It is the church for the Vågå parish which is part of the Nord-Gudbrandsdal prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Hamar.

The brown, wooden church was built in a cruciform design in 1627 by the architect Werner Olsen.

The older name of the site may show that even in pagan times, the location had been in use for worship.

Only the carved portals and decorative wall planks survived from the original stave church.

[7][9] The crucifix at Vågå church is early Gothic work, dating from the mid-13th century.

On his grave is a small soapstone monument, which shows a wild reindeer herd in flight, after a painting by Gerhard Munthe.