Borgund: Stave Church and King’s Road Trails

Borgund brings together two themes for trip planning: the medieval stave church and trails along the historic King’s Road. Borgund Stave Church has stood at its original site since it was built around 1180. Its well-preserved medieval exterior features seven tiers of overlapping roofs, galleries, dragon heads and richly carved portals.

Stave Church and Visitor Centre

The Borgund Visitor Centre opened in 2005 and offers exhibitions and information about Norwegian stave churches and religious life in the Middle Ages. This includes the exhibition “Unike Vikingtidsfunn” (Unique Viking Age Finds), featuring finds from the early Viking Age. It also includes finds from the Bjørkum workshop storage site in Lærdal, discovered in 2009. The site is dated to 650–850 AD; the finds are from the Migration Period and the early Viking Age.

Alongside the architecture of the stave church, the exhibition also highlights archaeological finds and religious life in the Middle Ages. The exhibition topics can be distinguished chronologically: the date range of 650–850 AD refers to the workshop storage site, while the finds are attributed to the historical periods mentioned.

Hiking and Cycling

The Vindhella–Sverrestigen circular route can be started at Borgund Stave Church and goes around the mountain peak Klanten, which is believed to have been an ancient village fortress. The Vindhellavegen section begins 300 metres east of the church and follows the authentic King’s Road. For orientation, the possible starting point for the circular route at the church and the start of the Vindhellavegen section are two useful reference points.

Hikers starting the circular route at the church can park at Svartegjel. The visitor centre does not provide parking for hikers on the King’s Road. As parking rules may change and trail conditions may vary, check both before setting out.

In the wider destination of Lærdal, the old E16 is recommended as a very attractive cycling route from Borgund Stave Church down to Lærdalsøyri, now that the modern road has been rerouted through tunnels. Road conditions and cycling arrangements may change; check them before planning a specific ride.

More Cultural Highlights in Lærdal

The wider destination of Lærdal offers other distinct cultural highlights. Gamle Lærdalsøyri is a unique historic cultural landscape of local, regional and national significance. It was designated a special conservation area in 1970. The Lærdal Post and Telegraph Museum presents local, regional and national postal history through photographs, illustrations, texts, objects, models and soundscapes. Seasonal opening hours are relevant when planning a museum visit; check the hours for your travel dates.

Lærdalsmarknaden is also part of this regional context. The open-air market has roots dating back to the 16th century. The Lærdalsmarknaden Association holds three markets each year: Lærdalsmarknaden on the third full weekend in June, the autumn market on the last weekend in September, and a Christmas market on the second-to-last Saturday in November. If your trip is tied to a market weekend, check the dates for the relevant year.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Steinklepp, Lærdalsøyri.

Return to the main travel overview: Lærdal.