First created 3 Dec 2017. Version 1.0 - 27 Dec 2017. Daperro. London.

Stave Church

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Medieval Timber (Post) Churches of

Norway

Stavkirke Heddal, Norway

Introduction

Stave Church (Stavkirke) is a timber

church. The word ‘stave’ means a load

bearing pine post. More than 1000

stave churches were built in Norway

during the Middle Ages. Most of them

from the first half of the 12C until about

1350. Few were built after the Black

Plague of 1350.

Stave churches are found in other parts

of northern Europe, in Sweden,

Germany, Poland, England, Russia and

Iceland. Today there are 28 stave

churches in Norway, mainly in the

south.

Heddal, largest.

Heddal Stave churches is the largest in the world and about 26m in height. It is near Oslo.

Heddal

Heddal, wooden tiles

The roof and the wall are covered with wooden tiles, with a row of small windows.

Hed

da

l

The South Portal (right) has a very narrow door way.

Detail of floral and animal motif carvings (above).

Heddal, portal carvings

Mask carvings on the south portal probably remnants from the old Norse religion.

Heddal, pagan dragon.

The gables are decorated with the traditional Nordic Dragon Heads to ward off evil.

Heddal, Bell tower

Nearby but detached is the bell tower was built in 1850.

The southern portal which was once used by the men attending the church. The northern portal was

reserved for the women.

Heddal, portal

The interior of the church spacious and welcoming.

Heddal, Nave

Heddal, before restoration

A 1847 painting by Christian Olavius Zeuthen, showing the mid-1600 alternation to the church, with a flat ceiling

and the large pillar in the middle of the church. These alterations had since been removed.

Heddal. Wooden joint.

The horizontal timber planks were joined to posts (staves) using the mortise and tenon (tongue and grove)

joint.

Heddal.

Painting

The ‘Hitterdalsantemensalen’ (above) now on display at

the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo came from the

Heddal Stavkirke (a reproduction was displayed at the

church). It is said to be medieval. A similar painting in the

National Gallery, London, (the second oldest in the

gallery) was painted in 1260s in Italy by Margarito

d’Arezzo (bottom right). This suggests that the

‘Hitterdalsantemensalen’was also 13C as well.

Heddal. Medieval Chair

The ‘bishop’s chair’ used by the clergy, depicts two knights and a warrior maiden (valkyries) in the middle.

The knights were trying rescue the maiden whose dress was on fire. The story was from Norse heroic

poems.

Heddal. Wall decor

The walls were decorated with motifs in the 13C and were painted over in the 16C

motifs that we see today. Images of Jesus’ disciples (right) were also includes on

the walls on the choir walls.

HeddalThere were two carvings of Jesus. The Jesus in red

(right) stands on the top of the altarpiece of 16C.

The Jesus in blue on the cross (Below) hangs

above the choir.

Nearly the entire exterior surfaces are covered with wooden tiles.

Heddal

To protect the timber from elements, the timber were covered by a layer of tar, which in time crystallised to

forming a protective surface.

Heddal. Tar paint.

Construction of a Stavkirke

A typical structure of a Stave Church. The method of construction of a Stave Church.

Plan of a typical Stavkirke

BorgundBorgund. Best kept.

Built in c1150 and classified as Sogn-type stave church. It is most historically authentic as many of the

feature are still original.

Borgund Source : DK Eyewitness Travel Guides Norway

Borgund

The interior of the church, showing how the high ceiling

was raised (right). Note the pulpit and the alter in the

photo

Borgund. Pagan Roof

Unlike the Heddal roof dragon, the

Borgund dragon is stylized, intricate,

with strong interlacing curves and

open design. It resembles more like

a serpent. The Midgard Serpents

pervades in Norse mythology. It often

found on the prow of the ships, like

the Viking Long Boats. It coexisted

for a time with Christianity.

Borgund Carvings

Fine carvings on the portals

and inside the church.

Borgund. Stucture.

Interior timber structure of the church.

Borgund.

Portal

The entrance portal.

Borgund

Built in c1150 the Borgund Stavkirke in snow.

HopperstadHopperstad

Completed in c1132 is possibly one of the oldest stavkirke still standing.

Hopperstad. Historical.

Painted in 1881, the church was in a ruinous state and scheduled to be pulled down before it was rescued.

This was painted just before the restoration of 1885-91.

Hopperstad. Carvings.

This is the western portal, the main

entrance into the church. The

restoration was based on the Borgund

stavkirke model. This explains why two

churches are similar in appearance.

Hopperstad. Side-altar.

One distinctive feature of the church is the

Side-altar with its canopy. In the foreground

of the photo is the grave of Peter Blix, the

architect-restorer of the church. Above is a

reconstruction of the interior. Note the use of

the colour curtains in the church.

Hopperstad. Carvings.

Heads of a king and a queen on the supports

of the side-altar canopy.

Hopperstad.

Murals.

Paintings on the vault of the

side-altar (baldachin)

canopy, It depicts the life of

baby Jesus.

Hopperstad. Altar.

The altarpiece was part of the 1621

restoration.

Hopperstad

Massive staves (posts) with large bell-shaped plinths supporting the roof of the church.

UrnesUrnes

Built c1130 rich in wood carvings and situated in the eastern side of the fjord, across the village of Solvorn.

Urnes. Older carvings.

The northern portal from an earlier church

from the 11C. Above showing the carving

on the external wall.

Urnes

The interior of the church, with the painted pulpit on the right. The diagonal buttresses are from the 1600s

restorations. Two of the original column were cut in the late 1100s modifications.

Urnes

The nave of the church, showing the posts and the block capitals.

Urnes

All the supporting posts

have block capitals with

relief on the three sides,

most of them depicting

fabled animals.

Urnes. Altar.

The chancel with its altarpiece

from 1699. The bishop’s chair is

from 1100s.

Gol

The Stavkirke Gol as it appears today was restored based on the Borgund’s model in 1846. It was

moved to the current location near Oslo. The origin stavkirke was dated between 1157 and 1216.

Gol

The appearance of the Stavkirke Gol before

the move. Drawing in 1846 by J N Prahm.The interior, showing the sanctuary. Most of

the bearing construction is original.

Gol

The painting in the sanctuary, on the apse wall is a Holy communion scene.

Al Stave Church, Hallingdal (demolished)

This richly painted painting showing Jesus with his 12 disciples was saved and now kept in Oslo Museum.

Torpo. Painted vault.

The Torpo is fairly small. It was

built in the late 1100s. It has a

richly painted mural on its

barrel vault, depicting the life of

Jesus.

Ringebu. Spire.

Ringebu Stave Church in Gudbrandsdalen

was expanded into a cruciform church during

the 1600s, It shows a different plan in its

construction.

Hedares. Sweden

This is the only surviving stavkirke in Sweden. It was late-Medieval, built in 14C to 15C.

Church of Transfiguration, Russia

There are stave churches in

other countries. The one shown

here is The Church of The

Transfiguration, in Kizhi Pogost

Russia. It was built in 1714 over

an older church (17C). Today

the church stands at 37m high,

with 22 domes.

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Available free for non-commercial and personal use.

The End

Music – Pachelbel Canon

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