page_title: Vik
section_title: Attractions
hierarchical_section_title: Vik / Attractions
caption_attribution_description: Norsk bokmål: Statue av Fridtjov den frøkne oppført av keiser Vilhelm II av Det tyske rike. Sokkelens bakside bærer den følgende tyskspråklige inskripsjon: DIESES DENKMAL WURDE CESCHAFFEN VOM BILDHAUER MAX UNGER ZU STEGLITZ- -BERLIN, IN DER ZEIT VON 1910–1912. DEN BRONCEGUSS FÜHRTE DIE AKTIEN-GESELLSCHAFT GLADENBECK IN BERLIN-FRIEDRICHSHAGEN IN 8 MONATEN AUS. DEN SOCKEL BAUTE INGENIEUR HERTZBERG IN BERGEN. DIE FIGUR HAT EINE HÖHE VON 12 METERN. DER SOCKEL IST 10½ METERN HOCH.
context_page_description: Vik is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located on the southern shore of the Sognefjorden in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center of Vik is the village of Vikøyri. Other villages in the municipality include Feios, Fresvik, Nese, and Vangsnes.
  The 833-square-kilometre municipality is the 137th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Vik is the 243rd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,635. The municipality's population density is 3.3 inhabitants per square kilometre and its population has decreased by 4.8% over the previous 10-year period.
context_section_description: UNESCO World Heritage Site
  The "West Norwegian Fjords of Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord" were added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2005. The two fjords are situated 120 kilometres (75 mi) from each other and they are separated by the Jostedalsbreen glacier. The World Heritage Site possesses a unique combination of glacial landforms at the same time as each area is characterised by its own outstanding beauty. The Nærøyfjord areas in this site stretch through the municipalities of Aurland, Lærdal, Vik, and Voss.
  Vikøyri
  The name Vikøyri describes the area between the rivers Vikja and Hopra. The last syllable of the name is the Norwegian word describing the flat area of land at the mouth of a river. The settlement lies on the Øyri, which was created by sediments deposited over thousands of years. Vikøyri was common land, owned by the local community, which might be the reason why the community grew so rapidly. During the 19th century an increasing number of people took up trade. An idyllic spot with old small houses and boat houses situated in the centre of Vik and well worth a visit.
  Hopperstad Stave Church
  The Hopperstad Stave Church was built around the year 1130. It is a triple-nave stave church and has a Gothic altar-baldaquin with sculptured heads, as well as decorations and paintings in the ceiling depicting the childhood of Christ. This stave church was saved from demolition on the initiative of the architect Peter Andreas Blix.
  The Stave churches are constructions of high quality, richly decorated with carvings. In virtually all of them the door frames are decorated from top to bottom with carvings. This tradition of rich ornamentation appears to go back to the animal carvings of the Viking Age. The dragons are lovingly executed and transformed into long-limbed creatures of fantasy, here and there entwined with tendrils of vine, with winding stems and serrated leaves. The elaborate designs are executed with supreme artistic skill. The stave church doorways are, therefore, among the most distinctive works of art to be found in Norway. However, it is difficult to connect them with the Christian gospel.
  Statue of Fridtjof
  The Statue of Fridtjof from Frithjof's Saga is a landmark which towers 22.5 metres (74 ft) over the hilltop. The statue was a gift from Kaiser Wilhelm II, to the Norwegian people and was erected in July 1913. It stands in a beautiful park overlooking the Sognefjorden at Vangsnes.
  Borgstova
  Borgstova is a house built in 1790. It is the only remnant of the Sjøtun Estate, which covered almost the entire village of Vikøyri. At Borgstova, there are copies of relics from the oldest burial sites in Vik.
  Kristianhus Boat and Engine Collection
  The museum is located by the fjord at the centre of Vikøyri in the same building as the tourist office. Here you can experience what historic boatlife was like for the inhabitants along the Sognefjord.
  Vik Ski Festival
  The Ski Festival is arranged at Vikafjellet (Vik Mountain) at the end of May. There are competitions in: ski jumping, slalom skiing, cross-country skiing, and Telemark skiing. Public parties and cultural arrangements are organized in connection with the ski festival.
  Birdlife
  Situated on the Sognfjord the municipality of Vik is known for its mild climate and great scenery. Take a hike on Vikafjellet and you could see such species as Eurasian golden plover or in good rodent years, maybe a rough-legged buzzard. The woodlands hold the usual passerines depending if it is coniferous or deciduous. Along the fjords red-breasted merganser can be seen all year round while the call of the Eurasian oystercatcher can only be heard from spring through early autumn.
caption: Statue of Fridtjof
  Max Unger (1913)
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