Trelleborg

Trelleborg is the most fortified, sophisticated and well preserved of all the Viking Age ring forts found so far. It was built in 980 during Harald Bluetooth’s reign and occupies a strategic location – the headland between the rivers Tude and Vårby. These were troubled times, and Trelleborg carries clear evidence of attack and war: arrowheads fired at the walls, burned gates and mass graves of young men who died in battle.  Here you will encounter the life of a Viking warrior in the king’s service, savour the Viking Age and take in the natural beauty of the area. 1000 years ago this place was alive with warriors and the women and children, young and old, who followed the warriors here. You will also hear of the mercenaries from afar who served at Trelleborg. It was on a piece of land between two rivers, Tude and Vårby, that Harald Bluetooth had the ring fortress built in 980. It was the first of the Viking era ring forts and was discovered purely by chance: in 1933 the local motorcycle club wanted to race on its ramparts. The site was investigated archaeologically before permission could be given, and it was soon realised that the bikers would have to race somewhere else. The site of the fort was excavated in 1934-42 by National Museum staff. Trelleborg is unique in also having a forward gatehouse and traces of battle – 19 arrowheads have been found embedded in its walls and one of the gates was burned down. There were 16 buildings within the circular ramparts and 15 between the forward gate and main fortress. Today, the load bearing columns are marked with concrete poles, so that the architecture stands out clearly. Not least from atop the reconstructed rampart that offers stunning views of the area; a panorama that explains exactly why King Harald built his fortress here: Trelleborg is located on a promontory, protected on three sides by the aforementioned rivers. It looks likely that Vikings could sail along Tude River between the fortress and the Great Belt, located only 3km away. Both then and now, the fortress could only be entered on one of its 4 sides. Passage to the fort promontory itself was fortified and protected by a forward barbican with ramparts and a moat. Thus easy access to this stronghold was impossible. The first attempt in Denmark to reconstruct a Viking Age building can be seen about 200m from the fortress. This replica hall was built in 1942 using that time’s interpretation of the finds from Trelleborg as a guide. It has vertical outer uprights, but today we know that these posts were sloped. Still, this building has an important place in experimental archaeology and the presentation of living history. When the exhibition building opened in 1995, most of the objects from Trelleborg were moved here from the National Museum. The latest addition is the only Viking Age shield found thus far in Denmark. This was unearthed during an archaeological examination of the river in 2008. In the area behind the exhibition building, a village environment has been created where you can experience daily life in Viking times. The village is called Slagløse, and in high season and holiday periods, activities are staged here for children and adults, such as warrior training, Viking cookery, weaving, Viking games and iron work.