A short bus ride south of Bergen's centre, Fantoft Stave Church sits on a wooded hillside surrounded by birch trees. The original church was built in the 12th century in Fortun, in the Sogn district, and relocated here in 1883. In 1992 it was destroyed by arson — part of a wave of church burnings in Norway — and the current building is a faithful reconstruction completed in 1997.
The dark tarred timber, dragon-head carvings, and layered roofline are pure medieval Norse, even if the wood itself is new. A stone cross in the grounds dates from around 1050. Take bus 83 from the city centre and get off at the first Fantoft stop to avoid a steep climb through the woods from the next one. Open daily in summer; check winter hours before visiting.