Borgund Stave Church is a fascinating, captivating building in Norway. It was built around 1200 AD and is one of the few remaining stave churches in Europe. Its walls are formed by vertical wooden boards, or staves, hence the name "stave church" - and its four corner posts are connected to each other by ground sills. The exterior timber surfaces are darkened by protective layers of tar, distilled from pine. The roof is steeply pitched, boarded horizontally and clad with shingles. The four outer dragon heads are perhaps the most distinctive symbols adorning Borgund Stave Church; their purpose is debated but may have been intended to ward away evil spirits thought to threaten the church building. Inside, there is a soapstone font, an altar (with 17th-century altarpiece), a 16th-century lectern, and a 16th-century cupboard for storing altar vessels, as well as delicate engravings of figures and runes. The interior structure is characterized by the twelve free-standing columns that support the nave’s elevated central space. A visit to this incredible building is sure to be an eye-opening experience.