About stave churches

Stave churches are irreplaceable cultural monuments and it is only in Norway that so many have survived. Characteristic for a stave church is that it has vertical posts and wall planks resting upon sills (ground beams). This is known as a stave wall. No nails were used in the construction. All joints were dovetailed. The St. Andrew crosses and the rounded arches act as braces, strengthening the construction. Of the original building only the nave remains and this has pillars (posts) also in the inner area.

 In the time of Catholicism

In the time of Catholicism the church would have appeared somewhat different with external galleries and an apse. In the old stave churches there were originally no windows, only small port holes high up in the walls. Benches on which the old and infirm could sit ran along the outer walls. The rest of the congregation was expected to stand. Of fittings from the mediaeval church is a statue of St. Lawrence, or St. Lars as he is called in Norwegian, dated c.1250. This stands on the west side of the chancel opening. Larsok or St. Lars' Day (the day of his death) was celebrated on 10th., August. Two crucifixes are from the 13th. century.
Stave churches were built at a time when paganism was giving way to Christianity. In several churches one can see paintings of what we believe represent the figures of norse gods high up at the top of the pillars under the roof. In this church two runic inscriptions, two animal drawings and the figure of a man have been found crudely carved in the wall.

~~~

Werner Olsen

From 1380 Norway was united with Denmark and the Lutheran reformation came into force in 1536. After the reformation the church was rebuilt in 1630 by master-builder Werner Olsen and in 1631 received its characteristic red tower.The external gallery, side aisles and apse were removed while the interior ceiling was lowered.
The structure of a stave church, here with a raised nave - and inner area posts.