece is the 300-year-old ship hanging in the nave. It has Danish flags on it.
Preserving the Church
A new church was built for Kvernes in the mid-19th century, and Kvernes Stave Church was no longer used. There were plans to demolish it. Luckily at the last minute, the church was bought by a group of individuals. They didn’t keep it; they donated it as a gift to the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments. The Preservation still owns the church today, and it operates as a museum in the summer.
Visiting the Church
The church is very well signed from the Atlantic Road. There’s only one road around the island it’s on, so you can’t get lost. There is a large parking area, and the church is a short walk from the parking lot.
There’s a walking trail around the church where you can pass the cultural sites. Unfortunately, I didn’t go because we had a lot of heavy rain. There are three stave churches in the region: besides Kvernes, you can also visit Rødven south of Molde, or you can visit Grip Stave Church on Grip Island. We went to the first one as it’s easier to get to.
The new Kvernes Church stands right next to the stave church, like what we saw at Torpo Stave Church.
Kvernes Stave Church is open in the summer months. Guided tours are available in many languages.
Close by the church are many signs with detailed information about the church in English, Norwegian and German.
Close by is the Kvernes Rural Museum, which is an open-air museum with a collection of old farm buildings. The museum represents a 17th-century coastal farm. By the sea is a fisherman’s cabin and some preserved historic boats. The museum also has an archaeological exhibition with finds from the Stone Age Fosna culture, which (if you read into the history of Kristiansund), were some of the first peoples in Norway. Click here for info about the museum.
Toilets are on the site, but no shops.
Click here to view opening hours & prices.
This is all about Kvernes Stave Church! Sure, it’s not as old as the other stave churches. But I think we can agree there’s something special about this church’s story. I hope you get to visit it on your Norwegian adventure.
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