Many who have visited the place have had the impression that they
were facing a Chiese pagoda or a Hindu temple. Therefore, the fact that this
structure is a Christian church originating not in the Far East, but the North,
e. g. in Scandinavia comes to many visitors as a surprise.
Since we have few everyday dealings with Norway we are not very familiar
with the Scandinavian homeland of the Wang church. Norway, on the other hand,
is acknowledged as the motherland of Edward Grieg, the composer; the land of
fjords; a starting point for the Vikings in their longships and a place of the
past Winter Olympics.
On the other hand, the history of the Norwegian people, their cultural
development, their past, in general, is hardly known to us. Yet this might even
add to the interest and attraction of becoming more familiar with this structure,
which is both an example of and an undeniable testimony to the output of indigenous
Scandinavian culture. The church dates back to a specific time in their history,
and comes from a specific place, the Valdres region.
photo: © Janusz Moniatowicz
The Wang church is not only a valuable monument, but first and foremost
it is a House of the Lord where the members of the Lutheran Church come to worship.
Theirs is the duty of looking after the building, so their care can be clear evidence
of their faith.
There is one fact about the Wang church that deserves attention.
It is not only a church, a monument but also an important meeting place for the
people of Europe as well.
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