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Gol Stave Church, Scandinavian Heritage Park, Minot North Dakota.
Scandinavian Heritage Park
Also includes Minot Area, Dakota Territory Air Museum
The Scandinavian Heritage Park in Minot North Dakota is the only outdoor museum on earth that features the five Nordic countries, which include Finland, Iceland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
Built in 1988, this phenomenal 14 acre heritage park is located in the heart of Minot, and is home to dozens of fantastic displays, buildings and statues... and is truly an absolute "must see and do" during your North Dakota vacation.
The Minot Area has an extremely rich Scandinavian history, and the Scandinavian Heritage Park celebrates and preserves this proud heritage.
But whether or not you have Scandinavian blood running through your veins, you will find the Scandinavian Heritage Park not only interesting, but entertaining and an absolute delight to spend time at.
Gol Stave Church
By far the most famous and popular structure at the Scandinavian Heritage Park in Minot North Dakota is Gol Stave Church. This amazing wooden church is a replica of a Scandinavian church in Olso, Norway that was built in 1280 A.D.
Take the Tour!
This remarkable building was built without a single nail, which makes it all the more fascinating to explore. Standing high on a hill and overlooking the entire heritage park, Gol Stave Church seems to literally touch the sky. And even though simply walking around the outside of Gol Stave Church is a treat, we strongly recommend that you take the free tour that is provided by the Scandinavian Heritage Foundation that shows you the breathtaking interior of this amazing structure.
This fascinating tour is so very much worth your time because you will learn all about the church, how it was built, and the stories behind the symbols and architecture. Every single piece of wood has a purpose, whether to support the structure or to tell a story. In our opinion, the Gol Stave Church Tour is the highlight of the Scandinavian Heritage Park experience.
Gol Stave Church is one of the top highlights at the Scandinavian Heritage Park.
Additional Highlights
In addition to the remarkable Gol Stave Church, there are many other incredible buildings, monuments and statues throughout the Scandinavian Heritage Park that are very much worth discovering and
enjoying...such as the 27 foot tall Swedish Dala horse replica stabbur, a 240 year old log home from Norway known as the Sigdal House, a Danish windmill, the Gol Stave Church Museum, a real Finnish sauna, and much much more.
There is a wonderfully designed walking path that takes you to all of these buildings, monuments and statues, and the park grounds are impeccably well taken care of.
Other highlights of the Scandinavian Heritage Park include the Casper Oimoen Statue, Flag Display, Hans Christian Anderson Statue, Leif Ericson Statue, Granite Map of the Five Nordic Countries, Scandinavian Heritage Center, Stabbur (storehouse replica from Norway, a gorgeous waterfall and reflecting ponds.
Without a doubt, the Scandinavian Heritage Park is a "MUST SEE" during your North Dakota Vacation. And once you spend time here, and once you've discovered all of its treasures and learned about the fascinating history that goes along with all of the displays and structures, you and your family will be so very glad you took the time to explore this fantastic heritage park in the wonderful city of Minot North Dakota.
Norsk Hostfest
The Norsk Hostfest is an annual Scandinavian festival that is the largest festival of its kind in North America.
The words "norsk hostfest" means "Norwegian Autumn Festival", and is where tens of thousands of people congregate to celebrate and participate in the Scandinavian entertainment and culture.
This amazing festival includes countless events and things to do, eat and drink...and among the highlights of the Norsk Hostfest is the annual inductions of candidates into the Scandinavian - American Hall of Fame as well as the annual Miss Norsk Hostfest competition. In addition, each night there are several headliner acts that are not limited to being Scandinavian that are extremely popular. There are also parades, exhibits and many other terrific events and attractions that make Norsk Hostfest the largest festival of its kind in North America.
Scandinavian Heritage Center/Visitor Center located at Scandinavian Heritage Park in Minot ND.
The Scandinavian Heritage Park is a "must see" while visiting the Minot Area.
About Minot, North Dakota
Known as the "Magic City", the great city of Minot North Dakota is not only home to the Scandinavian Heritage Park and Norsk Hostfest Scandinavian Festival, but is also home to the annual North Dakota State Fair and has a wonderful art museum, symphony and opera. The Dakota Territory Air Museum is also located in Minot North Dakota, which is an outstanding air museum that we've spent time at and highly recommend.
While You're In Minot....
Also Check Out the Dakota Territory Air Museum
Founded in June 1986 with the desire to provide its visitors with the most complete aviation facility in not only the state but the entire region, the Dakota Territory Air Museum is a favorite for aviation enthusiasts from around the nation.
Located in Minot North Dakota, the Dakota Territory Air Museum is a working museum with an astounding number of aircraft, both flying and non-flying, as well as restoration projects and promotions of regional air shows and activities. It is truly worth visiting if you are interested in aviation and aviation history, and we highly recommend it while you're in the Minot Area during your North Dakota vacation!
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