Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
▲▲Stegastein Viewpoint and Aurlandsvegen “Snow Road”
With a car and clear weather, consider twisting up the mountain behind Aur-
land on route 243 for about 20 minutes for a fine view over the Aurlandsf-
jord. A new viewpoint called Stegastein—which looks like a giant, wooden,
inverted number “7”—provides a platform from which you can enjoy stun-
ning views across the fjords. Immediately beyond the viewpoint, you leave
the fjord views and enter the mountaintop world of the Aurlandsvegen “Snow
Road.” When you finally hit civilization on the other side, you're a mile from
the Lærdal tunnel entrance and about 30 minutes from the fine Borgund Stave
Church.
▲▲Borgund Stave Church
About 16 miles east of Lærdal, in the village of Borgund, is Norway's most-
visited and one of its best-preserved stave churches.
Borgund's church comes with one of this country's best stave-church his-
tory museums, which beautifully explains these icons of medieval Norway.
Dating from around 1180, the interior features only a few later additions, in-
cluding a 16th-century pulpit, 17th-century stone altar, painted decorations,
and crossbeam reinforcements.
