Borgund stavkirke, Torpo stavkirke & Undredal stavkirke

For more than two centuries, from the end of the 10th to the 13th century, faith in Christ mixed in the north with beliefs in pagan gods. At that time around 1000 stavkirke (stav – stave, kirke – church) was built in Norway, which today still can be admired by nearly 30. Many scientists say that this type of structure was built long before Christianity (the beginning of the 11th century), and the Vikings built they temples in stav style.

The base of the stave structure was a skeleton frame made of vertical corner posts (called stav or masts), then pinned by long boards (staves), which were applied vertically like the construction of the boat to form a church wall.

The oldest churches of the 11th century were small quadrangular buildings. The pillars on which the structure was based were set directly in the ground, which provided the building with stability, but exposed to rapid rot. Therefore, the sustainability of these temples did not exceed one hundred years and none has survived to this day. In the 12th century new churches appeared, with columns fixed to the horizontal thresholds of wooden beams. In addition, the frame often rested on four large rocks or a stone foundation. This gave them excellent stability and durability.

The simplest stavkirke has only a nave and a small presbytery and a roof set on the walls, the most complex structures are as tall as the stone temples, and their arched roof reminds the ribs of the boat.

Many of the temples are covered with shingle which look like shuck, and their roofs are crowned with dragon heads with long tongues. Great admiration awakens the intricate carvings of entrance portals and interiors. Characteristic vegetal and serpentine shapes bend anxiously, creating complex ornaments.

Many buildings are decorated with runic inscriptions, protective penagrams and symbols referring to pagan beliefs. For example, in the Borgund church, among of the 12 apostles, the artist hid Odin’s one-eyed face.

Today, most churches are found in the fjords of the west coast and in the central part of the country. On the shore of the Lustefjord stands the oldest 900-year-old Urnes stave church. From his name is taken the most impressive and rich style of Viking decoration. Other, equally beautiful churches you can find in Borgund, Vik, Kaupager and Lom. Thanks to the Prussian king Fryderyk Wilhelm IV, the reconstructed stavkirke can also be seen in Poland in Karpacz.

(Norwegia. Praktyczny przewodnik – Pascal 2007)

Borgund stavkirke

In the small town of Borgund, about 30 km east of Lærdal, on the E16 road, stops many tourists to see the Borgund stavkirke. Built around 1180, the temple is one of the finest and best preserved stav churches in Norway. Its original and complex shape makes it the most photographed object of its kind. You can fascinate by the portal showing vegetative patterns interleaved with dragons profiles. On the door you can see engraved medieval runes and symbols of the villages belonging to the parish. From the interior of the church removed all elements from later ages, trying to restore the original appearance. Among the twelve apostles adorning the supporting pillars, one shows a bearded face without eye. This is how they were presented Odin in Scandinavian mythology. In the arcades are engraved runic inscriptions, and the vaulting of the temple remains a reversed Viking boat.

Next to the church, there is a modern exhibition center, presenting how stav churches were built and their history. There is a restaurant and a souvenir shop.

(Norwegia. Praktyczny przewodnik – Pascal 2007)

The medieval bell tower is the only one in Norway which preserved to this day.

The temple is not located directly on the main road E16. The minor road where the church is located, is a part of an old route connecting the capital of Christiania (today’s Oslo) to Bergen. Beside the tourist center you can learn the history of the route between Lærdalsøri and Vang. The main attractions of this trail are described. The route named King’s Road (Kongevegen) is 110 km long and it is one of the most beautiful trekking and cycling routes in Norway. The route can be walked in stages, as it often crosses the E16 road.

Torpo stavkirke

At the start, Hallingdal had seven stave churches. Today, Torpo Stave Church is the oldest and only original stave church left in Hallingdal. It is also the oldest building in Hallingdal.

This stave church was erected in 1192 (some sources says 1160), and consecrated to St Margaret. The legend about her martyrdom decorates the baldachin in well-known paintings from the latter half 13th century. The church was built in the Borgund style with a raised space in the middle between the nave and the chancel.

In 1880, the chancel was demolished. The rest of the church was also going to be demolished, but the Society for the Preservation of Norwegian Ancient Monuments purchased the nave to preserve it.

Undredal stavkirke

The village of Undredal lies on the west shore of the Aurlandsfjord. It is best known for the country’s smallest stav church and the goat cheese tradition. (…)

The one-naved, white-painted stave church was built around 1147, so it is one of the oldest buildings of this type. The church was completely rebuilt in 1722. This restoration gave it a present apperance. The walls show mythical animals, and many symbolic signs were discovered under several layers of paint during renovation in 1962.

(Norwegia. Praktyczny przewodnik – Pascal 2007)

According to estimates in the Middle Ages, about a thousand stave churches were erected in Norway. Only 28 churches of this type have survived to this day. They are placed in official list of stav churches:

• Borgund stavkirke, Sogn og Fjordane, around 1150
• Eidsborg stavkirke, Telemark, XIII century
• Flesberg stavkirke, Buskerud, around 1200
• Garmo stavkirke, Oppland, around 1150 (Moved to Maihaugen, Lillehammer)
• Gol stavkirke, Buskerud, 1212 (Moved to Ope-Air Museum in Oslo)
• Grip stavkirke, Møre og Romsdal, XV century
• Haltdalen stavkirke, Sør-Trøndelag, around 1170
• Hedal stavkirke, Oppland, XII century
• Heddal stavkirke, Telemark, 1242 (Here you can find some pictures)
• Hegge stavkirke, Oppland, 1216
• Hopperstad stavkirke, Sogn og Fjordane, 1140
• Høre stavkirke, Oppland, 1180
• Høyjord stavkirke, Vestfold, XII century
• Kaupanger stavkirke, Sogn og Fjordane, 1190
• Kvernes stavkirke, Møre og Romsdal, XIV century
• Lom stavkirke, Oppland, XII century
• Lomen stavkirke, Oppland, 1179
• Nore stavkirke, Buskerud, 1167
• Reinli stavkirke, Oppland, 1190
• Ringebu stavkirke, Oppland, XIII century
• Rollag stavkirke, Buskerud, XII century
• Rødven stavkirke, Møre og Romsdal, around 1200
• Røldal stavkirke, Hordaland, XIII century
• Torpo stavkirke, Buskerud, 1191
• Undredal stavkirke, Sogn og Fjordane, XII century
• Urnes stavkirke, Sogn og Fjordane, around 1130, (Entered into the UNESCO World Heritage List)
• Uvdal stavkirke, Buskerud, 1168
• Øye stavkirke, Oppland, XII century

Outside of those temples there are several other stave churches which, due to the changes made to the design, were deleted from the list. Four of the preserved stavkirken are currently outside of Norway and are also not listed in the list above. This group includes churches:

• Fantoft stavkirke, Hordaland, 1150 (Burned in 1992, rebuild in 1997 )
• Fåvang stavkirke, Oppland, 1627
• Kościół klepkowy w Hedared, Szwecja (Sweden), 1501
• Skaga stavkirke, Szwecja, XII century (Disassembled in 19th century, rebuilt in 2001)
• Vang stavkirke, Vang, XII century. Moved in middle 19th century to Karpacz, Prussia (today Poland), known as Wang Temple.

This entry was originally posted 2017-07-03 on https://kraina-trolli.pl.