Urnes Stave Church

Urnes is the oldest and most refined of Norway's surviving stave churches, built around 1130 on a green shelf above the Sognefjord. Into its timbers is carved the entwined animal ornament so distinctive it gave its name to the Urnes style, a last flowering of Viking art in a Christian building, and it is a UNESCO site.

Background

The church stands at Ornes on the eastern side of the Lustrafjorden, directly opposite Solvorn and about 5 kilometres east of Hafslo. Its long basilica plan has round columns and semi-circular arches within, and 16 large staves frame the nave and aisles, with the central roof 2 metres above the aisle roofs. An excavation in 1956 found two earlier churches on the site, and carved strap-work panels from the 11th century church were reused in the present one. Later fittings include a font of 1640, a canopy over the altar of 1665 and an altarpiece of 1699. The Society for the Preservation of Norwegian Ancient Monuments has owned it since 1881.

Source: Wikipedia, "Urnes Stave Church"

What you'll find

• The carved portal - the famous entwined beasts of the Urnes style on the north wall.
• The stave structure - the interlocking timber posts of the oldest surviving stave church.
• The fjord setting - the church on its green shelf above the Lustrafjord.
• The interior - the dim wooden nave with medieval fittings.

When to go

Summer, when the ferry runs and the church is open for tours; access is limited outside the season. A clear day flatters the fjord setting.

Practical notes

It is small and reached by a ferry and a short climb, so it is a specialised, slightly effortful visit for those who value early architecture. Interiors are seen by guided tour at set times. The setting above the fjord is as much of the reward as the church.

Nearby

The Sognefjord and its Nigardsbreen glacier are close; Solvorn is a pretty fjord village.

Key facts