Utstein Monastery

Utstein Kloster stands on Klosteroy in the Boknafjord and is the only Norwegian medieval monastery to survive substantially intact, with church, cloister, chapter house and living ranges still roofed and standing around a courtyard. An Augustinian community was established here in the late thirteenth century on the site of a royal estate, and it functioned until the Reformation, after which the buildings became a private manor, which is why they were maintained rather than quarried. Restoration in the twentieth century returned much of the medieval character. The church holds concerts, and the surrounding estate has walking paths, farmland and a shoreline. Access is by a chain of undersea tunnels from Stavanger.

History

The abbey, dedicated to Saint Laurence, was founded here during the reign of King Magnus VI (1263-1280) as a house of Augustinian canons, probably the community earlier established as St Olav's Abbey in Stavanger, which was well established by 1160. At its height up to 12 monks lived here with twice as many lay people, and it was dissolved in 1537 and given in fee to the nobleman Trond Ivarsson (Wikipedia, Utstein Abbey).

The main sights

• The intact cloister - church, chapter house and ranges around a courtyard.
• The monastery church - a medieval space used for concerts.
• The manor history - the post-Reformation estate that preserved the buildings.
• The island estate - farmland, paths and shore around the monastery.

When to go

May to September, when opening hours are longest and the grounds are at their best; the monastery closes or restricts access in winter and for concerts and private events. Booking ahead avoids a wasted drive.

Things to know

Opening is seasonal and irregular, with frequent closures for events and weddings. The interior is sparsely furnished. The undersea tunnels between Stavanger and Mosteroy are tolled.

Nearby

Stavanger and Gamle Stavanger lie south; the Boknafjord islands surround the site.

Key facts