After all the hiking I did in Norway a couple of months ago, exploring the stave churches in Norway was the second highlight of the trip. I had never seen this type of churches (stavkyrkje) before and found them to be a neat ‘discovery’ for me out of this two-week trip.
Why “stave”?
Stave churches are medieval churches made from wood typically found in northern Europe, mainly with vertically placed wooden planks. “Stav” is a Norwegian word referring to the pine posts that are used to build the frame of the structure. These days, the stave churches that have survived to this day (with very few exceptions) are actually in Norway. The exterior is usually covered in pine tar to protect it; it gives the structure a black or dark color. There is not just one design possible for these or methods of building them. You can read more about that here, if you are interested.
Lom’s Stave Church
The first stave church I visited was the one in Lom. This one is an active church. Originally a Catholic church consecrated in the 12th century, it underwent major renovations (enlarged, re-decorated, etc.) in the 17th century. It is an old church and a fairly large one. It has been maintained and renovated even as recently at 50 years ago. It is an impressive church in a cool town!
Lomen Stave Church
The Lomen Stave Church is in the village of Lome. It dates from the late 12th century though it was also renovated in the mid-18th century. Its use as a church ended when a newer church was built in town in 1914. However, it is still used for weddings and special events.
Høre Stave Church
The Høre Stave Church is also in the Valdres region in the village of Kvien. As it is often the case, sometimes the churches we see are built on the site of a prior church no longer visible. This stave church is estimated to have been built in the year 1179. Darn old! And, like many of these churches, it has undergone changes and renovations over the centuries. It is an active church still and is estimated to seat about 170 people.
Øye Stave Church
This stave church is also in the Valdres region. The structure we see today was only built in 1965. However, it was built with wood discovered under the newer church nearby and that wood was determined to belong to the original stave church that was built in the 12th century and demolished in the mid-18th century. It is a charming small church from the outside in a perfectly picturesque setting (it was closed to visitors when I visited).
Borgund Stave Church
This church sits on a property that includes a museum and coffee shop across the street. Very visitor friendly with plenty to see and learn. It is located in Lærdal. A newer church was built next door that is still active, and the old church (built around the year 1200) was turned into a museum. It is a beautiful setting and well worth the stop and the visit to the museum.
Hopefully, sharing these 5 stave churches in Norway gives you a glimpse of the history and architecture associated with religion in Norway back in the Middle Ages, when Christianity there was Catholicism. Through the Reformation, some of these churches were eliminated and others were renovated to depart from some of the elements of Catholicism that did not apply. But the main takeaway is the beauty that faith brought and brings which these wonderful churches serve as a perfect memorial for!
