Luster, Sogn og Fjordane (Vestland)
Owned by the National Trust of Norway since 1881.
Exquisite carvings and elaborate interior. The stave church was built as a lavish private church for a prominent man at Ornes. It is a jewel of a church with an elaborate interior and carvings of excellent craftsmanship. Precious objects were brought from far away to adorn this church. The ultramarine colour came via the Silk Road, the enamelled candleholders from Limoges in France.
The Urnes style and Romanesque style. The high artistic quality of the carvings on the famous portal in the north wall, dating from about 1070, makes it one of Norway's most important architectural treasures. It is carved in what is known as the Urnes style, the last of the Viking Age styles. The portal is a reused part of an older church on the same site. The stave church may have been modelled on the Romanesque churches with cubic capitals and semi-circular arches. The capitals of the staves in Urnes stave church are elaborately decorated with mythic animals such as centaurs and griffins, birds, different animals and vines.
Preserved medieval interior. The church’s medieval interior is unusually well preserved. There is a crucifix above the chancel arch, and the crucified Christ is flanked by John the Baptist and a figure depicting Mary. This is one of Norway's finest and best preserved Calvary groups, and is believed to date from about 1150. The medieval candle holders, with a chandelier hanging from the ceiling and a boat-shaped candleholder on the altar, are intact, as is the ‘bishop’s seat’ – one of only a few of the medieval type to survive in Norway.
Sustainable visits: Preserving Urnes Stave Church for future generations means that we must take the site’s tolerance limits into account. A number of measures have been introduced from the 2024 season to regulate visits and promote sustainable management of the stave church and its surroundings. These measures will also help ensure a good experience for visitors with less crowding and better communication of information.
- Maximum of 25 people in the church per tour
- Maximum of 25 people per group
- Maximum of 50 people inside the church per hour
- One bus group per hour
- No group discount
- Increased toilet capacity with new toilet facilities on the quay
- Car park attendant to manage traffic flow
- Use the parking space at the entrance to the site and enjoy the nice walk in the hills
- Limited parking, apart from handicapped spaces, at the church.
The limits on how many people can visit the church at a time may lead to some waiting. We therefore recommend that you allow plenty of time for your visit to Urnes. Activities are available for children, including playground apparatus, a nature trail with things to do and a fun archaeological dig. The TRANQUIL poetry path is new in 2024 – a cultural landscape trail around the stave church, enriched with nature poems by Norwegian writers, and wonderful places to stop and sit.
Things to do in the area. Urnes is located in one of Norway's most popular tourist areas, surrounded by magnificent scenery and outdoor activities. Visit Sognefjord West Norwegian Fjords Luster municipality has many attractions and activities to offer, ranging from the World Heritage Site Urnes stave church to Jostedalsbreen glacier, Walaker hotel with its long-standing traditions and beautiful Dale church. The National Trust of Norway also owns other properties in the area: Kaupanger stave church, Borgund stave church, the old bakery (Gamlebakeriet) at Lærdalsøyri, Hopperstad stave church, Gaupne old church and Hove stone church.
Sources:
The Directorate for Cultural Heritage's Stave Church Preservation Programme. Urnes Stave Church. Fact sheet. /Kirker i Norge. Anker, Leif and Havran, Jiri. ARFO 2005
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