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HEDDAL STAVE CHURCH

Made by Jenny, Celine and Jorid

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Contents

From old Norse to Christian belief

The Construction

Local community

What is Heddal stave church used for now?

The altar and guard dog

The legend

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The General Transitions From old Norse to Christian belief

-Olav Haraldsson

- From old Norse to Christian faith

-Gain power

-Heddal Stave church

In Norway one can say that the general introduction of Christianity was by Olav Tryggvason. He made the country officially Christian around 1000. The reason why Norway goes from believing in Old Norse to believing in Christianity is to gain more power, the New Religion could be used to defeat opposition from chiefs and weaken their power. so, Olav wanted more political power. He believed the new religion could also be used to create a religious community in which the king took the top position, and He became the leader of the church.

Norway also felt pressure from the other countries that had become Christians who wanted to change the religion from Old Norse to Christian faith. Olav wanted to baptising people. Those who refused risked being tortured and killed or losing their properties. The Christianisation of Norway and Europe was a long process, and it mainly took place from top to bottom. So, the chiefs were Christianized first.

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The General Transitions From old Norse to Christian belief

-Sudden transition

-Different religion

-Both old Norse and Christian features

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The Construction

A stave church is a church made of wood. It has load-bearing poles. Stave churches is known from the Christian Norwegian Middle Ages. Stave churches is Norway’s most important contributions to the European architecture (art of buildings). There have been over one thousand stave churches is Norway, but today there is only twenty-eight that is preserved.

Some of the stump woods that has been used is dated all the way back to the ninth century. This shows recycling of materials, which was common at that time.

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Hedda stave church is built from pine from the woods in Øst-Telemark. This pine was known for its good quality, and it was highly desired as a merchandise in the time the church was build. The poles have been solid and tolerated all sorts of weather.

The staves church roof and walls need regularly tar treatment. The tar is a thick and dark liquid.

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Local community

Hedda stave church was built in the beginning of the 13^th century, under king Håkon Håkonsson. This was a luxuriant time for the local community. The contrypeople had to make sure the local community had a church. It was the five richest and most important farmers with the names Raud Rygi, Kjeik Sem, Stebbe Stånd, Grut Grene og Vrang Stivi that got together to build the church for the local community.

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What is Heddal stave church used for now?

Popular tourist attraction
It most used in the summer
Tours in both Norwegian and English
Architecture, the paintings and the history behind the church
Services, baptisms and weddings

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The altar and guard dogs

The altar
1667
1908

The guard dogs
Animals head
Same jobs as guard dogs

The exterior gallery
Woodcarvings
Symbols
4 doors

The altar

The altar in the church is from 1667, with some additions from 1908. It shows both the birth of Jesus, the crucifixion, and the resurrection. There are two female sculptures that symbolize cardinal virtue, wisdom and moderation

The guard dogs

The stave church is protected by a series of crosses and animal heads on spiers and gables. These animal heads had almost the same task as guard dogs on farms. But they were made to scare away the evil powers

Exterior gallery

Along the exterior gallery you can see fantastic woodcarvings around the four entrance doors. Powerful symbols are designed to scare off evil powers and invite people into the sanctuary of the church. One door is for men, one for women, one for the clergy and one in the west for processions. Today the west entrance is the only one in use.�Also in the exterior gallery wall are carved runes, house marks, and an archbishops’ cross

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The legend

5 farmers decided to build a stave church
A man could build it for free on one condition
To fulfil one of his three wishes
Sun and moon, his hart, or guess his name
Church done and farmer had figured out the name: Finn
Finn went to the mountains and threw three big rocks towards the church
None hit the church, but one is still right by it reminding us of Finn

The legend is about 5 of the wealthiest and most important farmers in Heddal, who decided to build a big stave church, with three big poles and was supposed to reach the sky.

One day an odd man came up to one of the farmers and said he could build the church for free, on one condition. And that was to fulfil one of his three wishes, which was either to get him the sun and moon, or to give the odd man his hart or guess his name. The farmer thought he had good time to figure out his name so he made the deal, but after only a few days the church was almost done and he still hadnt figured out the name of the man

One day the farmer vent for a walk in the forest and thought about how he was going to figure out the odd man's name. Then suddenly he heard a child scream, and the father of the child sings.

Finn is his name. And obviously a troll, that's why he just works at night. Thought the farmer to himself, happy to have saved his own life.

After the church was built the farmer and the troll meet again. It was the most beautiful church he had ever seen.

After a good look at the church the farmer says a sentence with the troll's name Finn. The troll gets furies and walks towards the mountains. But there he doesn't stay very long. He can't stand the sound the church-bells, so one day he walks on top of the highest mountain and throw three big rocks towards the church. They all miss the goal but one of then came very close, and it still there today, reminding us of the troll Finn