Borgund Stave Church is a former parish church initially Catholic and later the Church of Norway in Lærdal Municipality.  It was built around the year 1200 as the village church and belonged to Lærdal parish until 1868, when its religious functions were transferred to a “new” Borgund Church nearby. The old church was restored, conserved and turned into a museum, run by the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments, and classified as a triple-nave stave church of the Sogn-type. Its grounds contain Norway’s sole surviving stave-built free-standing bell tower.  Unused postcard.  Grade: 1