Garmo Stave Church

Garmo Stave Church is a medieval wooden stave church now preserved at the Maihaugen open-air museum in Lillehammer, Innlandet. It dates to the 12th century and is one of Norway’s representative stave churches.

The exterior shows the characteristic vertical post-and-beam construction and the original carved wood ornamentation; the interior contains medieval fittings and decorative fragments. The church is relatively small compared with Norway’s larger stave churches, so visits are typically short and focused on the architecture and carpentry.

The building was originally the parish church for Garmo in the Gudbrandsdalen valley and was dismantled and moved to Maihaugen in the late 19th century by museum founder Anders Sandvig to preserve it. It served as a parish church in its original location during the medieval and early modern periods before replacement by a newer church.

Sited within the Maihaugen open-air museum complex on the outskirts of Lillehammer city, the church is accessible from Lillehammer’s centre and is part of the museum’s collection of historic Norwegian buildings.

• Visiting access: Located inside the Maihaugen open-air museum in Lillehammer, the church is only open to the public during the museum’s visiting hours and special events.
• Construction details: The building retains original medieval wooden construction techniques and carved details that are visible in the interior and portals.

• See the church as part of the Maihaugen open‑air museum in Lillehammer-enter through the Maihaugen main entrance where combined tickets and seasonal opening hours are posted.
• Visit early in the day to avoid coach tour groups and to get quieter access for photos and close inspection of the stave construction; interior access can be limited at times so check the museum's schedule.
• Combine the visit with other Lillehammer attractions nearby (Maihaugen's outdoor exhibits and the town centre) to make the most of museum opening hours and transport connections.