Lærdalsøyri: Wooden Town, Museums and Markets

In Lærdalsøyri, historic wooden architecture, postal history, art and a long market tradition shape different aspects of the town. To find your bearings, it is worth distinguishing Gamle Lærdalsøyri from the town centre, as well as local attractions from the themes associated with the wider Lærdal destination.

Gamle Lærdalsøyri and the town’s history

Gamle Lærdalsøyri is a protected historic wooden town with more than 160 historic buildings. This district has small shops, a bakery, a café and a museum. Its historic buildings and visitor attractions give the neighbourhood several different aspects. If you are interested in wooden architecture and local history, Gamle Lærdalsøyri is a clear focus for your stay.

The Lærdal Postal and Telecommunications Museum is located in the “Telegrafen” building, right at the boundary between Gamle Lærdalsøyri and the town centre. It presents local, regional and national postal history through photographs, illustrations, texts, objects, models and soundscapes. The exhibits range from images and texts to objects, models and sound; the subject also spans three levels: local, regional and national postal history.

Art and a guided tour of the old town

The Sogn Art Centre is located in the Lærdal Cultural Centre in Lærdalsøyri. There, you can discover art by Hans Gjesme and other, including unexpected, exhibitions. This adds a different cultural focus to postal history: art and changing exhibitions rather than the history of the postal service.

Another way to explore the town is to take a guided tour of the old town. It starts at the “Old Bank”, the pink building at Øyragata 11, and lasts 45–55 minutes. The tour therefore offers a different focus from the museum displays: the guided walk through the old town is at its centre.

Market tradition and dates

Lærdalsmarknaden is an open-air market and one of Norway’s oldest markets; its roots go back to the 16th century. The Lærdalsmarknaden association organises three markets each year: Lærdalsmarknaden on the third full weekend in June, the autumn market on the last weekend in September, and a Christmas market on the second-to-last Saturday in November.

The market dates and the old-town tour answer different planning questions: the three markets offer recurring dates throughout the year, while the guided tour is listed as lasting 45–55 minutes. The dates fall in June, September and November, so the market tradition is not limited to a single season.

Culture in the wider Lærdal destination

The wider Lærdal destination also has its own historical themes. In Borgund in Lærdal stands Borgund stave church, dating from around 1182; it is one of Norway’s best-preserved monuments. The church museum has an exhibition about the role of stave churches in the religious life of the Middle Ages. Borgund stave church also has a permanent exhibition of Viking finds discovered in Bjørkum in 2009.

The old E16 through Lærdal provides another link between Borgund and Lærdalsøyri. After the modern road was rerouted through tunnels, the old road became a very attractive cycling route from Borgund stave church down to Lærdalsøyri. Conditions may vary. The cultural attractions in Lærdalsøyri and the broader themes of the Lærdal destination can thus be explored side by side, without treating the places or their respective attractions as interchangeable.

Discover more destinations: Steinklepp, Borgund.

Go to the overview of the wider destination: Lærdal.