Eidsborg Stave Church

About

Join the guide on a fascinating journey through 800 years. Hear the story of the stave churches in Norway and how the church in Eidsborg has changed from the 12th century onwards, in step with faith and custom. Here, you will also hear the tale of the patron saint figure, Nikuls.

The stave churches are considered Norway's contribution to world architecture. In the Middle Ages, there were probably more than 1,500 stave churches. It was long assumed that Eidsborg Stave Church was built between 1250 and 1270. However, new research results from 2024 (based on samples from 2023) conclude that the church may have been built just before 1150 – a full 100 years earlier than previously thought! This places Eidsborg Stave Church among the five oldest stave churches in the country.

Eidsborg Stave Church is one of the best preserved of the country's 28 medieval stave churches. It is the second church in Eidsborg, replacing a post church that stood on the same site. Inside the church, you will find the icon of St. Nicholas, or Nikuls as the local people called him. A special cult grew up around this figure, with unique characteristics found only here.

Through ecclesiastical decrees, reforms, changes in ownership, shifts in faith, fashion, and space requirements, the church has been altered over the centuries. The stave church was fully restored in 2010 after three years of work. A further three-year project involving new rounds of tarring was completed in the spring of 2020. In 2008, a history book about the church, written by religious historian Øystein Morten, was published. The book can be purchased in the museum shop at the Vest-Telemark Museum.

The church is a living parish church with services and wedding ceremonies held between May and September. For more information, see the church's website: www.kyrkja.tokke.no

Visit and Guided Tours

During the season, guided tours are offered at fixed times three times a day, within the opening hours of the Vest-Telemark Museum Eidsborg, provided this does not conflict with church activities.

Outside of opening hours, group tours can be booked all year round, weather permitting.

Take a Digital Tour: You can also explore the stave church through a 360-degree virtual tour online.