The country best known for fjords and otherworldly Arctic landscapes is also the only place in Northern Europe with Middle Ages era wooden churches that are still intact. Norway has 28 in all, each attractive in its own right, but the loveliest of them is the Borgund Stave Church in western Norway, which dates to 1180.
Named for the vertical wooden boards (called staves) from which they are built, stave churches are famous for their nail-less construction of interlocking notches and grooves. The result often looks like an upside down Viking ship.
The Borgund is a wonderful example of stave architecture, with four carved dragonheads sprouting from its rooftop gables like something you'd see in the Far East and steeply pitched rooftops that mirror the dramatic plunges of the surrounding mountains. Apart from a row of benches, a simple altar, and a cupboard for storing religious vessels, there's not much to see inside the church, but the fantastical exterior is well worth a look. There is an entry fee of 70 Norwegian kroners (about $13) for adults.
