Øye: Churches, Finds and Historic Routes

Øye brings together church architecture, Viking Age finds and historic routes with the transition from the wooded inland to the open mountain landscape of the Filefjell plateau. Øye stave church stands at the western end of Lake Vangsmjøsa; the historic route to Tyinkrysset begins at the church. In Øye, cultural history and landscape come together—making it a good starting point for considering which experiences you want to shape your trip.

Churches and Finds in Øye

Øye stave church was probably built in the 12th century. It has copies of medieval portals, probably also dating from the 12th century, with rich animal ornamentation. Øye Church features a different style of architecture: the wooden long church, built in 1747, stands at Øyebakka. Both churches offer an opportunity to look at different aspects of architectural history.

Kulturstøga also showcases finds from Øye. Its exhibition features a sword and a weaving shuttle from the Viking Age, found in a field in Øye. There is also an incense burner from the old Øye stave church. Together, these exhibits take you from everyday objects from the Viking Age to an object from church history. For travellers who enjoy discovering more than one era, Øye offers a range of points of interest.

Historic Routes Between Øye and Tyinkrysset

The historic route between Øye and Tyinkrysset begins at the end of Lake Vangsmjøsa, by Øye stave church. It runs mostly over grass and gravel, leading from the wooded inland into the open mountain landscape of the Filefjell plateau. The section of Kongevegen over Filefjell also runs from Øye stave church to Tyinkrysset. The change in landscape is especially pronounced along this historic route.

The varied surfaces and the transition to open mountain terrain give the route a distinctive character, though they do not provide a basis for estimating a walking time or difficulty level. If you are interested in historic routes, you can make this trail one of the highlights of your trip. Those who would rather focus their stay on churches or exhibits will also find independent cultural attractions in Øye.

The History of Electricity in Øye

Eidsfoss 1 adds a technical aspect to the local history. The facility is also known as “Øye power station and mill.” Local landowners founded it in the early 1920s; it supplied electricity from 1923 to 1953.

Culture and Landscape in the Wider Vang Destination

The wider Vang destination offers other distinct cultural attractions. Høre Stave Church dates from around 1179 and features rich medieval wood carvings of dragons and lions. Vang Church has a catechism panel dating from 1620, which previously stood in Vang Stave Church. In 2012, Vang Church also received back a collection of wooden figures, including apostles and Jesus. These figures were probably in the former Vang Stave Church. This places Øye’s church and exhibition theme within a broader cultural context specifically associated with Vang.

Vang also offers themes beyond Øye’s local history for a more active stay. There is a short, family-friendly cycling loop above the village of Vang, at the foot of the Grindane massif. After just one kilometre, it offers views of the village, Lake Vangsmjøsa and the mountains to the north. The historic Stølsruta hiking route crosses Stølsvidda, running from the mountain farms in Nord-Aurdal through Vestre Slidre to Vang. These examples can help you weigh cultural interests against activities across the wider destination, without attributing them to Øye itself.

When choosing your holiday apartment, you can first decide whether your stay will focus mainly on Øye’s churches, finds and industrial history, or also include other themes in the wider Vang destination. Then check that the specific location of your accommodation suits the experiences you want to prioritise.

Discover more destinations: Vang, Ryfoss, Tyinkrysset.

Go to the wider travel overview: Vang.