Scandinavian Stave Churches

A common stereotype that comes with Scandinavia is a countryside with a wooden church. But why is Scandinavia filled with wooden churches?

Learn more about the history of the wooden church and how they play into Scandinavian culture in this blog post.

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What Are Stave Churches?

You know those Scandinavian wooden churches? They’re called stave churches. In fact, these stave churches give us a lot of information about medieval wooden architecture throughout Europe.

These stave churches were built during the Middle Ages — most of the survivors can be dated back to between 1150 and 1350 CE — and were mostly constructed throughout Norway.

The name “stave church” comes from the structure of the churches: the post and lintel system. This system uses strong horizontal timber framing held up by strong vertical elements. Those wooden posts are called “staves.” The result is a large, open interior, which is what makes this building type a great choice for churches.

In Norway alone, more than 1,000 of these stave churches were built, though the exact number remains unknown. Only around 28 still stand. It’s striking to think that at the time these wooden churches were being raised in Norway, cathedrals of stone were going up across the rest of Europe.

These stave churches were also known for the way they mixed Christian iconography with pagan designs, like animals and dragons. This created a distinctive look unique to Norway, and offers real insight into the ways Christianity and Viking tradition were integrated in Norwegian churches.

Famous Stave Churches

Since these churches were made out of wood, only a handful still remain. These three are among the best known.

Borgund Stave Church

The Borgund stave church is perhaps the most well-preserved, dating back to around 1180 CE. This church contains several runic carvings inside, along with figures of dragons, that give us further insight into the Viking era.

Heddal Stave Church

This is the largest of the original stave churches that still survives today. It was built around 1250 CE and remains in use. That has made the church a time capsule for different historical eras, showing the changes in culture and decor over the centuries. In both the 19th century and the 1950s, it was restored to keep it maintained.

Hopperstad Stave Church

This stave church dates back to around 1130 CE, making it one of the oldest preserved stave churches in Norway. While its exact origin remains unknown, it contains intricate carved dragons and intertwined vines throughout the interior.

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