Flesberg stave church

Flesberg stave church (Flesberg stavkyrkje) is a stave church located at Flesberg in Buskerud, Norway.

Written sources mention the church the first time in 1359, but it was probably built in the latter half of the 1100s or the first half of the 1200s. The church was originally a single nave church (type B) with four free-standing internal posts bearing a raised central roof, surrounded by an ambulatory or aisles on all four sides. It had a narrower chancel, also with a raised central roof, and a semicircular apse. It was surrounded by a gallery loosely connected to the plank walls.

In 1735, the chancel and apse as well as the east wall of the nave were removed. The nave was extended eastwards and two transepts were added, making a cruciform plan. The additions were built in horizontal log construction with notched corners. Portal planks are decorated with carved vines and animal ornamentation. Since few parts of the stave church are preserved, there is only scant remnants of its original decor. Of the original stave church only three outer walls survived, as the internal posts and the raised roof were eliminated.

The church yard is fenced with slate brought from Haukeli farm on the west bank of the Lågen River. Some slates have iron rings affixed; these rings were used to tether horses during service. Each farmer had a designated ring for his horse (the oldest dated ring from 1661). The idiosyncratic stone fence is shown on a 1701 painting (the oldest existing painting of a stave church).