Dutch Guided: Fyrkat Viking Fortress
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Port
Arhus, Denmark
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Activity Level
Moderate
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Excursion Type
Local Sightseeing,All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At
$129.95
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 4½ Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
A Dutch-speaking guide leads this tour (or a guide with a Dutch interpreter). A limited number of Dutch guides and interpreters are available in this port; book early to avoid disappointment. This is not a bilingual tour; tours guided in English are available at Exploration Central on our website.
Driving to the town of Hobro, you're headed to one of the oldest of the Viking ring-fortresses in Denmark. It was built around AD 980 by Danish King Harald Bluetooth. The fortress sits on a strategic inlet, near the ancient trading routes between the northern and central parts of Jutland. Visit the Ring Fortress designed, as the name implies, in a circle with four gates. In each of the four quadrants, four longhouses of identical design are arranged in a square around a smaller house in the middle. In peacetime, the fortress was more of a village in which warriors, craftsmen, women and children lived and worked. This site was excavated in the 1950s and the earthworks, walkways and foundation outlines re-established, giving you a wonderful sense of the scale and importance of the fortress. A Viking longhouse replica situated outside the earthworks showcases life in the Middle Ages.
Nearby, a re-creation of a Viking farmstead depicts everyday life for Viking farmers of that period. The farm is a reconstruction of an actual farm found near Jelling -- the hometown of Harald Bluetooth. During summer season the farmstead is populated by local volunteer enthusiasts, who dress in Viking garb and perform various household chores and cultural traditions. This offers visitors a fascinating glimpse into the world of the Vikings.
Notes:
The Ring Fortress is on display to provide guests with an idea of how the Viking Fortress would have looked like in the past. The Viking Farmstead is a replica to demonstrate how the Vikings would have lived.
Approximately one mile of walking is required, outdoors on uneven dirt and grass terrain.