Right outside Bergen there is the small town of Fantoft. We started our journey ambling through a most lovely forest, and I was totally enchanted. There was a narrow path, surrounded by mossy soft ground that housed tall trees, while a slight breeze whispered through the leaves. There was a stillness in these woods that I initially felt was peaceful and serene.
I did take notice of the roots though, that appeared to have emerged in many places, some with covered in moss, like ones above, as well as these:
There was something a bit sinister about them, but I chalked it up at the moment to my imagimagination.
We continued further into the woods and up ahead a clearing gave us a glimpse of our destination – the Fantoft Stave Church:
Before we arrive, let me provide a bit of history. A “stave” church is a type of wooden medieval church that has distinctive large wooden posts (staves) serving as load bearing structural pillars for the walls and roof. They often have steep tiered roofs with elaborate carvings. These churches were built throughout Northern Europe, beginning in the early Middle Ages and spread into Viking Scandinavia as Christian missionaries came to the area to spread their faith. Now, most are found in Norway, bearing carvings of both Viking pagan and Christian motifs and are considered an important part of Norway’s cultural and architectural heritage.
The inside of the church was astounding – warm, golden wood in simple but breathtaking simplicity:
However, despite the peaceful tranquility of the forest and church , not everything was as it seemed. This church had a most violent chapter, which I will divulge in next week’s post.
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