City: Rapid City, SD

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (605) 342-8281

Address: 3788 Chapel Lane

Description: Known in English as Chapel in the Hills, and in Norwegian as Stav Kirke, the little wooden church in the pines is a 1969 replica of the 12th-century Borgund Church in Laerdal, Norway. The ornately carved, unique structure takes its name, which means stave church, from the 12 staves around which it is built. The staves represent the 12 apostles, the foundation of the Christian church. With its wooded backdrop and broad, well-kept lawn, the chapel and its grounds impart a sense of peace and well-being. It’s no wonder couples from a wide area choose to be married here. Visitors can sit on wooden benches in the chapel and listen to a continuous tape to learn more about the building’s intricate features, including the dragon heads that adorn the roof. There’s also a late-19th-century log cabin built by Norwegian immigrant Edward Nielsen that has been turned into a museum cozily furnished with Scandinavian antiques. The reception center/gift shop, housed in a grass-roofed stabbur (traditional pantry or granary building) imported from Norway, continues the Scandinavian motif with carvings, handcrafts, and books. In addition to its spiritual and architectural significance, Chapel in the Hills reminds visitors of the northern Europeans who immigrated to South Dakota, imbuing the state with their steadfast, vivid heritage. Chapel in the Hills is open from 7 a.m. until dusk daily, from May 1 through Sept 30. A half-hour nondenominational vespers service begins at 8 each evening from mid-June through late Aug. Weddings may be scheduled from mid-Mar until mid-Nov. Donations to support the nonprofit operation are appreciated. To get there, take SR 44 to Chapel Lane in Rapid City and follow the signs to Stav Kirke.