Hestad Chapel s

Hestad Chapel, situated on the spit of land that separate Viksdalsvatnet and Hestadfjorden, was built in 1805. If you travel along Norwegian Scenic Route Gaularfjellet this is a must see kind of place. And how about a swim in the idyllic Hestadfjorden?

The little brown wooden chapel almost merges into the background on the wooded headland in Viksdalsvatnet lake. The chapel replaced a stave church that had stood there since the Middle Ages. The chapel is quite crudely built, and different types of materials have been used. Its interior has not changed much since 1805.

The new cog-jointed church on beautiful Øyra. The headland in the beautiful Viksdalsvatnet lake is called Øyra, and legend has it that there was a church here as early as the 12th century, but the first mention of this church in a written source is in papal accounts from 1327. In 1805, the stave church was pulled down and replaced by a new church. The chancel and nave are made from timber, while the porch is built in the stave technique and then clad. The rough carpentry and reuse of materials give the impression that the church may have been built by the locals themselves. Staves from the old church have been used in the tower, and the corner posts in the porch are probably also taken from the old church. The altarpiece and pulpit are painted in the same colours and date from the time the church was built. The year 1805 is inscribed on the altarpiece’s pediment. Hestad chapel has belonged to the National Trust of Norway since 1917, when the Trust took it over from the 17 farmers who owned it free of charge.

1. July - 31. July 11.00 - 16.00 (Closed Monday and Tuesday) Guided tours without the opening hours can be booked at tel. 905 90 996, or through e-mail to asksel@online.no or hestad@fortidsminneforeningen.no CONTACT: Tel. +47 905 90 996 · asksel@online.no · hestad@fortidsminneforeningen.no