Urnes Stave Church

Urnes Stave Church (Urnes Stavkirke) in Norway is the only stave church to be designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it is the best-preserved and oldest surviving example of medieval wooden building. It is now one of Norway's most visited tourist destinations.

Urnes Stave Church is the oldest and most elaborately decorated stave church in Norway. The church was erected on the site of two former churches in around 1132 and still exists in its original location along the Lustrafjorden, Norway's longest and deepest fjord.

The church is a magnificent example of traditional Scandinavian timber architecture, combining Celtic art, Viking traditions, and Romanesque spatial systems. Indeed, during the Middle Ages, the church was one of the most elaborate and highly accomplished types of timber architecture in North-Western Europe.

A Cavalry group guards the choir doorway, two Limonges enameled bronze altar candelabra, and a chair made entirely of worked spindles are among the medieval furnishings.

Since the parish of Urnes was abolished in 1881, the church has been out of service. Only rare occasions, such as baptisms and weddings, are now celebrated with it.

The church has evolved in style over time as a result of religious and preservation interventions and restorations; however, it remains one of Norway's most striking contributions to world heritage and architecture, having been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

The church is now one of Norway's most visited tourist attractions. It is open every day from 10.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. and offers guided tours. Weddings and baptisms are among the services that are held on occasion. Due to tourism and climate change, there are fears for the church's structural integrity in the future.

Location: Ornes, Norway