The stave churches are Norway's foremost contribution to the world’s cultural heritage, a fact confirmed by the inclusion of Urnes Stave Church on UNESCO's World Heritage List. These churches take their names from the distinctive building technique using vertical staves.
There are only 28 stave churches left in all of Norway. Five of the oldest are in the Sognefjord region, and all of them date back to the 12th century.
Lærdal
Built around 1180 and is dedicated to the Apostle Andrew. The church is exceptionally well preserved and is one of the most distinctive stave churches in...
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Vik
The richly decorated Hopperstad stave church in Vik would have been lost but for the intervention of cultural conservationists, who managed to save it just in...
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Sogndal
This stave church at Kaupanger in Sogndal is the largest of the stave churches, and is still in use as the local parish church. The Kaupanger Stave Church was...
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Aurland
Undredal Church is built as a stave church in 1147 and was called St. Nicholas Chapel. The church has white clapboard sidings and is the smallest in...
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Luster
Urnes Stave Church , the oldest of Norway's stave churches, is included on UNESCO's World Heritage List. It was built around 1130 AD, but the distinctive...
Read more about Urnes Stave Church