These completely wooden medieval churches can be found only in Norway. They’re absolutely amazing!

There’s no need to love architecture in order to admire unique beauty of Norwegian wooden churches.

Although in the past completely wooden stave churches were widespread, today these amazing religious buildings can be seen only in Norway (except for one church in Sweden).

Stave church (stavkyrkje) is one of the first varieties of churches that began to be erected in Scandinavia. Today, there are only 29 medieval churches left. The following few preserved better than the others.

Hopperstad Stave Church

Photo: Sandra Fauconnier/flickr (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)

Photo: Micha L. Rieser [Attribution], via Wikimedia Commons

Borgund Stave Church

Photo: By zoetnet (Flickr: Borgund Stavekirk, Norway) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Micha L. Rieser [Attribution], via Wikimedia Commons

Lom Stave Church

Photo: Micha L. Rieser [Attribution], via Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Micha L. Rieser [Attribution], via Wikimedia Commons

Urnes Stave Church

Photo: Micha L. Rieser [Attribution], via Wikimedia Commons

Photo: pixabay.com (CC0 Creative Commons)

Photo: By Bjørn Erik Pedersen (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Heddal Stave Church — the largest one preserved in Norway

Photo: Micha L. Rieser [Attribution], via Wikimedia Commons

Photo: By Concierge.2C (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 no (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/no/deed.en)], via Wikimedia Commons

Reinli Stave Church

Photo: John Erling Blad (CC BY-SA 2.5)

Photo: By Wolfmann (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Fantoft Stave Church

Photo: Micha L. Rieser [Attribution], via Wikimedia Commons

Photo: By Sam Greenhalgh from Wantage, Oxfordshire, UK (stave church Uploaded by Jorunn) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Eidsborg Stave Church

Photo: By Henrik Dvergsdal (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Photo: By Falk Lademann (originally posted to Flickr as Stabkirche Eidsborg) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Øye Stave Church

Photo: Photo by Edmundo Sáez [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Bernt Rostad/flickr (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)

Stave churches are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. There’s no doubt that so ancient buildings will not leave anyone indifferent. And it is another wonderful reason to visit Norway!

Preview: By Eduardo [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons,
Micha L. Rieser [Attribution], via Wikimedia Commons