How entire villages lived in just 1 building in remote Far North

For thousands of years survival in Norway's countryside, where farms were miles from each other, meant complete self-sufficiency. Farmsteads were like small villages with several families living together and building their homes from logs and turf.

At Oslo's Norwegian Folk Museum, entire farmsteads have been transplanted here log-by-log by master carpenters who use traditional joinery techniques and knowledge of birch-bark roofs - a combination of birch bark and sod used since at least 300AD. These mini-villages also include elevated storehouses for food and textiles, as well as barns and saunas (not just for recreation, but also for laundry).

This open air museum has 160 buildings (mostly originals with a few reproductions), including one of the world's remaining stave churches dating back to 1200. The centuries-old wood is preserved by a traditional tarring method applied every 4 years.

There are also several city streets of "Old Town" Oslo with townhouses dating back to about 1700 and 19th and 20th Century interiors, including a mock-up of the apartment from Henrik Ibsen's "A Doll's House".

[sohndervenus]

“In traditional Norway, a farmer replaced the roof twice in his life, once with his father and once with his son.” Simple yet so meaningful and profound. As physically demanding as life was back in those days, people were still living in alignment with the cycles of life and every aspect of their lives was an expression of that eternal natural order. Looking at todays culture I find it hard not to feel a deep disconnection when I hear stories like that.

[pasveritas]

Centuries old built Norwegian culture held amazing construction wisdom & understanding of Mother Nature that created such beautiful buildings.
Loved the visit ❤

[mentalmelt]

One of the best places to visit in the entire country imo. Even as a local resident, I never get tired of this place. You can use it as a museum, but you can also use it as a park to just hang out and relax. The smell of old wood and tar is magical. Also very practical for tourists that it's actually in Oslo, 10 minutes or so from the city center.

[RPRosen-kifk]

I am AWED by the VAST SPAN of building & eras this museum curates. I had to smile at the end, seeing them stage a period dance presentation at a ... (1940's ?) gas station. I was also grateful the guide explained how the tar & Birch bark were used to preserve the wood materials.

[rtyria]

At 20:40 "Do not hurry" Priests are not the only ones who would be using that door (unless there is another) as the acolytes process before him carrying candles - and we still tell them "do not hurry" to this day.

[rowanwhite]

These farm houses are truly amazing! National Treasures!

[elizabethcarrington]

Stunning craftsmanship! That man was fascinating and knowledgeable.

[Hippida]

The apartment building from 1865 29:18
It was taken a part brick by brick in downtown Oslo and put up at the museum to continue to capture life from newer period of history.
I Love that there is consideration for capturing a point in time like this, saving it for posterity.
Btw, some of these farmhouses/country side dwellings can still be seen 'in the wild' in many parts of Norway. Some of them 4-500+ years old, boards been grey for almost 100 years, if not more.
Driving through a central valley in the southern half of Norway (Gudbrandsdalen) you can see buildings like these in the side valleys, not to mention spectacular nature

Thanks for featuring this part of Norway too Kirsten and Co

[snowstrobe]

I really like the idea of 15-20 people living on and running a farm. It's my ideal living arrangement.
The footage got a bit dark in places, but just beautiful buildings.

[yvonnekneeshaw]

By far one of my fav videos. Very educational & fascinating. Great commentator & good questions asked. Thank you SO much for taking the time to share this! 🇨🇦 ❤

[tlockerk]

My Great-grandmother HATED life in their "soddy" on high plains of USA. It was all sod, carved up out of the prairie land, stacked like cement blocks with tin or canvas roof initially, later in 1910 the railroad brought some wood (rare on prairie) or wooden beams to support doorway and earth roof as these have. Her tales of worrying of cow wandering onto the roof and in rain, snakes dropping through the ceiling were used to make us appreciate our small ranch home with heat and running water...and with no snakes. She did admit it protected them well from the extreme hot and blizzards so appreciated it for that, but was glad when they finally moved in the 'real' house ten years later. Just in time for the drought and Dirty Thirties sending constant dust into everything. Those who stayed were hearty human beings. Still are.

[Kagekozo]

I was fortunate to visit this site decade ago and I was amazed.

[davidlist]

I lived in a small cabin with a woodstove high in the Colorado Rockies, and it was wonderful even when the snow was four feet high.

[stable-shadow]

Oh wow! I was just their June it! 🕊️ Finland has a similar thing in

[Brib]

I've been to this museum 3 times already but would love to go visit it again sometime soon!

[rolfathan]

Every building here is beautiful, and has been standing for longer than the oldest building in my town. It's wild. It's wonderful.

[jamesr]

I went to Oslo to see the Viking ships museum. I did not know about this one. I would have liked seeing it up close.

[papajeff]

WONDERFUL !!! The skill, ingenuity and thoughtfulness had to come from centuries of a dedicated collection of knowledge. I could listen to this man’s lecture much longer and spend much more time than afforded in this video. Thanks and respect to you, the teacher and the people who maintain this museum, again, much appreciated…from the US, east Tennessee.

[yourlongshadows]

Highly recommend checking out the "standard" museum there as well; lots of beautiful items on display. And another village area/museum well worth a visit is in Lillehammer.

[danielschmitz]

That the tar is a Natural Produkt realy got me by surprise.
Impressive Old Craftsman Work.