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.

Season and Safety

Many of the activities and attractions mentioned on this website are open only in summer and are closed in winter. This also applies to many of the roads and accommodations mentioned. Season and opening time will vary. It depends on where it is and what activity, attraction, road and accommodation it is, it usually opens in the summer and closes in the autumn, depending on i.a. the amount of snow and the risk of avalanches in the area.

Important information about roads in western Norway: Many roads in western Norway are prone to landslides, especially in rainy and snowy weather. This may include rock falls, rockslides, landslides, debris flows, mud flows, erosion, snow avalanches and rock avalanches. Some of the roads are particularly well-known for their high level of mass movements exposed over them. Winter tires are required in winter. Read more about Tyre Requirements in Norway...

It is important to take precautions for weather and driving conditions, on roads and trails, both when driving and in general when one is out in nature in Norway and Western Norway. It is recommended to use guide on the tours described on this website. Use the information you find on this website at your own risk and responsibility. Read more about season, important safety information and your own responsibility…

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.

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

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

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. Ona Island and Lighthouse, The Atlantic Road and Midsundtrappene are attractions facing the Atlantic Ocean. 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. 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 there 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.