Said to have been constructed by Scottish master builders at the end of the 12th century, Kinsarvik Church is one of the oldest stone churches in Norway. The interior was restored in 1961 to its pre-Reformation condition. It has a 17th-century pulpit painted by Peter Reimers, a painted and carved altarpiece, and medieval frescoes. The church is constructed in a vaguely Roman style, and chalk paintings on the walls show the "weighing of souls" in judgment by Archangel Michael. The admission-free church is open daily May to September 15 10am to 4pm.
Borstova, the building on the fjord side of the green facing the church, was constructed partly from the timbers of St. Olav's Guildhall, the meeting place of the local guild until 1680. It's now a council chamber and social center.
The stone column (minnestein) on the green commemorates the local men who fought in the wars that led to the end of Norway's union with Denmark in 1814.
The Tillegg i Tekst (Hardanger Recreation Park), in the middle of Kinsarvik, is open daily mid-May to mid-August. It is an ideal place for a picnic on a summer day. You can pick up picnic supplies from the town's only grocery store, SPAR (tel. 53-67-11-70), which is located in the town center, a 2-minute walk from the Best Western Kinsarvik Fjord Hotel.
Lying 6.5km (4 miles) from Kinsarvik on Rte. 13 to Odda, a minor road forks left providing an alternative route to Lofthus. A short distance from the fork is the entrance to the Skredhaugen Museum (tel. 90-17-41-15), a branch of the Hardanger Folk Museum at Utne. A collection of 10 timber houses gathered from the Hardanger area and furnished according to the period can be viewed here. There is also an art gallery of regional works on view. The museum is open June 10 to August 20 Monday to Saturday 11am to 4pm, Sunday noon to 4pm. Admission is NOK45 ($9/£4.50), and free for children.
Kinsarvik is also an excellent base for exploring all the attractions of the Hardangerfjord area, including the Hardangervidda mountain plateau. You can rent rowing boats and canoes here to explore the fjord. The tourist office will tell you how to reach the Nykjesøyfossen waterfall, or the best viewpoint for taking in the panoramic of the better-known Vøringfossen waterfall. Many sights in Lotthus, Utne, Eidfjord, and Ulvik can also be easily explored from a base at Kinsarvik.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
