Ringebu Stave Church

Ringebu stave church was built around 1220 and stands on a slope above the Gudbrandsdal valley, and what makes it instantly recognisable is not medieval at all: a tall red-painted tower with a spire was added in 1631 when the church was rebuilt into a cross plan, and the colour against the dark tarred timber has become its signature. Inside, the medieval staves and portals survive alongside seventeenth-century furnishing, and a wooden figure of Saint Lawrence from around 1250 is displayed. Excavations under the floor found graves and traces of an earlier church. The building is still in parish use, and the surrounding grounds include a large graveyard and a view down the valley.

What you actually see

• The red tower - a 1631 addition that defines the church's appearance.
• The medieval portals - carved twelfth and thirteenth-century doorways.
• The Saint Lawrence figure - a wooden statue of about 1250.
• The valley view - Gudbrandsdalen spread below the churchyard.

When to go

May to September for the interior, with services and weddings closing it periodically; the exterior and graveyard are open year-round. The E6 and the railway both pass through Ringebu.

Honest expectations

Opening is seasonal and hours are limited. The most striking feature is a seventeenth-century addition rather than medieval work. The church is a short but steep walk or drive above the village.

Nearby

Ringebu village and the Gudbrandsdal valley are below; Rondane and Lillehammer lie north and south.