Medieval Norwegian church found in deepest Poland

Eastern European ping list ^ | not specified | not specified

[franksolich]

While waiting for the morning edition of that excellent newspaper in Oslo, the Aftenposten, to pop up on the computer screen, I checked out a "lead" given me by twinself of the Eastern European ping list.

There is apparently an ancient Norwegian, a Viking, church right smack in the middle of the Carpathian Mountains of Poland.

I have been all over the place, and so am used to finding unusual things in unusual places, but this one seems a gem, a jewel.

This church was originally built around 1180, on the shores of Lake Vang in southern Norway (Vangsmjosi), near Mount Grindafjellet.



It was apparently one of only 30 "stave churches" (I have no idea what a "stave church" is), out of thousands, to survive into the modern era. It was made using no nails, only wooden bolts and dovetails, and of Norwegian pine, which apparently has longevity in it.

In the early 1800s, because it was too small for the region, and because it was deteriorating, it was sold to the Emperor of Prussia, for the Berlin Museum.

However, once the church arrived in Stettin, the emperor lost all interest in it, and so it was taken far to the south, to the mountains of Carpathia, and by 1842 had been set up there, and fully engaged in the purposes for which it had been built nearly 700 years before in faraway Norway.



The web-site (the link in red above) is well worth clicking on; the web-design is excellent (almost as if it had been done by the guys on the Eastern European ping list), and it has many aesthetic photographs, and more history. Just click on the British flag on the first page, and take a look; this is remarkable.

Thank you, twinself, an authentic Pole a member of Free Republic, currently actually in Poland.

[franksolich]

Well, one finds the most unusual things in the most unusual places.

[franksolich]

"Light news" ping for the Norway ping list, as I apparently got up before the staff at the Aftenposten awoke this morning, to illuminate us with "hard news" from Norway.

[SoDak]

There's a Stavkirke in Rapid City. They are tremendously cool.

[franksolich]

Somewhere in between "photobucket" and Microsoft Word and this reply-page on Free Republic, this photograph evaporated. This is the original location, Vangsmjosi, of that Norwegian church now in Poland.

[shibumi]

"Medieval Norwegian church found in deepest Poland"


I wasn't aware that Poland had submerged.

[franksolich]

I am curious as to what a "stave church" is; the only definition of "stave" that I know, are those lathes of wood used in making barrels.

"Architecture" is not one of my strong suits; people are much more fascinating than buildings anyway.

I have heralded far and wide the architectural perfection of York Minster in England, promoting it as the best possible church in the world, and have gotten hollered down by barbarians, philistines, who insist I know nothing about architecture, and would not know "aesthetics" even if it slammed me in the face.

Bah humbug.

[franksolich]

Well, for some of us, "north" is "up" and "south" is "down," and this church is located far in the southeastern portion of Poland, which seems pretty deep to me.

[SoDak]

They are built using staves as supports much like longships.

[Grzegorz 246]

"I have no idea what a "stave church" "

This church was built without nails, maybe this is something about it.

[Lukasz]

However, once the church arrived in Stettin Sttetin = Szczecin that is Grzegorz’s home, interesting.

I have seen this church live few years ago but unfortunately only outside cause church was closed then for some reasons. Very beautiful countryside but I see that original Norwegian location is also very attractive. Hard to believe that this is Norwegian architecture looks so Chinese.

[lizol]

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[franksolich]

What I find intriguing are the dragons, or monsters, sticking out from the eaves and rafters; I wonder if this was a characteristic of medieval Norwegian architecture (besides on the Viking boats).

[SunkenCiv]

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
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[Hegemony Cricket]

ping

[-=Wing_0_Walker=-]

When I first saw the lead, I thought I'd be saying, "Yummpin Yimminey! I bane be Svew Kowalski"

[CatoRenasci]

Cool site. I've been in the Stavkjirke at the Volksmuseet in Bigdoy (Oslo) and seen a couple of the others from the outside. Truly amazing churches!

[twinself]

If you liked Wang church sculptures I recommend checking out sites dedicated to the greatest Polish visual artists of XXth century, Stanislav Szukalski. His art was inspired by the art of ancient cultures of Greeks, Romans, Vikings, Slavs, Celts but even also Aztecs.



Stanislav Szukalski was born in Warta, Poland on December 13, 1893. When he was only six years old, a teacher sent him to the headmaster's office for whittling a pencil. The headmaster examined the pencil more closely and discovered that young Stanislav had carved a tiny, near-perfect figure. Instead of punishing him, he called the local newspaper which did a feature on the art prodigy...



For more information on this Polish genius go to:

www.szukalski.com

www.szukalski.pl (site in Polish)

www.rogate-serce.prv.pl (site in Polish)

[texasflower]

Fascinating artwork. Thanks for the link.

[gnarledmaw]

Stave churchs:

Here's one ralatively near my house in on Wahington Island, Door County, Wisconsin...

[franksolich]

Well, I am still confused--although I never claimed to be among the brightest bulbs in the room.

Does the word "stave" in Norwegian mean something other than the word "stave" as we use it?

As we use the word "stave," it usually, generally, most of the time, means that narrow strip of wood used in making wooden barrels or tubs; or lesser, means the rung of a ladder or a chair; or lesser than that, a club or cudgel.

These "stave churches," obviously are made of wood, and perhaps wood slats, but it does not quite seem to fit--and so I am left wondering if there is a fourth definition of "stave," or if "stave" as used in "stave churches" means something wholly different in Norwegian.