Hello everyone, I’m currently planning a Fantasy short film to shoot in Norway this summer and for one scene we would like to shoot in front of one these stone/wood huts for their “medieval” look (no interior scenes required). Are there any cabins like this within driving distance/a daytrip of Oslo? They’re usually not marked as a highlight/viewpoint on google maps or hiking apps so I’ve found it very difficult to find the location of them. Any advice is appreciated!
https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1kc5l2e
Posted by ExpiredVeganSalmon
6 Comments
Depends on what you mean by driving distance. It’s called a “seter”. It’s a cabin/ collection of cabins close to the wild grazing areas for farm animals. Typically these are located in the mountains in remote areas where access to farmland is limited, forcing farmers to let their animals graze in the wild. The cabins were used to look after the animals and also as a base to find the animals in the fall. Most of them are therefore located in the mountains in steep valleys and fjords. Meaning at least a 4 hour drive from Oslo combined with an hour+ walk up a steep mountain. Your closest bet for driving is probably a tall mountain pass like Valdresflye, Strynefjellet, Hemsedalsfjellet.
Keep in mind that most of these while under cultural protection by the state are still in private ownership by farmers and may still be in use
Most houses like these will be privately owned, so you kind of have to look around, and ask the owners.
The closest landscape to the picture, where you can lots of old preserved houses like that, is probably Gudbrandsdalen, or the Valdres area, ~3 hour drive from Oslo.
If all else fails, you have the [The Norwegian cultural Museum](https://norskfolkemuseum.no/en) in oslo, wher they have moved a lot old buildings like that, but without the mountainous scenery in the background.
There’s an outdoor museum in Oslo called The Norwegian Museum of Cultural History. I don’t know if they have stonewalled buildings, but there are certainly medieval houses there. They might let you use the location after hours. https://maps.app.goo.gl/1H3T9Bjfx7MQaQzv7
There are stone remains of a medieval monastery on the island Hovedøya, just a short ferry ride from central Oslo: https://maps.app.goo.gl/F2dLRnBZiZbHNHZW7
To find this type of buildings in the wild you may have to travel a few hours out of the city.
Is the stone masonry of importance? We have quite a lot (for a given value of ‘a lot’) of medieval log houses throughout the drier valleys within some 4 hours drive out of Oslo.
There’s quite a lot of locations in Vågå and Lom where medieval farm houses are still standing and partly still in use in the farms production. Andvord Gard has some of these and has specialised in tourism. If not their buildings will suffice, I’m sure they will have pointers on just who to contact.
In Telemark there is the exellent building collection at Vest Telemark museum at Høydalsmo, where you can also include a medieval stave church in your shoot. For a medieval masonry church (still in use) there’s Seljord church, nearby there’s some medieval buildings at Åmotsdal.
Vikersund ❤️
The «cheat version» for shots of just buildings – without the nature and views around – could be the old and authentic buildings in the collections at Norsk Folkemuseum, Oslo, or Maihaugen, Lillehammer.
Otherwise, you could go to a scenic location _not_ near Oslo, like this one: https://kulturminnefondet.no/prosjekt/turmalet-skagefla/ near Geiranger, on the west coast.
A somewhat different type of location, that may or may not be of interest: Nes kirkeruiner, 55 km from central Oslo. It’s a stone church, originally from the 1100s, and expanded over the years, but a fire in 1854 ruined the roof and the interiors. The outer walls are still in place. The location is right next to where two large rivers meet – Vorma and Glomma – the largest and longest river in Norway. The church ruins is currently a museum site (which means, someone to possibly contact before any filming, but no permanent presence of museum employees there), and free to visit. Car parking nearby.
https://mia.no/nes/kirkeruin
https://www.visitnorway.com/listings/nes-church-ruins/275/
«The first stone church in Nes was built on the headland between the Glomma and Vorma rivers in the twelfth century.
The ruins of the old Nes church can be visited any time and guided tours for groups by prior arrangement April- October.
In pre-Christian times, there was a sacrificial site here. The church was built as a long church in Romanesque style in the 12th century. It was set on fire by the Swedes during the Seven Years’ War in 1566, but was rebuilt and expanded into a cruciform church in 1697. In 1854, the church burned down again, but due to the danger of landslides, it was not rebuilt.
Some of the inventory from the old church was saved and is now located in the new Nes church from 1860. Magnificent views of the confluence of the rivers and the Nesbygda area.
Today the ruins host concerts and weddings at this magnificent location.»
Some people believe the place is haunted…
According to some «paranormal researchers»:
https://penteam.no/home/steder/nes%20kirkeruiner.html
«Nes kirkeruin in Nes in Akershus is located on Disen at the headland where the rivers Glomma and Vorma meet. The church ruin is a popular venue for weddings, church services, concerts and other cultural activities.
The church was built on a sacrificial site from pre-Christian times and was originally a long church.
For many years, the church ruins at Nes have been home to tales of supernatural events. So many people have experienced paranormal phenomena here that there are signs outside the ruins labelled “Spiritual activity”.
The Nes church ruins are described as one of Norway’s most haunted places. Such powerful physical things happen here that the activity can rarely be denied.
We at PEN have experienced many strange events in this place. Sensors go off, we make contact with something both via sb7 spirit box and via the mobile app Echovox 3.0. In addition, we notice constant touching, we see clear shadows, and are affected physically and psychologically by strong energies.»
(Translated with DeepL.com )
https://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/kistene-flot-nedover-elva/82625995
https://www.rb.no/her-spoker-det-mest-pa-hele-romerike-det-er-jo-bare-tull/s/5-43-1898363