Uvdal stavkirke was built just after 1168, on the remains of an even older church from the early 11th century. It is the northernmost of the four Numedal stave churches and arguably the one with the best stories.
The western portal, added during a 13th-century extension, shows a scene from the Volsunga saga: Gunnar thrown into a pit of snakes, hands tied behind his back, playing the harp with his toes to keep the serpents from biting. It is one of the most striking pieces of medieval carving in Norway, mixing Norse mythology with Christian architecture.
The interior is lavishly painted from the 17th through 19th centuries in Renaissance and Baroque style, with flowers, fruits, and heavy leaves covering every surface. The arch to the former apse depicts Adam, Eve, and the serpent in the Garden of Eden.
In 1978, archaeologists excavating under the church floor found something remarkable: four bodies buried together. Two children aged three to four and six to seven, and two young women aged fifteen to seventeen. All were dressed in over- and under-tunics with red mittens. Three skulls were wrapped in linen covering the mouth, nose, and eyes, a burial custom not seen elsewhere in Norway. The garments date to the late 14th century and are among the best-preserved medieval textiles ever found in the country.
The painter Harriet Backer used this church as her studio for six summers, producing the famous painting "Interior from Uvdal Stave Church," now at KODE in Bergen.
Open daily June to August, 10:00 to 18:00. Admission 130 kroner includes the adjacent open-air museum.
The western portal, added during a 13th-century extension, shows a scene from the Volsunga saga: Gunnar thrown into a pit of snakes, hands tied behind his back, playing the harp with his toes to keep the serpents from biting. It is one of the most striking pieces of medieval carving in Norway, mixing Norse mythology with Christian architecture.
The interior is lavishly painted from the 17th through 19th centuries in Renaissance and Baroque style, with flowers, fruits, and heavy leaves covering every surface. The arch to the former apse depicts Adam, Eve, and the serpent in the Garden of Eden.
In 1978, archaeologists excavating under the church floor found something remarkable: four bodies buried together. Two children aged three to four and six to seven, and two young women aged fifteen to seventeen. All were dressed in over- and under-tunics with red mittens. Three skulls were wrapped in linen covering the mouth, nose, and eyes, a burial custom not seen elsewhere in Norway. The garments date to the late 14th century and are among the best-preserved medieval textiles ever found in the country.
The painter Harriet Backer used this church as her studio for six summers, producing the famous painting "Interior from Uvdal Stave Church," now at KODE in Bergen.
Open daily June to August, 10:00 to 18:00. Admission 130 kroner includes the adjacent open-air museum.