Stavechurch in Heddal Norway

Norway has a long tradition of building churches, but they are not your ordinary stonechurches. They built the so called stavechurches. Built entirely out of wood and some as old as 1000years. Those churches were built all over Scandinavia and in Britain.

I know that in germany it`s not that big of a deal if a church is old, but the fact that a woodchurch stood so long til this very day, is remarkable. 

-Most of the carvings refer to the pagan religion

The churches are heavily influenced by the pagan religion that christianity tried to replace. There are small carvings of dragons or dragonlike creatures. Symbols of old tales and stories. The stavechurches got those carvings to protect the church from evil spirits and ghosts, something that was a big fear in the pagan religion. 

-Aquarelle line and wash in indigoblue.

I did my own attempt to those stavechurches. I love to draw wondrouse and slighty creepy things. This time it`s the stavechurch in Heddal Norway, the architecture and the surroundings make this place so fascinating, and it`s breathtaking to stand in front of it.

- Indigo is one of the oldest colour pigments and creates amazing colourtones.

Size 30x40cm