Stave church

[in architecture, type of wooden Christian church built in Norway in the Middle Ages. Stavkirke in Norwegian]

A stave is any of the narrow strips of wood or narrow iron plates placed edge to edge to form the sides, covering, or lining of a vessel (as a barrel) or structure.

Built from the 11th century, when Christianity had begun to spread throughout Norway (Christianity was introduced to Norway in 996), but mostly from the 12th century.

In the 12th century there were between 800 and 1100 stave churches, today, most of those have unfortunately been destroyed by decay, some burnt down over the years, but many were also torn down to make room for bigger churches when the congregations grew. There are still 28 of them left, but only a few have kept their original look.

The most famous stave churches are in the "Folkemuseum" at Bygdøy in Oslo, one in Borgund and one in Heddal.

Stave Churches in Norway today

Nr.	Name	Municipality	County
1	Borgund	Lærdal	Sogn & Fjordane
2	Eidsborg	Tokke	Telemark
3	Flesberg	Flesberg	Buskerud
4	Garmo	(*) De Sandvigske Samlinger, Lillehammer	Oppland
5	Gol (!)	(*) Norsk Folkemuseum, Bygdøy,	Oslo
6	Grip	Kristiansund	Møre & Romsdal
7	Hedal	Sør Aurdal	Oppland
8	Heddal	Notodden	Telemark
9	Hegge	Østre Slidre	Oppland
10	Holtålen	(*) Folkemuseet for Trondheim & Trøndelag, Trondheim	Sør Trøndelag
11	Hoprekstad	Vik	Sogn & Fjordane
12	Hurum	Vang	Oppland
13	Høyjord	Andebu	Vestfold
14	Kaupanger	Sogndal	Sogn & Fjordane
15	Kvernes	Averøy	Møre & Romsdal
16	Lom	Lom	Oppland
17	Lomen	Vestre Slidre	Oppland
18	Nore	Nore & Uvdal	Buskerud
19	Reinli	Sør Aurdal	Oppland
20	Ringebu	Ringebu	Oppland
21	Rollag	Rollag	Buskerud
22	Rødven	Rauma	Møre & Romsdal
23	Røldal	Odda	Hordaland
24	Torpo	Ål in Hallingdal	Buskerud
25	Underdal	Aurland	Sogn & Fjordane
26	Urnes	Luster	Sogn & Fjordane
27	Uvdal	Nore & Uvdal	Buskerud
28	Øye	Vang	Oppland

(*) Existing as a part of a museum.
(!) This church is originally from Gol in Hallingdal, Buskerud County. An exact replica was built at Gol in the 1990's.