Kaupanger

Kaupanger Stave Church, Sogn, 1190

Photographed in 2007

 

Kaupanger Stave Church has been in use almost constantly since its construction in the 12^th century. It has been well maintained and it is still a local parish church. It is the largest stave church in the Sogn area.

The exterior of the church is not as showy as some of the other stave churches, probably because a gallery (porch) around the church exterior was removed at some point in the past. The location of the church, some 100 plus meters above Sogn Fjord, is spectacular. A tiny patch of the fjord can be glimpsed on the left side of the photograph above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The interior of Kaupanger is unique. Sometime between 1200 and 1350 more interior staves were added to extend the nave longitudinally (the church now has more interior staves than any other stave church with the exception of Lom). The interior staves are  tall and slender, and it is these staves that give the church its unique look.  They rise from floor to ceiling uninterrupted (e.g. no capitals, no St. Andrew’s crosses) and give the sensation of being in the interior of a gothic basilica (somewhat).

The 1634 altar-piece shows the crucified Christ with Mary and St. John the Baptist.

Between 1959 and 1965, archaeologists studied the church and its grounds. Human remains that predate the church construction were exhumed. It is conjectured that two other churches had been built on the site prior to the present church (from the 12^th century).

During the excavations, over 200 objects that date from the early medieval period were discovered. These found objects include three textile fragments, one of which miraculously survived from the 14^th century and two manuscript fragments, one from about 1200 and the other from about 1400.

 

Sogn Folkemuseum, an open air museum with 32 historic buildings, is located near.