Fantoft Stave Church

Fantoft Stave Church stands in woodland at Fantoftveien in the Paradis district south of Bergen, in Vestland county, Norway. The original church was built in the 12th century, around 1150, at Fortun in Sogn, and in 1883 it was dismantled and moved to the Bergen area to save it from demolition. It was later reerected on the Fantoft estate, where it became a well-known landmark and a symbol of Norwegian wooden architecture. On 6 June 1992 the church was destroyed in an arson attack, and only the foundations survived. A reconstruction was carried out on the basis of drawings and surviving records, and the new church was finished in 1997. The building follows the typical stave church form, with a tiered roof, shingled walls, carved portals and dragon heads on the gables, and it is built in the traditional technique with vertical posts, or staves. The interior is simple, with a small nave and chancel, and it conveys the proportions and atmosphere of a medieval church even though the fabric is modern. The church is now looked after as a heritage site, with security measures introduced after the fire. Visitors can see the exterior carved details and the interior, and an adjacent exhibition area gives information about stave church construction. The surrounding forest setting adds to the experience, and the site is reached by the Bergen light rail to the Fantoft station, followed by a short walk. For those who cannot visit the more remote stave churches in the Sognefjord region, Fantoft offers an accessible introduction to the type.