Reinli Stave Church

Welcome, discerning travelers and seekers of history, to the majestic Reinli Stave Church, an architectural masterpiece standing proudly on a hillside in the breathtaking Valdres region of Norway. As you look around, you are…

We begin our journey at the heavy wooden lychgate, the traditional entrance to the sacred ground of the churchyard. As you stand before this threshold, take a moment to breathe in the crisp, cool mountain air of the Valdres…

As you step away from the open graveyard and approach the walls of the church, you find yourself entering the svalgang, or ambulatory. This is the covered gallery that entirely surrounds the main core of the building. …

We now stand before the magnificent West Portal, the primary ceremonial entrance into the main body of the church. In stave church architecture, portals are often the site of the most intense and elaborate artistic expression. …

You have now entered the Skipet, or the Nave, the central and largest space within the church where the congregation gathers. Let your eyes adjust to the sudden darkness. …

Moving eastward from the expansive nave, we step into the Koret, or the Chancel. You will immediately feel that this space is significantly smaller, narrower, and lower than the nave we just left. …

We have now reached the very easternmost point of the church interior, the Apse. This is the small, semi-circular projection that extends from the back of the chancel. …

For our final interior stop, I want you to cast your gaze downward, toward the wide, heavy floorboards beneath your feet. While the towering staves and the painted crosses draw our attention upward, a vast amount of Reinli's…

We have now exited the church, crossed back over the threshold of the west portal, and walked a short distance up the hillside to this commanding viewpoint. From here, you can look back and see the entire structure of the Reinli…