Contentment

Norway

One of the days during my visit after Ingeborg got off work at the hospital (she is an ER nurse), she took me to the island of Mosterøy just outside of Stavanger to visit the Utstein Kloster. Utstein is a monastery from the Medieval Ages.

The property is stunning and one of the most peaceful places I've ever visited. I snagged this photo from their Google Maps page so you can get the full view.

Here is an excerpt from their website so I don't botch the history of the place.

Utstein Monastary is mentioned in historical records going back to the 9th century, when it was cited as King Harald Fairhair´s garrison after the Battle of Hafrsfjord where Norway was unified under one monarch. (The is the place with the Swords in the Stone I wrote about previously.)

Construction of the Monastery started in about 1260, although some parts may be older and may date from the earlier royal farm on the site. The Church is unique in Norway with its tower situated centrally between chancel and nave.

The Augustinian monks lived a pious life. Discipline was strict, with regular prayers, scripture readings, and services. This is believed to have housed 12 monks, but with a significant number of servants who looked after the farm, did the building work, and prepared the food. The Monastary owned considerable land and was wealthy enough to support 250 people year-round.

After the Reformation, the Monastery was empty during long periods and fell into disrepair. When Christopher Garmann moved here in 1750 the buildings were refurbished, though sometimes in a very different form. The Monastery was used as a farmhouse for the surrounding fields until the early 1930s. Restoration of the chancel and tower of the church dates from about 1900, while the rest of the Monastery was renovated in the 1950s - 60s.

Nowadays the Monastary is run as a museum and course and conference centre, and is offered for private functions and as a concert venue.

Utstein is Norway’s only remaining Medieval monastery.

Can you imagine building something like this in the 1200s? America (as we know it today) wasn't even discovered yet. I feel like we Americans are babies compared to this place.

The chapel on the grounds has the most beautiful feeling inside. I'm sure many prayers have been said here over the centuries.

The main part of the monastery is decorated as it was when the former family lived here.

The antique furniture was in good condition despite years gone by. All of the chairs had lion feet for legs except one that was to honor their sheep farming business. Ahh, the little details.

The remodeled house was complete with a chamber pot (toilet) in one of the bedrooms from the second half of the 18th Century. Furniture isn't made to last like this anymore. It’s pretty incredible. Looking at you, IKEA.

I was in awe of how the light flowed through the windows. Despite the fact that we were told on the tour that the building is haunted by spirits, I found the place very charming, cozy, and comforting. Nighttime might be another story.

We spent a couple of hours walking the grounds and enjoying the views but I still had trouble wrapping my head around the fact that the monastery was so old and is still standing.

Afterward, Ingaborg wanted to show me the Fjøløy lighthouse on the nearby island, Fjøløy. It was first built in 1849 but has been upgraded since.

This little slice of the world is so picturesque.

The lighthouse runs off of solar panels now but before 1977 and current technology, the family of the lighthouse keeper lived in the house in the photo below. I would love to wake up to that view in the summer but I have a feeling that winters were challenging.