Heddal stave church

Welcome, fellow traveler and student of history, to the magnificent Heddal Stavkirke, the largest surviving stave church in all of Norway. I am thrilled to guide you through this extraordinary monument today. …

As we walk up the path from the parking area, leaving behind the modern road that brought us from Notodden, the sheer magnitude of Heddal Stavkirke slowly reveals itself through the trees. The approach to this church is an…

Now that we are standing right at the base of the church, I want you to engage your senses. Take a deep breath. …

Standing a few paces back, crane your neck upward and trace the magnificent, cascading profile of the church against the sky. The roofline of Heddal is unlike any other surviving stave church in Norway. …

Lower your eyes just slightly from the crosses at the very peaks, and focus your attention on the edges of the gables and the lower roof eaves. Jutting out fiercely into the air, you will see magnificent, intricately carved…

Let us take a moment to closely examine the massive vertical wooden poles, or staves, from which this architectural style derives its very name. The engineering ingenuity required to erect Heddal Stave Church is nothing short of…

As we step through the exterior portal, we do not immediately find ourselves inside the main sanctuary of the church. Instead, we enter this narrow, covered, wooden corridor that wraps around the entire perimeter of the inner…

Step across the threshold and into the main hall. Allow a few moments for your eyes to adjust, for the very first thing you will notice is that it is incredibly dark in here. …

As we step back out through the ancient portals and emerge once again into the bright light of the Norwegian day, take a final moment to look back at the towering wooden facade of Heddal Stave Church. The contrast between the…