Gran: Medieval Churches and Cultural Landscape

Two medieval churches stand side by side in Granavollen, alongside a museum, other cultural sites and trails through the cultural landscape. The Fjorda lake district also offers opportunities for outdoor activities. When planning your trip, it is worth considering these different highlights separately.

Cultural Landscape and Hiking Trails

Since 1994, the Granavollen–Tingelstad–Røykenvika area has had the status of a nationally valuable cultural landscape, and since 2020 it has been recognised as a selected cultural landscape. Numerous farm tracks, Gutu trails and hiking trails provide access to the cultural landscape for recreation and travel. Separate from these is the continuous, marked hiking trail network created by DNT Hadeland across the entire municipality of Gran: it provides a municipality-wide framework for hikes, while the trails in the cultural landscape area are for exploring that area itself.

Sølvsberget has a marked cultural trail with informative signs along the route. This lets you combine the walk with information about the surrounding area. The trail’s condition and signage may vary.

Medieval Churches and Steinhuset

Granavollen is the only place in Norway where two medieval churches stand side by side. The Søsterkirkene were built in the 12th century and are located on the Pilgrim’s Route to Nidaros. Their location beside one another and their shared history give a visit a clear architectural and historical focus.

Steinhuset is a different, secular example of medieval architecture: it is the only secular medieval stone building still standing in the Norwegian countryside today. The churches and Steinhuset thus represent different aspects of architectural history and offer two distinct points of interest for a cultural history trip.

Hadeland Folkemuseum and Traditional Crafts

Hadeland Folkemuseum is an open-air museum with a hilly museum park and more than 30 historic buildings from the Hadeland region. It is set in a historic landscape along the Pilgrim’s Route. At the museum, you can enter Tingelstad’s listed medieval church. During the summer months, the museum offers daily guided tours, and its shop and café are open. As these services are seasonal, it is advisable to check visiting times before your trip.

At Grinakervev, the focus is on weaving. Textiles for interiors and clothing are made there; the weaving mill also preserves traditional Norwegian patterns that were once woven in many parts of the country. A tour of the mechanical weaving mill can be booked. Check availability before you arrive if you plan to visit.

Pilgrim Hikes and Visitor Information

Pilegrimssenter Granavollen is an information and visitor centre for pilgrims. Together with the pilgrimage association RiHaTo, it offers open hikes of various distances throughout the year. These pilgrim hikes complement the municipality-wide trail network with a specific hiking programme featuring routes of varying lengths. Individual hikes and the availability of a guide may vary; the centre’s seasonal staffing and opening hours may also differ.

Fjorda and Ulsnestangen Swimming Area

Fjorda consists of several small and large bodies of water connected by straits and natural channels. The largest body of water is called Velmunden. In the Fjorda area around Bjoneroa and the Gran side of Randsfjorden, there are opportunities for paddling and enjoying nature, as well as a few established campsites. This combines a waterside landscape with outdoor activities, without requiring a particular route or length of stay.

The Ulsnestangen swimming area is in Røykenvika, and is one of Gran’s municipal swimming areas. It has sandy beaches, a bathing jetty, a sand volleyball court, a playground and a toilet. As the facilities may change, check conditions before your visit if needed.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Gran, Bjoneroa, Brandbu, Vestre Slidre, Østre Toten, Vågå, Gjøvik, Lillehammer.

Return to the main travel overview: Oppland.