Hegge Stave Church

Hegge Stave Church (Norwegian: Hegge stavkyrkje) is an early 13th-century stave church located in Øystre Slidre municipality in Valdres, Norway.[1]

Hegge Stave Church
Religion
Affiliation	Church of Norway
Status	Regularly used by the congregation.
Location
Location	Hegge, Innlandet, Norway
Geographic coordinates	61°9′24.11″N 9°1′33.13″E
Architecture
Type	Stave church
Groundbreaking	1216
Materials	Wood

Detail from the top of one of the interior staves

The first recorded reference to the church is from 1327. Dendrochronological dating of some of the logs in the church, however, indicates that the church was built around 1216. It is a basilica type church with 8 free-standing interior columns forming an arcade, surrounding a central area with a raised roof. A runic inscription on the church reads: Erling Arnson wrote these runes.[2]

The lower story of the bell tower is wider than the upper one. It is built apart from the church. The baptismal font is externally decorated with ornaments of knots, trees, human figures, and stars. A vestment at the church, made of coarse linen dates from 1686, and a painting of Isaac's Sacrifice was presented to the church in 1643.

After the Protestant Reformation, ridge turrets were raised, which changed the external appearances. In 1706 and in 1712, some repair work repairs were made on the church. The altar-piece was carved by a local artist in 1780. Major repair was carried out in 1924, under the leadership of architect Arnstein Arneberg, who later conducted extensive renovation of the Hamar Cathedral.[3]