The Washington Island Stavkirke is a Stave temple, a structure common in Scandinavian culture. It is traditionally built of wood and stone alone. Washington Island is an island off of Door County, Wisconsin, the peninsula of Wisconsin. The Door Peninsula is heavily influenced by Scandinavian culture and traditions, and in the early 1990’s, a Christian church on Washington Island decided to raise funds to resurrect a Stave temple for visitors to appreciate. Thus, the building style was heavily influenced by common Norwegian and Swedish ornaments. (https://www.wpr.org/stave-church-washington-island-was-built-honor-scandinavian-heritage)

My family visits Door County, Wisconsin every summer. One summer in 2015, we took the ferry up to Washington Island, and took the island tour. One of the stops was the Washington Island Stavkirke. I remember the feeling I had walking up the stone pathway to the temple, and it was sense of relaxation and happiness. It felt like a magical place, where wishes came true. Actually, I remember our tour guide telling us that if you made a wish there while you were meditating that it was bound to come true! I loved how hopeful the building felt. Below is a picture of me circa high school between one of the pillars on the porch of the temple.