The Swedish National Heritage Board's grants for stave churches have been distributed for 2025. See which eleven projects were awarded.
There were once thousands of stave churches in Northern Europe. With a few exceptions, the stave churches are now only preserved in Norway through our 28 magnificent buildings.
- "The Norwegian stave churches are unique in a global context and an important part of Norway's cultural heritage," says Climate and Environment Minister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen.
- Norway is a world leader when it comes to preserving medieval wooden buildings, among other things by repairing stave churches against weather, wind and wear and tear.
For 2025, the stave churches will receive grants totaling NOK 5.2 million, as well as NOK 2 million in pledges for 2026. Eighteen applications were received by the deadline, and in total the stave church owners applied for just under NOK 12 million.
- We have prioritized stave churches that are in great need of maintenance, as well as restoration work that is already underway," says Hanna Geiran.
- In addition, we have provided funding for knowledge projects that will have an impact on several stave churches and other timber buildings.
Urnes and Heddal receive million-dollar grant for tarring
Urnes stave church will receive the largest grant of NOK 1.8 million. The entire church will be tarred, and careful treatment by specialists is needed to preserve the famous Urnes portal.
- "Large parts of the church are in urgent need of protection with new tar," says Geiran.
- Urnes stave church is of great significance as a national cultural monument, and the church has world heritage status. The church dates from around 1130 and is considered our oldest preserved stave church. It also has recycled materials from a church that was built around 1070.
Heddal stave church is the largest of the stave churches. It is both a major tourist attraction and a parish church.
- "We believe it is important to tar Heddal stave church in 2025 to maintain a good level of maintenance. That's why Heddal will receive a grant of NOK 990,000 for the year," says Geiran.
The stave churches in Vågå, Høyjord and Haltdalen also receive funding for tar paving.
Knowledge for the benefit of more people
The National Heritage Board's craft strategy emphasizes that more craftsmen should gain increased expertise in working with old materials and methods.
- The stave churches need the best of traditional craftsmanship in Norway," says Geiran.
- These are skills that very few people have, which is why it is so important to develop knowledge and for more people to learn the craft behind the stave churches.
The Norwegian Crafts Institute at Maihaugen has a scholarship scheme for craftsmen who want to immerse themselves in traditional crafts, and they are now working on making a copy of the roof rider at Borgund stave church. The project is of great value in terms of craftsmanship development, skills development and knowledge of details in stave church structures.
- We are therefore awarding the Norwegian Crafts Institute a grant for 2025 of NOK 400,000, and a commitment for 2026 of NOK 500,000," says Geiran.
Successful tar basting is not always easy. Sometimes the tar runs off the wall shortly after it has been applied. The National Trust of Norway is therefore receiving funding for a knowledge project to collect and systematize existing knowledge, as well as providing dissemination, training and documentation of tar paving projects.
- "This project can provide new and useful knowledge for the preservation of all the country's stave churches, and many other culturally and historically important buildings that have roofs or walls treated with tar. We are therefore awarding a grant of NOK 472,000 for 2025 and a pledge of NOK 490,000 for 2026," says Geiran.
What exactly is a stave church?
The stave churches represent a completely unique construction method with poles - staves - as a load-bearing element. The oldest ones have stood for almost 900 years and are among our oldest preserved churches. The stave church portals and wooden shed are unparalleled in European medieval art. Half of the stave churches are still in use as parish churches.
2025 is the first year in which the Directorate for Cultural Heritage has announced grants for the maintenance, conservation and documentation of stave churches. Previously, the scheme has been handled with ongoing allocations throughout the year to applications that have been received.
Distribution for the year:
| Church | Project | Grant 2025 | Commitment 2026 |
| Urnes stave church | Tarring | 1 810 000 | 0 |
| Heddal stave church | Tarring | 990 000 | 0 |
| Haltdalen stave church | Tarring | 549 000 | 0 |
| Knowledge about tar - Urnes et al. | Knowledge building on application and durability | 472000 | 490000 |
| Vågå church | Tar treatment of decor and documentation | 450 000 | 0 |
| Høyjord stave church | Tarring | 450 000 | 0 |
| Rider project NHI | Copying the Borgund roof rider | 400 000 | 500 000 |
| Nore stave church | New wooden gutters | 79 000 | 0 |
| Rødven stave church | Rectification of damage | 0 | 422 000 |
| Garmo stave church | Repair, dating, knowledge development | 0 | 388 000 |
| Eidsborg stave church | Dating and knowledge development | 0 | 200 000 |
| Total | 5 200 000 | 2 000 000 |
