Rygnestadtunet

Rygnestadtunet is an open-air museum in Valle showing traditional farm buildings, water mills, and storage structures typical of the Setesdal valley. The site contains structures from different time periods that reveal how agricultural properties were organized.

The farm took its present form through the assembly of various buildings, with the Rygnestadloftet storehouse built in 1590 using materials from a deconstructed stave church. This shows how rural communities recycled resources and constructed new structures from older materials.

The main house displays traditional Norwegian living spaces with a central hearth and sleeping areas, showing how families organized their daily life here. The room layout reflects how people worked around heat and light sources.

The museum is easy to explore on foot since all buildings are relatively close together, and signage helps with navigation. Visitors should come prepared for uneven ground and wear comfortable footwear.

The Trihågloptet is an unusual three-story storehouse that builders constructed from top to bottom rather than ground up. This inverted building method was a practical solution to construction challenges of the time.

Location: Valle Municipality

Official opening: 1940

Website: http://setesdalsmuseet.no/index.php?m=sider&m_action=vis&id=5&des_id=5

GPS coordinates: 59.26280,7.48940

Latest update: December 14, 2025 15:00