RØDVEN STAVE CHURCH

Rødven Stave Church is situated down by the beautiful Rødvenfjord in Rødven which is a branch of the Romsdalsfjord.

Rødven Stave Church is one of two Stave Churches that have exterior wooden pillars to support and to stiffen the building structure.

Visit Northwest

Visit Northwest is the official destination company for the Romsdalsfjord, Romsdal and Nordmøre area.

Stave Churches in Western Norway

A Stave Church is a wooden church from the middle age. Most of the Norwegian Stave Churches were built right after the Viking Age around year 1100-1200 AD. The name “Stave Church” comes from the construction of the buildings; large ground beams of wood are placed on a foundation of stone, then internal wooden pillars (staves) are interconnected and also connected to the outer walls.

FJORDS NORWAY - Urnes Stave Church at Ornes by the Lustrafjord. The idyllic Fjord Village Solvorn on the other side of the fjord.
The UNESCO-Protected Urnes Stave Church at Ornes by the Lustrafjord. The idyllic Fjord Village Solvorn on the other side of the fjord.

Rødven Stave Church in Romsdal

FJORDS NORWAY - Rødven Stave Church in Rødven. Rødven Church from 1907 AD in the background.
Rødven Stave Church in Rødven. Rødven Church from 1907 AD in the background.

Rødven Stave Church is situated in Rødven down by the beautiful Rødvenfjord which is a branch of the Romsdalsfjord. It is believed that Rødven Stave Church was built around year 1300 AD, but the stave church has older wood-materials and is probably from between year 1100 and 1200 AD.

Rødven Stave Church is one of two Stave Churches that also have exterior wooden pillars to support and to stiffen the building structure. The other stave church that has external wooden pillars is Kvernes Stave Church on Averøy at Nordmøre.

During an archaeological excavation in 1962 – 1963 AD, remains were found from an older stave church on the site where Rødven Stave Church stands. Later it was found remains from settlements and graves from the Iron Age and the Roman Age. Coins from the 1100s has also been found around Rødven Stave Church.

Season – Rødven Stave Church is open for guided tours in the summer and by appointment. See Rødven Stave Church website for season and opening hours.

How to travel to Rødven Stave Church

FJORDS NORWAY - The Rauma Railway runs over the Kylling Bridge at Verma in Romsdalen.
The Rauma Railway runs over the Kylling Bridge at Verma in Romsdalen.

It is about 32 kilometers to drive from Åndalsnes to Rødven Stave Church. Åndalsnes is the natural center of Romsdal and the Romsdalsfjord. The Alpine town by the fjord is the hub for roads and railways and is situated in the middle of all the things that is worth seeing and doing in the Romsdalsfjord area.

You can reach Åndalsnes by car, six hours from Oslo or four hours from Trondheim. By train to the end-station Åndalsnes at one of Norways most spectacular railways, Rauma Railway.

The Rauma Railway between Dombås and Åndalsnes is voted as Europe´s most scenic Rail Journey by Lonely Planet. The nearest airport is in Molde, then one hour by bus or car to Åndalsnes.

Romsdalsfjord – What to See and Do

Litlefjellet i Romsdal.
Litlefjellet i Romsdal.

From snowy mountains to beautiful coastline of islands and reefs. Experience all this in one day due to the short distance from mountains to coast.

Trollstigen, The Troll Wall, Romsdalseggen, Rampestreken and Litlefjellet are great places to visit in the inner part of the Romsdalsfjord, where the fjord meets the spectacular and alpine Romsdal mountains.

Drive to the viewpoint Varden at 407 masl and take in the spectacular Molde Panoramic View towards the Romsdalsfjord and the 222 snowcapped mountains. Ona Island and Ona Lighthouse, The Atlantic Road and Midsundtrappene are attractions facing the Atlantic Ocean.

Travel green to Åndalsnes with Rauma Railway, a wild, beautiful and unique experience regardless of season. From Åndalsnes Railway Station, you can walk straight from the train and over to the Romsdal Gondola that takes you up to the city-mountain Mt Nesaksla and Eggen Restaurant.

From Mt Nesaksla you have a fantastic view towards Isfjorden, down to the Romsdalsfjord and up towards the Romsdalen Valley which you have just experienced from the train ride along the Rauma Railway. The Romsdalsfjord is located in the county of Møre og Romsdal, north in Western Norway.

Hotels and Accommodation at Åndalsnes and Romsdal

Grand Hotel at Åndalsnes
Frich´s Ekspress Hotel Åndalsnes
Aak Hotel in Romsdalen by Åndalsnes
Åndalsnes Vandrerhjem at Setnes at Veblungsnes
Åndalsnes Camping by Rauma River at Åndalsnes
Mjelva Camping at Mjelva at Åndalsnes
Soggebru Camping at Sogge at Åndalsnes
Trollstigen Resort at Sogge at Åndalsnes
Trollstigen Gjestegård og Camping in Isterdalen below Trollstigen
Trollveggen Camping by the Troll Wall in Romsdalen
Accommodation in Isfjorden

Åndalsnes and Romsdal – Useful Links

Online Booking Romsdalseggen Bus
Romsdal.com – Hiking Guide to the mountains in Romsdal
Norsk Tindesenter at Åndalsnes
Fjords.com – Åndalsnes in Romsdal
Fjords.com – Trollstigen in Romsdal
Fjords.com – The Romsdalsfjord
Fjords.com – Romsdalseggen
Fjords.com – Romsdal Gondola
Fjords.com – Rauma Railway

 

HOTELS - ACCOMMODATION - LINKS

Here you will find an overview of recommended HOTELS in addition to SPA & BATH HOTELS and OTHER ACCOMMODATION PLACES in Western Norway. The combination of beautiful nature, activities that you can do in all four seasons and a stay at a great accommodation is unique. A stay in one of these places will do you good, both for body and mind.

There are ten restaurants that have awarded Michelin stars and Michelin awards in Western Norway. Eight of the Michelin restaurants are in Stavanger and two in Bergen. Here you will find FJORDS MICHELIN, where you will also find a list of recommended hotels in Western Norway, recommended by Michelin.

USEFUL LINKS is a list of websites with great information on Norway and the Fjords.

Rødven Stave Church – Map Overview