Hopperstad Stave Church

The Western Fjords


On the southern outskirts of the village stands this splendid stave church, Built in 1130, and Norway’s second oldest, it escaped demolition by a whisker in the late 19th century. It's thought that the church consists of around 2000 individual parts, which would have been created by itinerant craftsmen and assembled with the help of local villagers. Common motifs such as vines, foliage and mythical beasts adorn the exterior, enhanced by colourful canopy paintings inside.


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