Værnes Church, the oldest building in Stjørdal, was built around 1085-1100. It was nearly started at the same time as the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim. Under the high roofs the centuries have written their autographs. Pictures of gods and devil´s masks fight ruthlessly about the hegemony in the human soul. The dramaturgy of the Middle Age comes alive in the life- or death battle that unfolds before our eyes on the church walls.
If you lift your eyes even further, towards the roof-truss, you can see the last millennium face to face. Nowhere else in the country you will have such an opportunity to admire the art of carpentry as it was displayed nearly 900 years ago. This is one of the reasons why the Church of Værnes is a familiar name in antiquarian circles on the whole continent. The wooden ceiling is the original from the 12th century, and the only one still in existence. It has a span of more than 11 meters and has been the inspiration for reconstructions of roofs in other medieval buildings in Norway (the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim and Håkonshallen in Bergen).
The Church of Værnes is a cultural treasure, perhaps because the majestic church building gives us a close contact with the mysticism and sentiment of the past. Many people come here to contemplate about the mysteries of life - great and small. The thoughts wander among the beams under the roof, casting curious glances at the 'Værnes Chair', made in 1685 as the private pew for the squire of Værnes (General Schultz and his wife). This chair shows us a mastery in wood carving that amazes everyone with its perfectionism and richness in details. Fine wall paintings, stone figures and runic inscriptions are also found in the church.
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Trenčín Castle is relatively large renovated castle, towering on a steep limestone cliff directly above the city of Trenčín. It is a dominant feature not only of Trenčín, but also of the entire Považie region. The castle is a national monument.
History of the castle cliff dates back to the Roman Empire, what is proved by the inscription on the castle cliff proclaiming the victory of Roman legion against Germans in the year 179.
Today’s castle was probably built on the hill-fort. The first proven building on the hill was the Great Moravian rotunda from the 9th century and later there was a stone residential tower, which served to protect the Kingdom of Hungary and the western border. In the late 13th century the castle became a property of Palatine Matúš Csák, who became Mr. of Váh and Tatras.
Matúš Csák of Trenčín built a tower, still known as Matthew’s, which is a dominant determinant of the whole building.