Bergen – Loen
Norway | Anno 2024
Tvindefossen
Tvindefossen
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Oppheimsvatnet
Nærøydalen
Lærdalen
At 24.5 km, the Lærdalstunnel was the world's longest road tunnel when it opened. It is preceded on the E16 by the 11.4 km Gudvangatunnel
Lærdalstunnel
Walking path against the rock
Borgund
Borgund Stave Church (right, 1180) is one of Norway's best-preserved stave churches. The modern church (left) was built in 1868 to meet the legal requirement that a church accommodate at least 30% of the local population
The bell tower (centre) wasn't built until a century and a half after the stave church. Larger bells were needed to reach more people, so a larger bell tower was also required. It's unique, as no other stave church has a separate bell tower
The black colour is the result of the tar with which the church is painted every five to seven years – a mixture of resin and coal dust. It waterproofs the church and protects the wood from cracking due to sunlight. Moreover, rain produces a kind of soapy foam, allowing the church to practically clean itself. However, there is a very real fire hazard
The stave church is built on a rocky foundation to protect the supporting pillars from rotting
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The roof tiles were replaced in 2012. Four dragon heads adorn the gables. In pagan tradition, they are believed to offer protection
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A low ambulatory provided additional support for the stave church. It was used, among other things, as a storage area for the men's weapons during services
The fourteen pillars refer to the fourteen Stations of the Cross. St. Andrew's crosses and arches between the posts give the structure sufficient strength
The roof resembles the inverted hull of a Viking ship from the inside
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The paintings behind the altar date from the Reformation period (16th century). During the restoration in 1870, it was decided not to remove them. The stone altar is original and even older than the church itself
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The presence of images of pagan gods such as Freya (left) and Odin (right) points to a merging of Christian and pagan traditions
Bøyabreen
Ferry Fodnes – Mannheller
Fjærlands Fjord
Bøyabreen is a branch of the Jostedalsbreen, the largest glacier on the European mainland
By 2015, Bøyabreen had shrunk so much that there was no longer enough blue ice to measure its length
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Bøyabreen is a steep glacier, very sensitive to ice shifts
Loen
Bergheimsvatnet
Skjørbakkane – Innvikfjorden with Utvik and Innvik on the right
Loen – Faleidfjorden
Loen – Vesleskåla (front, 1 238 m) and Skåla (left, 1 843 m)
Jaak Palmans
© 2025 | Versie 2025-08-18 14:00