Travels

The Chapel in the Hills - Rapid City, South Dakota

While traveling from the Black Hills area to the Bad Lands, we stumbled across this wonderful wooden chapel built as an exact replica of a Norwegian Stave Church. The replica is located in Rapid City, South Dakota. The original Borgund Church is over 800 years old and is located 100 miles northwest of Oslo, Norway. The Chapel in the Hills is a ministry of The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. For more information you can visit their website here.

At the entrance is a grass-roofed building called a stabbur.

Stabbur is Norwegian for storehouse. It is a gift shop here.

That's me in front of the chapel.

The chapel was the dream of Dr. Harry Gregerson, founder Lutheran Vespers radio program.

His dream was realized by donations of A. E. Dahl.

Interior towards the entrance.

Interior towards the Altar.

Me again. See the little door - that was to serve communion to the lepers.

The rear of the chapel.

Inside the rounded backside is a hallway for protection against snow.

Here I am at a side entrance. Look at the ornate carving above.

This side view shows 'window openings' to the hallway area.

 

I'm snapping a picture of the chapel with the chapel's bell tower and bell behind me.

Here you can see the bell tower and chapel.

Behind the chapel is a 'Prayer Walk'. This is the entrance.

The Prayer Walk has many statues along the way.

 

 

A view of the chapel from the Prayer Walk.

There is also a museum with greeters Ole and Lena.

Here I'm greeting Lena.

Here is Lena ready to swat me with here rolling pin.

Here I am with my friend Bob

Next Page on this trip.

Pictures on this page photographed by Bob Snyder

Home The Word Church Homily Pictures Travels Contact Me Who is Links Thoughts


©2010 Father Felicien Mbala
url: http://www.mbala.org/travelschapel.html
Send a comment to the Webmaster about this page.
First Created: 06/10/09 Last Updated: 04/02/11

Hits beginning March 28, 2011