There's No Church In The Country Like This One In North Dakota
By Leah|Updated on May 02, 2023(Originally published April 27, 2023)
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Leah
Author
Leah moved to North Dakota when she was 12 years old and has traveled from the Red River Valley to the badlands and many places in between. She loves small-town life and currently enjoys living on a small farm in the ND prairie. She's always had a passion for writing and has participated in novel writing challenges such as NaNoWriMo multiple times. Her favorite part about this job is recognizing small businesses that deserve a boost and seeing the positive affect her articles can have on their traffic, especially in rural areas that might have otherwise gone overlooked.
Did you know North Dakota has more churches per capita than any other state in the country? But of all the churches in North Dakota, the state also has a very unique church that no other place has: the Gol Stave Church in the Scandinavian Heritage Park in Minot. This is an extremely special place, and not just for those who worship there. It has a rich history that goes across many years and multiple continents.
The beautiful Gol Stave Church is a to-scale replica of the Gol Stave Church that stands in Oslo, Norway
The Norway church wasn't always in Oslo. It was moved from Gol, Hallingdal to the Folk Museum in Bygdoy Park in Oslo around 100 years ago.
Given the Norwegian heritage in the area, the Scandinavian Heritage Association felt it appropriate to honor this unique piece of architecture in their cultural park.
But the church in North Dakota was carved by local artists and wood carvers, Philip Odden and Elsa Bigton, originally from Barronet, Wisconsin. This adds a nice tie-in with the local artistic community.
The interior is full of hand-carved wood that is packed with detail and meaning.
For example, the corner posts are often richly decorated and are celebrated elements of the architecture. That's because they represent the four gospels, which many say are the foundational teachings of Christianity.
The roof, which protects the church from the elements, represents the prayers that protect Christians from temptation.
You'll feel like you've been transported into a completely new place and time, not just to Norway but to hundreds of years ago when this church was the center of social and civic life.
This Norwegian church in North Dakota can be visited at the Scandinavian Heritage Park - and it is worth a trip that you won't forget.
At the park you can also find other memorable sites, like the Hans Christian Anderson and Leif Erickson statues, a Danish windmill, a Finnish sauna, and a stunning waterfall, among many others.
There are picnic tables and shelters sprawling the expansive grounds so you can enjoy a packed lunch while learning about Scandinavian history and culture, right from the domestic comfort of North Dakota.
Unless you’re planning on flying to Norway, this is the only place in the country you can find a church like this. Have you been to the Gol Stave Church in North Dakota? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below, we love hearing your firsthand accounts of these unique places.
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Unique Churches In North Dakota
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What are other unique churches in North Dakota?
This is a particularly fascinating place, but while you’re touring the state be sure to visit these unique churches in North Dakota as well.
