Heritage articles

Veggli stave churchBeside the present church in Veggli lies the old cemetery. This area had a stave church from the 13. century. It was a small church. The nave was 5.7 m long and 4.6 m wide, while the apse was only 2 m wide.

The population grew substantially between 1600 and 1700, and a larger church was required. The stave church was rebuilt and expanded in the same way as the church in Rollag. The apse was demolished in 1684 and a new built in its place. Transepts were constructed in 1704 - 1708.

In 1763 the old altarpiece was replaced with a new one, painted by Ezekiel von Dram, who also painted the pulpit at Rollag. The altarpiece were moved to the new church. In the mid 1800s the church was too small and inconvenient and it was decided to build a new church, which was finished in 1859. The old stave church was dismantled in 1861.

The baptismal font, dated 1120 and the church bells from the 13. century were moved to the new church. Part of a stave that has formed part of the east apse wall
is now held at historical museum in Oslo.

When the old church was dismantled, parts of it were sold to local farmers. Several decorated doors and other details reside on the farms in the vicinity.