Proud about Wood

 

 

The Norwegians are rightfully proud about their wooden buildings, particularly their medieval wooden churches - the stave churches.

 

 

                        Stave Church borgund

 

Due to the properties of the building material, it is astonishing that around thirty examples of these churches have survived. They testify to the great skill of the ancient carpenters, as well as to their sense of aesthetics, which incorporates elements from Nordic mythology and legend.

 

 

 

 

In museums, we can admire the relics of other wooden structures - the Viking ships. Their bows are decorated with dragon heads, similar to those that can today still be found adorning the stave churches.

 

 

 

 

These boats were elegant and sleek, but, from the ninth century on, their appearance on rivers and along the coasts of Europe spread fear and horror. In this regard, the Vikings resembled the Hungarians, who during this same period devastated Central and Western Europe on small, undemanding horses.