Grand Designs Norwegian Style

Lillehammer, Norway. 

Inside Garmo Stave Church

Lillehammer is relatively flat, which came as quite a surprise given its history as a site for Winter Olympics (1994). Not that we know anything about winter or winter sports!   Any ideas we had of visiting the Olympic facilities however were put to rest as the town was busy preparing for its next challenge post–tourist season, the 2016 Youth Olympics. 

We had however, arrived to other celebrations – the start of the Uni year, when newbies are learning their drinking capabilities on one wild night.  We were warned by the hotel and the restaurant of this fearsome and noisy beast, but hardly heard a thing or noted any miscreant behaviour.  Having been young ourselves once, we knew what to look for.

If only we could remember that far back!

Garmo Stave Church, Maihaugen

Rather than mixing it with the young ones (who were probably relieved, sigh!), we took off to the living history museum, Maihaugen for a few hours – the perfect opportunity to see inside period homes.  Maihaugen began its life as a cultural collection of Anders Sandvig, a dentist who saw the value in preserving Norwegian buildings and folk items for posterity.  His collection grew and was eventually settled in its present location in 1904 under the city’s management, with Sandvig becoming curator.  There are now some 200 buildings, spread between three specific “themes’ (rural, town and residential), all beautifully set out and furnished in authentic period style.

First we stopped at the guest centre to view “We Won the Land” – a summary of Norway’s history.  From there we walked our way through a number of exhibits.  Perhaps the most interesting was the Garmo stave church for the story of Sandvig’s sleuthing to find it, piece by piece and the oldest “farm settlement” Oygarden, with its winter and summer residences, lots of animal shelters & food storage areas and even a house for the old folks.  On such a warm summer day, it made it hard to visualise life in Norway’s cold and snow.

Post Office & to-die-for cars, Maihaugen

And a few domestic items.  GS wanted that
sewing machine for WJ3 - no electricity necessary

Some of us then took the opportunity to view another residence, Bjerkebaek, once the home of Sigrid Undset (1882-1949).  Undset is Norway’s most famous female author and her novel trilogy “Kristin Lavransdatter” set in Medieval Norway sold world-wide.  She also received the Nobel Prize for Literature (from an all-male selection panel) in 1928 and was the third woman to have achieved this significant acknowledgement. 

She lived quite well from her earnings as an author and managed to raise three children on her own. Her home was furnished in the sparse Arts & Crafts style and reflected her many travel experiences.  Yes, she even had a collection of American quilts!  The summer garden was a late-summer delight and quite large, so a good “Grand Designs” day was has by all.

For those interested, Norwegian (well, really Scandinavian) style can best be summed up as a relaxed, pared back country style.  It reflects a love for the great outdoors and good design and is probably best known to us through the Marimeko label (a Finnish design) and even a language I speak well, Swedish Ikea.  Gudren Sjoden, a clothing and textile designer, has a Norwegian range that is quite beautiful. Be prepared to spend time exploring Scandi designers....

Sadly, this was to be our last day in Norway.  We bid this delightful country farewell and moved on, in holiday mood, to the Swedish lakes district and the town of Mora.