Ringebu Stave Church

The stave church Ringebu ( norweg. Ringebu Stavkyrkje ) is a church building in the Norwegian municipality in Ringebu Fylke Oppland. The stave church is one of the largest of the surviving 28 Norwegian stave churches. The church is still used today for the church service. Around the building there is the cemetery of the church.

History

The stave church was built on the site of the pre-Christian community and place of worship ( Thingstätte ), which is now called yet Gildesvollen Guild ( Hill ) and in pre-Christian times had a central role in the Gudbrandsdal. The guilds were holders of secular and religious power of the medieval church and offered by the brotherly connection military protection. The hill was probably used in pre-Christian times as the court and sacrifice. Near the church there is still today a farm Vang ( which translated means hall ), which represented probably the religious center and place of the meeting of the church in pagan times.

The old guild guild full, which was mentioned in letters 1375-1454, was probably responsible for the construction of this church.

History and Architecture

The oldest part of the church was built around the year 1220 as a stave on the base of an older church. The building had probably already disappeared at the beginning but the transept, and later with tags. Is suspected as well that the church how many stave churches at the beginning had a portico, which could protect the church walls from the weather and could serve as a meeting place for the community before and after the service.

The characteristic red roof turret and the new transept was the church during renovations in 1630 by the architect Werner Olsen. This study carried out during the Reformation redesign the outer whorls, the apses and the aisles were removed. The carved in dragon style western portal dates from the Middle Ages.

Equipment

A statue from around 1250 shows Lawrence of Rome, two crucifixes also date from the 13th century. The baptismal font made ​​of soapstone is from the 12th century. The baroque altarpiece dates from the year 1686th The pulpit of the church is dated to 1703. To also provide three drawings of animals, or a man on the walls. In addition, it was discovered 18 House sign on the wall planks. In these graphic characters runes are woven. Runes were considered to be sacred signs and they were awarded a protective effect. But even crosses found in the house sign again. The house sign has also been said to have a protective effect in the Middle Ages. The painting of the walls and ceiling dating from 1717, was restored in 1921 after the interior had been temporarily painted in white. The old organ was replaced in 1982 by a new one. The first organ was the church around the year in 1800.

Near the church there is a bell tower in block design, which was first mentioned in 1577 and probably built after the Reformation. The bell tower was built for a larger bell. In a written record of 1575, there are three smaller bells that were placed in a roof skylights above the nave.

In the west wall of the church, there are two medieval carvings, which presumably represent domestic pigs and wild boars. The reason for their presence is unknown.

Archaeological excavations

Excavations (1980/1981) 892 coins were found in the church, most of which date from the reign of Håkon IV Håkonsson. The oldest coin is dated to the year 1020 and was coined in England under Knut the Great.