Explore the Middle Ages at Maihaugen
All day in the museum's opening hours
Explore the medieval buildings in the open-air museum.
In Norway, the Middle Ages are generally considered to span from around the year 1000 to 1537. This was a period when the country was Christianised and royal power grew stronger. The Catholic Church became a major force, and towns, churches and trade began to develop.
Our medieval buildings
At Maihaugen, you can get closer to this fascinating period. Take a walk through the open-air museum and discover:
- Garmo Stave Church (1200) with a baptismal font from the original church in Lom.
- The Fishermen’s Chapel (1459) – the oldest preserved log-built church in Norway.
- Dagsgard Loft (1300–1450) – an excellent example of medieval log construction, building traditions and craftsmanship of the highest quality.
- Isum Chapel, featuring beautiful loft portals from the Middle Ages.
Learn more
Would you like to explore further? The exhibition Impulses presents more than 1 000 cultural treasures from Norway, with inspiration from around the world. From the Middle Ages, you can see objects such as the Osjuka horn, a bronze pitcher, parchment documents, stave church portals, Sámi jewellery and aquamaniles.
You can also visit the exhibition We won the land, where you can learn more about the Middle Ages, Norway’s kings, and how the Black Death changed the country.
