these, however, is the choir of St. Mary’s Church, and St. Olay’s
Church in Yaagsbunden (the cathedral). In Magnus Lagaboter’s
time, several important parish churches without aisles were erected
m the Bergen diocese, among them being Yossevangen Church with
its interesting tower.
Prom 1248, the building of the nave of Trondhjem Cathedral
(Christ Church) was carried on by Archbishop Sigurd Eindridson,
and was probably completed at about the close of the century!
Of this, after the numerous fires that have taken place, there
now remain only the walls of the aisles, and a part of the west
front and of the west towers, of the same height.
After 1320, few stone churches were built in Norway, and
late Gothic buildings with architectural decoration are not to be
found here.-
Prom the 16th century, after the Reformation, national art,
on the whole, remains at a primitive standpoint, although with
a certain amount of movement, and in touch with the outside
world. Many of our churches show interesting interior work
and paintings from that period, and in the towns large brick
churches were erected here and there of simple, but good style.
In addition to the stone architecture, belonging principally to
the towns, or originating in them, and, as already pointed out,
keeping pace in its development, step by step, with the architecture
of Western Europe, the wooden ehurch architecture goes its own
way. The construction of the small churches is in the Romanesque
style, both as regards the main lines, and in all ornamental embellishment.
The oldest of all still show the Irish-Scandinavian
ornament as it is usually found in the later iron age. I t would
thus appear that our wooden churches may to some extent be
referred to the Irish or Anglo-Saxon period of architecture.
The constructive principle, of the «stav» building, namely the
vertical position of the timbers, is essentially the same in all these
wooden churches, but probably the oldest designs were all without
side-aisles, with a lower, square sanctuary, and without towers.
Not until the 12th century was the basilica form adapted to
wood, and buildings raised that are remarkable both from an
artistic and a constructive point of view.
Immediately above the semicircular arcade in the older churches
(e.g. Urnes), rises the plank wall of the clerestory, with its Hove Church.