Borgund Stave Church and guided walk on the King's Road

Borgund Stave Church

Borgund Stave Church is located next to the Lærdal river, about 30 km from the Sognefjord. The church is considered one of the best-preserved stave churches in Norway, and it is one of the most distinctive examples of Old Norse architecture, with a truly unique atmosphere.

Borgund Stave Church dates back to the 12th century, but the old church site likely has roots going all the way back to pagan times. Several finds of animal bones suggest that there may once have been a temple and sacrificial site here. On this site, the stave church we see today has stood for more than 800 years.

In the year 1023, Olav Haraldsson, also known as “Saint Olav,” traveled through Lærdal and Borgund on his way east toward Valdres. He was King of Norway from 1015 to 1028 and is regarded as one of the most important kings in Norwegian history, particularly because of his role in the Christianization of the country. Although it cannot be confirmed with certainty, it is possible that he identified the site where the stave church was later built. It is also likely that a smaller church stood here before the current stave church was constructed, as suggested by finds of older church materials in the ground.

In the mid-19th century, the approximately 40-square-meter stave church had become too small. The population in Borgund was growing, and a new law required that at least 30 percent of the congregation have seating. As a result, a new church in Swiss style was built right next to it, and the Society for the Preservation of Norwegian Ancient Monuments took over responsibility for the stave church.

The Architecture of the Stave Church

Stave churches have a distinctive building tradition. Borgund Stave Church is a prime example and the very symbol of the architecture many associate with stave churches. The load-bearing structure consists of staves (posts) set on horizontal sills, known as sill beams. The timber does not come into contact with the ground and has therefore remained dry for hundreds of years.

Large parts of both the exterior and interior of the church are exceptionally well preserved. Borgund Stave Church has a multi-tiered roof structure with characteristic dragon heads, covered walkways (svalganger), and portals with detailed carvings. The decoration inside is equally detailed and fascinating. Here you can see the 14 staves on which the church is built, and gain a good insight into what life was like both before and after the Reformation.

Next to the stave church stands a free-standing bell tower, an old “støpul,” which is likely older than the church itself. Analysis of the materials and timber used dates it to the winter of 1177–78, just a few years before the timber of the stave church itself was felled. The bell tower is the only surviving example of its kind from the Middle Ages in Norway.

Borgund Stave Church Visitor Centre

The exhibitions are modern and easy to navigate, allowing you to learn more about the influence of stave churches on religious life in the Middle Ages. Here you will also find the exhibition “Unique Viking Age Finds,” featuring artefacts from the workshop camp at Bjørkum in Lærdal, discovered in 2009.

The visitor centre also includes a souvenir shop and a café with simple meals and refreshments. The café is open during the season and offers both indoor and outdoor seating. Among the menu items are traditional Norwegian “betasuppe” (a meat and vegetable soup) and waffles served with jam and sour cream.

Admission to the visitor centre is included in the package.

Guided Tour of Vindhella Road

The Royal Norwegian Road (Den Bergenske kongevei) was built at the end of the 18th century and has, throughout its history, been the most important route of travel between eastern and western Norway. All trade and transport passed through the narrow Vindhella gorge above Borgund Stave Church.

It first served as a bridle path and packhorse trail across steep and dangerous mountain passes, and later as a postal road for horse-drawn carriages. Vindhella features four 180-degree hairpin bends, constructed with high stone walls and railings made of cast iron from Eidsvoll. The gradient is 1:4, making the descent through the gorge both difficult and hazardous, especially in winter.

Today, Vindhella Road is a protected cultural heritage site. The Royal Road has received the Beautiful Roads Award and the prestigious European cultural heritage award, Europa Nostra. Vindhella played a major role in this recognition and is considered one of Norway’s most beautiful hiking experiences.

The best way to explore Vindhella and the Royal Road is with a local guide who provides explanations along the way. The trail starts just behind the stave church and is suitable for most people, but it is not accessible for wheelchairs or strollers.

Husum Nature Reserve

The area around the Sognefjord has the strongest coastal-to-inland gradient of deciduous forest in the Nordic region. The Vindhella Road passes through the Husum Nature Reserve.

This reserve is a paradise for those interested in botany. Plants found here include monkshood (tyrihjelm), meadowsweet (mjødurt), alpine violet (fjellfiol), muskroot (moskusurt), clustered calamint (kransmynte), alpine thistle (fjelltistel), and goldilocks buttercup (maigull).

The nature reserve has a rich presence of rock outcrops and open scree slopes, which also support a diverse and heat-loving dry rock flora. There are only a few marked trails in the area. Please ensure that you do not damage vegetation or disturb animals and birds.

All vegetation, including dead wood, branches, and living plants, is protected and must not be picked or harmed. The use of open fire or lighting campfires is strictly prohibited in this area.