Hopperstad Stave Church is beautiful, ornate church built of wood in medieval times and is one of only two dozen or so that remain in Norway. They are all major tourist attractions. It is thought to have been built in the twelfth century. It suffered serious neglect and was threatened with demolition in the late nineteenth century when architect Peter Andreas Blix stepped in and restored it free of charge. The church has a triple nave. Its ceiling is decorated with illustrations of the childhood of Christ.
