Røldal Stave Church () is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Ullensvang Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Røldal. It is the church for the Røldal parish, part of the Hardanger og Voss prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The brown, wooden stave church was built around 1250 using designs by an unknown architect. The church seats about 130 people and is built in a long church design. The church is a preserved historic museum, but it is still a regularly-used parish church that holds regularly scheduled worship services twice a month.

History

The estimated construction date of the church is generally thought to be between 1200 and 1250. A soapstone baptismal font in the church is dated to the same period. A crucifix in the church dates from about 1250. The church has a rectangular-shaped nave and chancel. The Bergen Museum holds a variety of building components and other artifacts from the medieval church. These include altar frontal and wooden sculptures of St. Olaf from about 1250, of the Virgin Mary with child from about 1250, and the Archangel Michael, dated about 1200. In the Middle Ages, Røldal Church received large donations from many pilgrims who flocked to the church. As a result, the small village where the church is located became quite prosperous. In the 17th century, the walls inside the church were richly decorated with paintings. The altarpiece dates to 1629. It was the design of German-born painter Gottfried Hendtzschel from Breslau in Silesia.

In the 1840s, the nave was enlarged by adding on to the building to the west. During this reconstruction of the church in 1844, some of the history of the church was uncovered. This led to an investigation to determine how the church was built. The resulting belief is that Røldal Stave Church differed from other stave churches. Some controversy developed about whether this is a stave church or an example of the assumed predecessor type, a post church.

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Odda Stabkirche Röldal 1.JPG|View of the church and graveyard

Odda Stabkirche Röldal 4.JPG|Rear view of the church

Roldal alter.jpg|Altar in Røldal church

Odda Stabkirche Röldal Innen 2.JPG|Front interior view of the church

Odda Stabkirche Röldal Innen 4.JPG|Back interior view of the church

Odda Stabkirche Röldal Innen Decke.JPG|Interior ceiling of the church

Roeldal kirke 1.jpg|Statue of St Olav

Roeldal kirke 2.jpg|Statue of Madonna and child

Roeldal kirke 3.jpg|Statue of Archangel Michael

Odda Stabkirche Röldal Laubengang 1.JPG|Side arcade of the church

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See also

  • List of churches in Bjørgvin

References

Other sources

  • Røldal stavkirke von 1250 in Røldal