Hedalen Stave Church

Photo: Arne Perlestensbakken

Hedalen Stave Church dates back to approximately 1150-1200. Today the church is shaped as a cross, but since the Middle Ages a serious amount of this is expansion. It is in fact only the left arm of the cross that is original. The chancel was demolished in 1699. The high-spirited rooftop dates back to 1740, and in 1902 the chancel was extended and the roof was covered in slate. The church has an astonishing medieval gate with beautiful details such as animal heads and small dragons.

Key Facts

• Built in the mid-1100s • Located in Sør-Aurdal, Innlandet • One of the best preserved smaller stave churches

Brief Overview

• Well-preserved single-nave stave structure • Interior decorated with post-medieval paintings and furnishings • Set in a quiet, traditional Valdres landscape

Unique Features

• Associated with the legend of the “Hedalen Madonna” • Continuously used as a local parish church • Combines medieval structure with later artistic layers

History of the Church

The church room is modestly furnished with open church benches from around 1900 and walls without any paint. The church has an abundance of church art from the Middle Ages. The altar-piece consists of a medieval crucifix attached to a sanctuary. In 1766, the rose-painter Hovel Gaarder re-painted the crucifix and gave the cabinet flowers in Baroque style. Originally it was the Madonna Sculpture on the north side of the corridor that had its place in this cabinet. On the south wall there is a church model that originally crowned the sanctuary. On a shelf in the chancel stands a relic of the mid-1200s. It has the shape of a church and is made of gilded copper cans attached to wooden slabs, and with imagery sculptured on all sides. The font is made of soapstone with carved wooden lid from the Middle Ages. In the choir there are also remains of a crucifix and a osculatorium (Pax plate) from the 13th century. In the church there are also a number of paintings from the 1600s and 1700s. It is also preserved a bearskin from the 13th century framed in the church.

Tickets and Contact Information

Opening Hours

The church may be closed for a few hours due to ceremonies such as weddings, funerals, or regular services. If you would like a guided tour outside the regular season or opening hours, please get in touch well in advance.