Stave church near Bergen

When in Bergen, don’t miss the stave church at Fantoft, about 3¾ miles from the center of Bergen. On our September ’12 trip to Norway, my husband, David, and I took the tram there from Bergen for NOK27 (near $4.50) one way.

Stave churches are wooden churches built during the Middle Ages. (The name refers to the corner posts; in Norwegian, stav means “pole.”) While other European countries were building grand churches in stone, the Vikings were building beautiful, ornate churches in wood. 

The church at Fantoft was originally built in the town of Fortun in the Sogn district in 1150. It was moved to Fantoft in 1883. In 1992 a fanatic burned it down. The church was faithfully reconstructed, just as it was before the fire, by 1997.

There was an entry fee of NOK45 ($7.50). As we arrived, a tour group was leaving, and the only other couple there left shortly afterward. We had the church to ourselves for about 30 minutes. 

It is a lovely place to spend a few minutes and take a few dozen photos. Don’t miss the 1,000-year-old stone cross outside the church. 

By the way, the toilets are free at the stave church (but you have to ask for the key). This is a great savings, since every other toilet we came across in Norway charged NOK10 ($1.65)! We are used to pay toilets, but $1.75? No wonder we saw so many people holding doors open for the next person.

PAULA PRINDLE

Orient, OH