Herøy and Herøy Old Church Site and Herøy Museum

The island of Herøy is located in Flåværleia - in the middle of the old trading route. This was the first important harbor, north of Stad, and here there was a "Thing" (political assembly) and a church in the Middle Ages.

eileen.gjerde@heroy.kommune.no

Phone

+ 47 954 56 954

Stamp

The stamp is accessible at all hours behind the pilgrim shed behind the main building

Pilgrim shed

You can seek shelter all year round and at any hour in the pilgrim shed behind the main building

Site of the old church

The site of the old church is accessible at all times. It is without walls and roof and it shows where the old church used to be. It is a very special atmosphere here. Take the time to emerge yourself in it.

Marked trail

You can hike along the pilgrim trail. from Herøy Gard. It is marked to Klosterhaugen and other places. Here, you might notice the questions for reflection along the way.

The island has two good natural harbors and lies along Flåværleia, the old sea route from north of Stad to Breisundet outside Ålesund. Herøy is mentioned several places in the sagas, and the view today is the same as the one Olav Haraldsson and our ancestors saw when the coastal route was the main travel corridor.

The Old Church Site

There have been two churches on the island. In the Middle Ages, a Romanesque stone church was built. It was the main church for outer Sunnmøre and one of the canon parishes under Nidaros Cathedral. In 1859, the stone church was demolished and a new, larger church built of timber logs was erected. It was later dismantled and moved to Fosnavåg in 1916. Today, the ruins of the stone church are used for services and weddings, among other events.

Herøy Coastal Museum

Herøy Coastal Museum is the old 19th-century trading post, with buildings, interiors, fishing gear, and boats, including the Sunnmøre boat “Anna Olava.” The museum presents the history of the island and the trading post. It is open year-round, with regular opening hours for guided tours and the museum café during the summer season.

Pilgrim Trail

The pilgrim trail (1.7 km) is a circular route that passes seven reflection points and ends at the ruins of the stone church, which is the pilgrimage destination at Herøy farm. The trail runs through beautiful coastal scenery and passes a prominent mound in the middle of the island called “Klosterhaugen” (“Monastery Hill”). Archaeological excavations show that a building once stood on the mound, though its function remains uncertain.

Year-Round Shelter for Peace and Quiet

Behind the main building is a small stone house open year-round, where visitors can find peace and shelter from the weather. Inside, there is a mailbox containing a pilgrim stamp, as well as information about the key site, the pilgrim trail, and the local pilgrim liturgy.

Historical Play

The Herøy Play, “The King’s Ring,” is a historical drama of love, conflict, revenge, and hope, based on one of Olav Haraldsson’s visits to the island. The play is performed at Herøy Amphitheatre on the first weekend of July each year.

Contact person at the key site Herøy:
Herøy Coastal Museum
Email: kystmuseum@heroy.kommune.no
Phone: +47 480 46 338