"Ringebu Stav Kirke" Ringebu by Diana75

Ringebu Travel Guide: 22 reviews and 58 photos

Road map to Ringebu

Located in Oppland district, at an altitude of 182 m above the sea, the small town of Ringebu has no more than 4,700 inhabitants.

Due to its location, in the middle of Gudbrandsdal valley surrounded by Venabygdsfjellet Mountains, near the first national park of Norway, Rondane, Rinbegu is a good destination for the ones who love the nature and sport.

But Ringebu is famous mainly due to its old stave church, dating from 1220, one of the last 28 stave churches in Norway that survived until today and one of the biggest.

Ringebu Stav Kirkje

Norwegian Stave churches

Beside the fact that the stave churches are one of the most important attractions of the country, in Norway is also the biggest number of churches that survived from ancient times.

The stave churches were built by the first Christians and had initially other features and forms. For example the windows were inexistent and the light entered only through small openings located in the upper part of the walls.

The persons attending the mass were standing and only the old and sick persons were sitting on banks located all along the walls.

Some of the stave churches of today still keep old representations and paintings presenting Scandinavian goddesses.

Also in some of the churches you'll find a Vikings ship model that's representing the journey of the dead person's soul from this life to the eternal one.

Stave churches in Norway, wooden churches in Romania

For me, as Romanian, the visit to some of Norway's stave churches was important for two reasons.

First of all, I couldn't miss at all these works of art, the oldest in the world.

Secondly, I definitely had the chance to make a comparison with the interesting wooden churches in the northern part of my country (the area called Maramures) also surviving from old times.

And both of them really worth a visit!

Pros and Cons

In a nutshell:Not to be missed!

Last visit to Ringebu: Aug 2004
Intro Updated Mar 6, 2006
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Reviews (14)

Beautiful Ringebu girls Local Customs (1)

For sure, not so many tourists are missing the photo with the girls taking care of the church. Very gentile and kind,... more travel advice

Entrance fee for visiting the church Favorites (3)

The entrance fees for visiting Ringebu stave church are as follows (prices as of August 2004): - adults: 40kr (around... more travel advice

Opening hours Favorites (3)

Ringebu stave church is still today the main church in the parish of Ringebu. The church is open for guided visits... more travel advice

Information boards and maps Favorites (3)

At the entrance to the church courtyard as well as inside the courtyard there are both information boards explaining the... more travel advice

Things to Do (10)
See All Cemetery around Ringebu Church

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Comments (6)

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LoriPori Feb 19, 2007 at 4:53 AM

Enjoyed this page on Ringebu, especially the wonderful Stave churches. Great pics of the inside too.
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matcrazy1 Feb 17, 2007 at 4:55 PM

Great descriptions and useful info. Stave churches (add fjords and breathtaking views) are among the best things to explore in Norway, I see.
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Ben-UK Mar 10, 2006 at 9:47 AM

These stave churches are very interesting -- it must have been fascinating for the people who did the excavations in 1980, all the things they found there -- very nice page, thank you.
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Matyas Mar 9, 2006 at 2:57 PM

Enjoyed reading your tips, thanks for this virtual tour. Seems a must for the next time.
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luckyzen Feb 27, 2006 at 8:53 AM

Looks like a nice town. Lovely pictures.
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nepalgoods Feb 27, 2006 at 8:50 AM

Great pics!