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MAIHAUGEN MUSEUM, LILLEHAMMER, NORWAY
Maihaugen is an open air museum comprising 200 buildings set in beautiful countryside, with a range of exhibitions and several welcoming restaurants. A fascinating and enjoyable day out for the whole family.
Maihaugen presents a rural society through churches, homes, farm yards and tools from the Gudbrandsdalen valley which extends north from Lillehammer. Traditional farming methods and handicrafts are also on show.
The Open air museum tells the story of people in the Gudbrandsdalen Valley the last 300 years, of life between the wars in the inland town of Lillehammer and of homes and domestic environments in the 20th century.
Turf roofs in Norway are a tradition and you will see them everywhere. On those roofs there are 7 layers of turf. The first layer was laid on a base of birch bark, with the grass side up, the second is upside down, this continues till the last one, with the grass side up. It's a cheap way of insulation, but you have to keep the grass short by cutting it by hand or, so I was told, by putting a goat on your roof, and take care that no trees are growing on your roof.
Historians believe the first grass roof house was built some time around 900 BC. The grass roof design really came into its own in Iceland and Scandinavia where natural grasses were often used on structures.
More about grass or turf roofs Here
ABC is created by Denise Nesbitt.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with "M".
34 comments:
Between the wars...
I admired your Maihaugen Lillehammer post and the first words I saw were those about war. There is so much more on this post. I read the whole thing and it is well written and informative and I learned a lot about roofs in Norway.
And the sod roof is reminiscent of the sod houses of the great plains. That much dirt and sod does act as a great insulation.
Gobsmacks
It was a pleasure to read about Maihaugen (one of our most important museum) as written by a Dutch woman. I must with shame admit that I have never visited it, although I have been to Lillehammer. Now I can only refer anyone who ask to your post!
Very intersting about the roofs - loved the pictures of the home too. The thought of a goat on the roof is quite fun!
I have seen some of the turf roofs in Norway - they are wonderful - in fact I love the whole country - it is so clean and fresh and the people are so welcoming. In the far North, way above the Arctic circle, where life is harsh, the houses are painted in bright, jolly colours. During the second world war they suffered greatly as many places were destroyed in the scorched earth policy of retreat.
Great post, as always, and I always learn someting interesting! Thanks, Wil!
How funny to se a post from Norway. We were visiting Marihaugen two years ago, a beautiful place :)
Interesting sod roof tradition. some of the houses in your photos need a goat!
Beautiful church on your slides.
Oh, my, Maihaugen, Lillehammer, looks like a wonderful place to visit, Wil. Loved all the pictures. I have been to Austria, Germany, Italy, parts of Switzerland, but have never been to Norway. You make me wish that I had visited it.
I hope you had a wonderful Easter!
Hugs,
Renie
Very interesting post...I loved all the info about roofs...and would love to visit that museum..
These open museums are a marvellous idea. Beautiful.
The world here is relatively new - I remember traveling abroad and being overwhelmed at the age and beauty of the architecture. Lovely post!
Oh I really like this post, what a pleasure reading it. Maihaugen is a wonderful place to visit. And you give so interesting information about it. I wish you a lovely wednesday, my dear Wil! =)
I've been to a few of that type of museum and they are always so fascinating. :D Thanks for sharing this one.
I think reading RuneE's comments about the post where quite right. Always such comprehensive posts on subjects and places I am often unfamiliar with.
I enjoyed this post, I always learn so much when I visit here. Yes I agree with Mr. Lincoln, "the sod roof reminded me of the sod houses here in the great plains."
This sounds so fun! I would love to bring Kaish there for a visit! Your country is so full of amazing things. One of the things I LOVE about ABC Wednesday is learning about other people and cultures. Thank you for sharing. I always learn so much when I come here!
This was fascinating and lovely photos. Grass roofs are very scandinavian. Since reading Roald Dahl with the kids when small I find Norway an interesting place, and lately I just love Per Pettersen whose book Out Stealing Horses is absolutely beautifully written and evokes Norway wonderfully, at least the images of the place. So this reminded me of it. I'd never heard of this place. Bergen always reminds me of The Witches by Roald Dahl, it starts off there.
Fascinating information about the roofs and the whole museum. A wonderful post for the letter M. I always enjoy coming here to see what your choice will be.
What a wonderful post. I visited my sister and her family many years ago when they lived in Norway and found those rooves fascinating.
There is a famous marketplace not far from here with grass roofs and goats wandering on them. Delightful photos Wil.
Lovely photos. They made me yearn for a picnic. Just beautiful. Very strange to have to mow your roof. I'm pretty sure the neighbors would let me borrow their goats if we decide to try this. LOL
Such wonderful roofs!!!
Aloha
What a picturesque village! I always wondered about those grass roofs; thanks for explaining how they were contructed. Abe Lincoln's remark about the sod houses of the American pioneers was interesting as well; I had never thought of the similarity before. We need to re-roof our house---I wonder if we could do this? Of course, I don't think I'd like to have a goat on my roof:)
Vandaag heel weing tijd , daarom kom ik je vlug een fijne en zonnige dag wensen.
Groetjes
What a neat museum! Thanks for sharing all of this with us! That Stave Church is absolutely gorgeous. I love the turf roofs.. I wonder what is the easiest way to get a goat up onto your roof.. ;)
Thanks for sharing. It is must be a very interesting place to visit. We did see this type of grass roof buildings when we lived in England and also saw them in part of France. However, is it difficult to maintain? I remeber that they need to be replaced every sevewral years.
great pictures very nice I think it sounds great
Un article très instructif, avec de
MERVEILLEUSES photos !
L'église aux toits pointus est typiquement scandinave, n'est-ce pas?
En France aussi, les écomusées ou parcs préhistoriques ont la cote.
Those turf rooves are fascinating! And I'd love to ramble around that rural museum. Social history is the only kind of history for me!
An amazing multi-faceted museum! Wonderful information, Wil, and excellent photos. Thanks.
This reminds me of how much Otto and I enjoyed autoing through Norway, especially the stave churches.
What to say? All this touches me, once I have been there, but only once. I think, my norwegian husband never. It's always like that, the nice homeland places is not so attractive as places far away. So my Estonia is always getting the 2nd place to go to discover...
PS. the cats are fantastic!
You are such a great advertiser for my country Norway! It is with shame I have to say I have never been to Maihaugen, but I have been in Lillehammer!
But I have visited other Stave Churches - and they are so interesting! Makes me angry to know people have burned them down, without any respect for their own history.
Nice post.
I learned something new today through your post.
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