Norwegian Museum of Cultural History

 Written by: Danielle Mclaughlin, Education 

What comes from the north? Well, the answer might differ depending where you are from. While at the Norsk Folkemusuem, the amazing guides explain that the bone-chilling winds from the north were seen as a conduit for evil spirits. As a result of this belief, the Northern direction was always approached with caution. Homes, buildings, and villages were intentionally constructed so that they did not face the north. More specifically, churches did not have any openings on the north side in order to prevent any evil from permeating the sacred space. This architectural style is exhibited in the Gol Stave Church that still stands in the Folkemusuem grounds. The magnificent building looms on top of a hill, with the main entrance facing West and another doorway on the South. 

Gol Stave Church

During church services, attendees were “arranged” according to this idea that evil comes from the north. As such, the men occupied the southern side where the sun’s light and warmth kept them comfortable during the church service. Further, the door on the southern side offered an easy-access exit so the men could escape in case of a fire. On the other hand, the northernmost side was reserved for those of lower standing - criminals, the sick, and lowly or unclean women. This population was less valuable to the village because they were not seen to provide much. As such, these people were placed on the cold, dark side of the church where it was difficult to hear the service. Further, if evil were to impregnate the church’s north wall, it would reach the less valuable population first, providing the men with a chance at salvation. 

Inside the sanctuary

The church’s sanctuary sits on the East side and appears as a cylindrical extension of the building. Like the placement of the doors and windows, the cylinder shape of the sanctuary is intentional. It was thought that the half moon shape helped to keep the space sacred - when the priest delivered the sermon, his voice would echo off the walls and back to the crowd, imbuing each person with purity. The santuary walls capture the artistic style of the seventeenth century as they are animated by beautiful paintings of Norse gods and scenes. These paintings provide a retelling of old Norse legends and stories for onlookers, especially for those who could not read. However, there is another secret layer to these paintings that provide more insight to seventeenth century Nordic life. At first glance of the sanctuary, one may not notice the faint inscriptions on top of the murals. However, when light hits the walls, an array of symbols are revealed. These symbols range from general drawings and messages, to representations of stories or ideas holding bigger meanings. Among these almost invisible inscriptions lays one of Gol’s biggest mysteries; an incomplete bible verse inscribed using the runic alphabet. Only the first letter of each word within the verse is inscribed, making it difficult to infer which verse it could be. Moreover, why would a seventeenth century priest, who wrote predominantly in latin, inscribe a bible verse in runes? To this day, the meaning behind the inscription is still unsolved. So, if you are looking for a time-old brainteaser, head down to the Norweigan Musuem of Cultural History and find the Stave Church.

A tour guide aims her flashlight at the mysterious inscriptions

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