Heddal stave church — Attraction in Notodden

13th-century stave church, located in Notodden, Norway, is the largest remaining stave church in the country. The church features a distinctive triple nave design with three towers and multiple roof surfaces at varying angles.

What’s a stave church? Stave churches are unique for their distinct post-and-lintel timber construction using vertical posts (“staves”) as the load-bearing framework, a technique evolved from Viking shipbuilding. They are also characterized by their intricately carved decor, which blends Norse mythological themes like dragons with Christian symbolism. These wooden churches, often protected by tar and featuring steep, tiered roofs, are among the oldest surviving wooden churches in the world, serving as a significant link to Norway’s...

The church looks really cool. You can go in and look around a bit but it's smaller than you'd think. In the cafe next to it (which is part of the whole thing) you have a more modern church for when it is too cold in the winter and they have a couple of smaller things laying around which you can look at. Here you can also buy tickets so you can listen to a guide who tells you more about the church, especially it's history. It costs 100 NOK, takes only a few minutes and the guide has a level of enthusiasm akin to a teenager holding a PowerPoint presentation.

Definitely worth a visit, but the presentation is...

Heddal Stave Church, the largest preserved stave church in Norway, is a breathtaking example of traditional wooden architecture. Surrounded by peaceful countryside, it offers a serene and almost timeless atmosphere. Viewing the exterior is free and absolutely worth the stop—even if you're just passing through. For those curious to see the interior, a small fee of 100 NOK (as of July 2025) applies. While the inside may be modest compared to the grandeur outside, your contribution helps support the preservation of this historic site. Highly recommended for anyone exploring Norway’s...