Built entirely in wood more than 800 years ago, without the aid of nails, the stavkirker they are masterpieces of Norwegian ecclesiastical architecture. Built between the 12th and 14th centuries, after the country’s conversion to Christianity, until the 9th century dominated by the polytheistic paganism of the Vikingsthese medieval churches blend the Norse building heritage with the symbolism of the new faith. Originally there were about a thousand of them, today only 28 survive: the oldest is the Urnes Stavkirkein western Norway, while the largest in the country is that of Heddalin Østlandet.
Historical origins of stavkirker
The Christianization of Norway around the year 1000 led to the construction of numerous small wooden churches in rural areas, while in cities it was preferred to build them in stone. The word “stavkirke” in Norwegian literally means “church with staves or load-bearing poles“, in reference to the robust vertical pillars (“stav”) that form the framework. This construction choice was natural: the Norwegian carpenters, thanks to the experience gained in Viking shipbuilding and the abundance of local wood, applied their techniques to sacred buildings starting from the 11th century, creating churches entirely in wood. It was a small architectural revolution for the time: hundreds of stavkirkers were built between the 12th and 14th centuries. The majority part was lost between 1350 and 1650, probably due to the changes following the Black Death and the Protestant Reformation; today less than thirty remain and, with the exception of the few examples scattered in Northern European countries (including Sweden and the United Kingdom), the majority are found in Norway Borgund (Vestland), considered among the best preserved and recognizable for the curious bell tower separated from the church, and that of Heddalin Østlandet, the largest in the country.
Considered among the most extraordinary examples of wooden architecture of the European Middle Ages, these ancient churches nevertheless find their maximum expression in Urnes Stavkirkethe oldest dating back to the 12th century, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979. Even the Orthodox churches of Maramureșlocated north of Transylvania, are recognized by UNESCO: although they do not belong to the same building typology, they share numerous construction and formal affinities with the stavkirkers.
How they were built: the architectural structure
The supporting structure of a stavkirke is made of sturdy vertical wooden planksconnected to each other by horizontal crosspieces at the base and top, so as to form a solid frame; while the perimeter walls are composed of solid wood boardsmounted vertically between the lower threshold and the upper beams. The assembly of the pieces, carried out using interlocking solutions and wooden pegs instead of iron nails, ensured the structures greater elasticityessential to resist thermal expansions and thus avoid cracks or failures over time. Considering then that in the 10th century the majority of European wooden buildings still adopted pilings driven into the ground, subject to rotting, the construction system of these churches can be considered truly innovative: the installation of the structures took place on stone foundations. This measure, which allowed the pillars and base planks to be kept raised from the ground, enormously increased the longevity of the churches, protecting them from the humidity and degradation that instead affected all wooden buildings with underground pile foundations.
A peculiar characteristic of the so-called “stave churches” is the system of roofingmade up of several layers of superimposed and very sloping pitches, of decreasing width as you climb towards the top. The first examples had simple gable roofs, but over time the typical one prevailed “Nordic pagoda” silhouettecomposed of a sequence of stepped volumes that are grafted onto each other. This configuration allowed the buildings to reach greater height, but also required the insertion of additional internal columns and trusses to support the weight. The roofs, as mentioned, strongly sloping, were covered with Water resistant wood shinglesso as to repel humidity and allow rain and snow to slide off easily, avoiding dangerous accumulations. Then around the central body ran a covered porcha sort of ambulatory, which offered shelter to the faithful and further protected the foundations from the elements, creating an effective climatic buffer.
The preferred wood for the construction of the stavkirker was local Scots pine; in particular for the basic structure the heartwoodi.e. the central part of the trunk, known for its low permeability. To improve durability, the pine trunks were seasoned standing for years after removing the branches and bark, so that the resinous sap would naturally impregnate them. The external surfaces of the churches were then cyclically treated with a mixture of charcoal and vegetable tara thick, dark liquid obtained from the dry distillation of pine wood. In addition to making the facades immediately recognizable for their black-brown colourthis operation – the same one used by the Vikings to protect the hulls of ships and still practiced today – served to seal the cracks in the wood and make it waterproofcontributing decisively to the longevity of the construction.
The decorations with Viking and Christian elements
The architecture of the stavkirker blends the ancient Nordic influences with the elements of traditions European and Byzantine. Viking art is thus intertwined with a very early Romanesque, giving life to sacred buildings that tell the story of the transition from paganism to Christianity. The decorations carved into the wood present reasons zoomorphic and vegetal (dragons, snakes, lions and tangles of branches) which derive from pagan iconography, but are reinterpreted in a Christian key, for example through allegorical representations of the eternal struggle between good and evil. Alongside the Nordic symbolism, the stave churches show clear references to European ecclesiastical architecture with round arches and vaults adapted to wood, as well as Norman and Celtic echoes.
Finally, there is no shortage of protective elements on the roof, such as the dragon heads placed at the ends of the slopes. Inspired by the figureheads of Viking ships, they had the function of chasing away evil spirits, demons and natural disasters, a bit like the gargoyles of Gothic stone cathedrals. Crosses, pinnacles and other apotropaic figures then appear alongside the protomes of fantastic animals, symbols of Christianity’s victory over ancient fears. Despite the presence of sparse liturgical furnishings, the most authentic atmosphere of the stavkirker lies in the contrast between the dim light of the sober wooden interiors and the sculptural vitality of the decorationstestimony of an art that has been able to combine faith, tradition and extraordinary craftsmanship.
