As Christianity spread throughout the Scandinavian countries from the tenth century, numerous churches were built - many from wood (called stave churches) as it was the most readily available building material. Only around 30 of these superb stave churches survive including the one pictured above built around 1150 in the small village of Borgund surrounded by verdant pastures at the end of Norway's largest fjord, Sognefjord. Remarkably, the exterior of this church remains virtually unchanged for the last 850 years - a monument to the architectural and construction skills of these medieval people.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Photo of the Week - Stave Church (Borgund, Norway)
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4 comments:
What a find - This is a one of the wonders of the world surely. Good you have now mad it more public. Nice commentry as well.
@martin: Thank you. The wooden churches are amazing. I'd have thought there was a lot of wooden building in Bulgaria?
Stunning church! I am looking into Scandinavia as a potential place to see the Aurora Borealis - have you ever seen them? And if so, where?
@barbara: I've seen the aurora once in Churchill in north-eastern Canada (train or fly from Winnipeg). I recall standing at midnight by myself at the back of my small hotel in the freezing cold, like some demented fool, watching these magical green whirls of light dance in the sky.
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