Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-10-30

uurleu III the cartn near the SeaShOre
SOME OLD EDIFICES
There are still a good many of them
scattered over Norway. They are not
found in the far north, where stone
churches are more numerous. and many of
them of considerable antiquity, but in the
more central parts they are still to be seen.
though the number is decidedly diminish
ing. but efforts are being made, not with
out success. to preserve those already
standing. The best known, but by no
means the most interesting, of these
churches are those at Hitterdal in the
Telerlarken and Borgund in the Ianrdal
To these may now be added the specimens
of this kind of architecture which are pre-
served merely as curiosities, such as the
old church of Col in the Haiingdall, now
erected in the grounds of Oscars hall, a
small royal palace close to Christiania; or
the church to be seen in private gentle
mans grounds at Fantoft, near Bergen.
This latter has had a rather curious his
tory. 1t is really the old parish church of
Forum, near Skiolden, at the head of the
Lyster Fjord Ghe innermost arm of the
great Sogne Fjord); but few years since
the inhabitants resolved to build new
church, and were about to sell this curious
and interesting relic of antiquity for old
of Bergen stepped in, bought t ne church as
it stood and transported it bodily to Ber-
gen, to the place where it is now to be
seen.
The church at Borguutl. though stand
ing il its original position, is still only Il
curiosity, not being used for divine service,
but being under the care of a Norwegian
antiquarian society. The Hitterdal church
is perhaps the largest of the stavekirke,
but it has been almost restored" off the
face OF the earth, the interior being quite
modern and but little of the original being
left
THE CHURCH AT LON.
The more interesting churches of the
stavekirke type are to be found in the less
frequented districts, and are still used for
divine service. OF these we may men
ton LON, in the upper Gudbrandsdalen,
Urnas, on the Lyster Fjord, Eidsborg
near Dalen. in Telemarken; Roldal, on the
Haukl Field, and few others. In many
WAYS he most interesting of these are the
first two named. By saying this do not
mean that the others are uninteresting-
there are many points of great interest
about Them.
LON for a stavekirke is large, though
not so extensive as Hitterdal. 1t presents
the same curiously raised roofs, and is of
the dark red brown color usually met with
in these churches. 1t consists of nave,
transept and chancel. At the east end is
that curious beehivelike roof, somewhat
the same in shape as the beautiful east end
of Trondhjem cathedral, only, of course,
very different in material and size. The
doors are ornamented with the character
istic carving of iDterlaced work and drag
ons' he ads, which is always to be found in
these stavekirhes-
On entering the church you find 1t
smaller than the exterior would lead one
to supoose. and the fiat roof, which was
added o it in the Seventeenth century, and
which covers up the beautiful pine columns
and the ir carved capitals, makes the church
look ST i'll smaller The interior presents
the apr earance which it must have borne
since the early part of the Seventeenth cen.
turv. The choir and chancel are separated
from me rest of the church by a carved
wooder screen of no particular merit. The
roof of the chancel is painted In very gaudy
colors and has for its subjects the baptism
If our ord and the four Evangelists. AL
sround the walls are curious pictures OF
he Sew enteenth and Eighteenth centuries
ranresen tipg scenes In the life OF the saw
ionr-;unday ae Home.