Torpo Stave Church

Ål, Norway

Built in 1192, the Torpo stave church is the oldest building within the valley and traditional district of Hallingdal. The church was dedicated to Saint Margareta. The stave church was purchased by the municipality in 1875. It was initially planned to expand it with an annex to the east, but in 1879 it was decided instead to modernize the interior with new ceiling and gallery. Following protest from the Ancient Monuments Society, the municipality decided to build a new church on the adjacent property. The new church was built north of the old one with the two churches standing side by side.

The Torpo stave church is one of two stave churches that are signed by the their craftsmen, the other being the church at Ål. In both churches a runic inscription reads: Torolf built this church. The full runic inscription in the Torpo stave church, which is listed as N 110 in the Rundata catalog, reads: Þórolfr made this church. Ásgrímr, Hákon, Erlingr, Páll, Eindriði, Sjaundi, Þórulfr. Þórir carved. Ólafr.

References:

Comments

Your name

Website (optional)


Address

Torpovegen 36, Ål, Norway
See all sites in Ål

Details

Founded: 1192
Category: Religious sites in Norway

More Information

en.wikipedia.org
www.stavechurch.com
www.visitnorway.com
www.stavangertravel.com

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Uvdal Stave Church (44,9 km)
Hol Old Church (22,9 km)
Lomen Stave Church (53,6 km)
Nore Stave Church (57,5 km)
Hegge Stave Church (57,5 km)
Høre Stave Church (54,7 km)
Ulnes Church (42,9 km)
Slidredomen (49,6 km)
Mo Church Ruins (47,3 km)

User Reviews

Jakob De Vries (8 months ago)
Die Kirche ist wunderschön, nur wenn man hinein will soll man bezahlen. Ein Blick durch die Fenster genügt.
Inger Torunn Knutshaug Nygård (12 months ago)
Flott historisk grunn.
anastasia puppis (12 months ago)
Visita guidata incantevole, grazie a due giovani guide molto simpatiche disponibili e competenti. Atmosfera siggestiva. Ingresso 6€ a persona.
J O (19 months ago)
Unique, beautiful, simple. Well worth a visit to this and many of the other Stave churches.
Ching-Fung Lin (2 years ago)
A small, simple, yet unique historical church.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Best of Middle Rhine Valley, Germany
Photo from Flickr, copyright eiljot

Historic Site of the week

Sirmione Castle

Sirmione castle was built near the end of the 12th century as part of a defensive network surrounding Verona. The castle was maintained and extended first as part of the Veronese protection against their rivals in Milan and later under the control of the Venetian inland empire. The massive fortress is totally surrounded by water and has an inner porch which houses a Roman and Medieval lapidary. From the drawbridge, a staircase leads to the walkways above the walls, providing a marvellous view of the harbour that once sheltered the Scaliger fleet. The doors were fitted with a variety of locking systems, including a drawbridge for horses, carriages and pedestrians, a metal grate and, more recently, double hinged doors. Venice conquered Sirmione in 1405, immediately adopting provisions to render the fortress even more secure, fortifying its outer walls and widening the harbour.

Thanks to its strategical geographical location as a border outpost, Sirmione became a crucial defence and control garrison for the ruling nobles, retaining this function until the 16th century, when its role was taken up by Peschiera del Garda.

Map Top Sights Tags Historical Periods City Guides About Us Sign Up Upload new site
© 2019 SpottingHistory.com. All rights reserved.