Hegge Stave Church

The Hegge stave church dates back to 1216 and is celebrating its 800th anniversary this year! The church is still in use as a parish church in the local community. It has a carved gate from the Middle Ages and inside the church you can see the original staves with carved face masks. One of the staves has a runic inscription. The baptismal fountain made of soapstone is from the 1100s and the altarpiece has a unique history which you can read further down. The alterpiece, dating back to 1782, has its own special history. Four men from Hegge were in Gudbrandsdalen to trade livestock, but in the mountains they got caught up in a storm. They promised God that if thye were to return home alive, each of them would donate the value of a cow to Hegge Church. They kept their promise, ordered and paid for the altarpiece in Gudbrandsdalen and brought it home on a sledge. Guiding for groups can be ordered at Øystre Slidre kyrkjekontor, Tel. (+47) 61 35 25 78 or email kyrkjekontoret@oystre-slidre.kommune.no