Gol stave church
Encyclopedia
Gol Stave Church is a stave church
originally from Gol
, Hallingdal
, Norway
. It is now located in the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History at Bygdøy
in Oslo, Norway.
dated to 1212. When the city built a new church around 1880, it was decided to demolish the old stave church. It was saved from destruction by the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments, which bought the materials in order to re-erect the church elsewhere. It was acquired by King Oscar II
, who financed its relocation and restoration as the central building of his private open-air museum near Oslo
. The restoration, overseen by architect Waldemar Hansteen
, was completed in 1885. In 1907 this early open air museum, the world's first, was merged with the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History, which now manages the stave church. The church, however, is still nominally the property of the reigning monarch.
In the 1980s, a modern replica has been erected in Gol as a tourist attraction in a theme park in downtown Gol. This replica is located some distance from the original site of the Mediaeval church.
Stave church
A stave church is a medieval wooden church with a post and beam construction related to timber framing. The wall frames are filled with vertical planks. The load-bearing posts have lent their name to the building technique...
originally from Gol
Gol, Norway
is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hallingdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Gol. Gol was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
, Hallingdal
Hallingdal
Hallingdal is a valley and traditional district in Buskerud county in Norway. It consists of the municipalities of Flå, Nes, Gol, Hemsedal, Ål and Hol.-History:Ancient routes went to Vestlandet through Valdres and Hallingdal and down Røldal to Odda...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. It is now located in the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History at Bygdøy
Bygdøy
Bygdøy or Bygdø is a peninsula on the western side of Oslo, Norway. Administratively, Bygdøy belongs to the borough of Frogner.Bygdøy has several museums, like the Kon-Tiki Museum, which shows all year long the legendary expeditions of Thor Heyerdahl; the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History ; the...
in Oslo, Norway.
Description
The Gol stave church is dendrochronologicallyDendrochronology
Dendrochronology or tree-ring dating is the scientific method of dating based on the analysis of patterns of tree-rings. Dendrochronology can date the time at which tree rings were formed, in many types of wood, to the exact calendar year...
dated to 1212. When the city built a new church around 1880, it was decided to demolish the old stave church. It was saved from destruction by the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments, which bought the materials in order to re-erect the church elsewhere. It was acquired by King Oscar II
Oscar II of Sweden
Oscar II , baptised Oscar Fredrik was King of Sweden from 1872 until his death and King of Norway from 1872 until 1905. The third son of King Oscar I of Sweden and Josephine of Leuchtenberg, he was a descendant of Gustav I of Sweden through his mother.-Early life:At his birth in Stockholm, Oscar...
, who financed its relocation and restoration as the central building of his private open-air museum near Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. The restoration, overseen by architect Waldemar Hansteen
Waldemar Hansteen
Albert Waldemar Hansteen was a Norwegian architect.Born in Christiania, he worked mainly in his hometown and Skien. He shared responsibility for the Norwegian contribution to the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago....
, was completed in 1885. In 1907 this early open air museum, the world's first, was merged with the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History, which now manages the stave church. The church, however, is still nominally the property of the reigning monarch.
In the 1980s, a modern replica has been erected in Gol as a tourist attraction in a theme park in downtown Gol. This replica is located some distance from the original site of the Mediaeval church.
Other sources
- Christie, Sigrid and Håkon (1981) Gol kirke, i Norges kirker – Buskerud ISBN 82-05-13123-6
- Bugge Gunnar, Mezzanotte Bernadino (1994) Stavkirker ISBN 82-504-2072-1
- Tschudi-Madsen, Stephan (1993) På nordmanns vis : Norsk folkemuseum gjennom 100 år ISBN 82-03-16715-2