Skaun: Church Art, Pilgrim Routes and Local History

Skaun is best discovered through its church art and pilgrim routes. Venn is home to a medieval stone church; the museum, landscape and routes offer further ways to explore local history. You can shape your stay around your interests, whether sacred art, historic sites or marked hiking trails.

Church, Artwork and Local History

Skaun Church is a stone church dating from around 1180. Its architecture combines early Gothic design with numerous features of the older Romanesque tradition. This juxtaposition makes it especially noteworthy for those interested in cultural history: the church does not represent just one period, but shows how different stylistic features come together in a single building. Inside is also a rare early Gothic antependium dating from around 1250. It depicts the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child and adds a distinctive feature alongside the architecture.

Right next to the church in Venn, the Skaun Village Museum presents a local history exhibition about the villages in Skaun. Information panels, photographs and objects make the exhibition a complement to a visit to the church: alongside the medieval building, the focus is on the history of everyday life in the villages.

Nearby is Husaby, with a historic farmstead and old church ruins; Einar Tambarskjelve lived there. The ground plan of a farm church built around 1040 and a memorial stone to Einar have been preserved. Husaby is also associated with Sigrid Undset’s novel Kristin Lavransdatter. The Skaun Village Museum also includes the Skreddarhaugen farm east of Husaby: the farmhouse dates from 1750, and the barn from the 17th century. Together, these places offer a range of historical reference points, from the early farm church to later agricultural buildings.

Pilgrim Routes and Marked Hiking Trails

The Pilegrimsleden runs along Aunberga to Venn and ends at Skaun Church. The section through Skaun is 26 kilometres long. Wooden posts mark the route: wide posts indicate places of interest, while narrow ones show the way. The Gudbrandsdalsleden also passes through Skaun. Both routes give the destination a clear connection to pilgrimage; on the Pilegrimsleden, the church as its endpoint and the length of the Skaun section are useful points of reference.

Marked hiking trails are also among the activities available around the destination. They can be found around Aunberga, southwest of the centre of Venn. Nearby, there are also marked trails at Steinsåsen by Laugen. If you are planning a hike, check current route conditions before setting out. This lets you plan your days around your chosen focus: the pilgrim route leads to the church, while the hiking trails offer a different way to explore the surrounding area on foot.

Venn as a Point of Reference

The centre of Venn lies in an open, bowl-shaped landscape. Farmland rises gently towards wooded hills that enclose the area. This landscape gives the place a different character from the historic interiors of the church and museum: here, open land and the transition to wooded heights shape the impression.

The road junction also helps with navigation. In the centre of Venn, the county roads Skaunvegen (Fv. 709), Melbyvegen (Fv. 6629) and Husbyvegen (Fv. 6620) meet. Venn was a historic transport hub and is still shaped by these three roads.

When looking for a holiday apartment in Skaun, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on. If you are particularly interested in church art and local history, the church, museum and Husaby are useful reference points for planning your stay. If marked trails are more important, turn your attention to Aunberga and Steinsåsen. Venn provides a clearly identifiable reference point for the village centre and its historic attractions.

Discover more destinations: Viggja, Buvika and Børsa.

Go to the main travel overview: Skaun.