Torpo Stave Church

Torpo stave church was built around 1192 and is the oldest surviving building in Hallingdal, though only the nave remains after the chancel and other parts were removed in the nineteenth century when a new parish church was built beside it. What survives holds one of the most important medieval paintings in Norway: a wooden baldachin canopy over the former altar, painted around 1300 with the crucifixion at the centre and scenes from the life and martyrdom of Saint Margaret around it, along with a Christ in Majesty. The carved portals and capitals are also original. The church is no longer in regular use and is maintained as a monument, opening for a short season each summer.

History

Built in 1192 and dedicated to Saint Margareta, the church is one of two stave churches signed by their builders: a runic inscription reads "Thorolf built this church", as at Ål. The municipality bought it in 1875, and after protests from the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments against plans to modernise it in 1879, a new church was built on the neighbouring plot instead (Wikipedia, Torpo Stave Church).

What you'll find

• The painted baldachin - a canopy of about 1300 with Saint Margaret scenes.
• The carved portals - original twelfth-century doorway ornament.
• The surviving nave - what remains after nineteenth-century reduction.
• The new parish church - the later building standing alongside.

When to go

June to August, a short opening season with limited daily hours; outside it the church can be seen only from outside. Hallingdal is on the road and rail route between Oslo and Bergen.

What to expect

The opening season is brief and hours are short, so a check before travelling is essential. Only part of the medieval church survives. The interior is dark, and the painting requires time and patience to read.

Nearby

Al and the Hallingdal valley run through; Geilo, Hallingskarvet and the Bergen line lie west.

Key facts