Urnes Stave Church

Hugging the shoreline of the idyllic Lustrafjord, the innermost arm of the mighty Sognefjord, Urnes Stave Church is believed to be the oldest of its kind in Norway. Built sometime during the early 12th-century as Christianity was still being introduced to Norway, the church features some architecture and art typical of the Viking Age. Indeed, disagreements persist about whether some of the animal art depicts a Norse or Christian scene, while some of the distinctive carvings are from an even older church that stood on the same site. Although no longer in ordinary use, the Church is protected and has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1979.