Urnes Stave Church

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Urnes Stave Church
Urnes stavkyrkje
Religion
Affiliation	Church of Norway
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Parish church (former)
Status	Preserved
Location
Location	Ornes
Municipality	Luster (Vestland)
Country	Norway
Shown within Vestland Show map of Vestland Urnes Stave Church (Norway) Show map of Norway
Geographic coordinates	61°17′53″N 7°19′21″E / 61.29811144423°N 7.32259181143°E / 61.29811144423; 7.32259181143
Architecture
Architect(s)	Bendik Urne
Type	Stave church
Style	Romanesque
Completed	c. 1132 (dendrochronological dating)
Materials	Timber
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name: Urnes Stave Church
Type	Cultural
Criteria	i, ii, iii
Designated	1979 (3rd session)
Reference no.	58
State Party	Norway
Region	Europe and North America

Urnes Stave Church (Norwegian: Urnes stavkyrkje) is a 12th-century stave church at Ornes, along the Lustrafjorden in the municipality of Luster in Vestland county, Norway.

The church sits on the eastern side of the fjord, directly across the fjord from the village of Solvorn and about five kilometres (3 mi) east of the village of Hafslo. It is among the oldest stave churches in Norway, with parts of the lumber construction dating from the latter half of the 11th century.^[1] The church was built in a long church basilica plan inspired by medieval Christian churches, with cylindrical columns and semi-circular arches inside. The decoration on capitals of the columns and outside of the church embodies the visual evidence of the Viking culture’s transformation, assimilation, and adoption of Christianity. The north portal of the church is defined as the Urnes style, which contains decorations derived from Norwegian mythology dating back to the 12th century.

It has been owned by Fortidsminneforeningen (Society for the Preservation of Norwegian Ancient Monuments) since 1881. In 1979, the Urnes Stave Church was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.