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The Stave church of Urnes, Norway (Unesco world heritage)

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Urnes Stave Church (Norwegian: Urnes stavkirke) is a stave church at the Ornes farm, along the Lustrafjord in the municipality of Luster in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway.

 

It has been owned by Fortidsminneforeningen (Society for the Preservation of Norwegian Ancient Monuments) since 1881. In 1979, the Urnes stave church was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

 

The church was built around 1130 or shortly thereafter, and still stands in its original location; it is believed to be the oldest of its kind. It provides a link between Christian architecture and the architecture and artforms of the Viking Age with typical animal-ornamentation, the so called "Urnes style" of animal-art.

 

Submitted: 06/11/2015

Accepted: 19/11/2015

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Uploaded on October 27, 2015
Taken on September 12, 2012