Royal Jelling - visitorcenter

31.03.2008

Royal Jelling

The Jelling cup

Gormsgade 23, 7300 Jelling, Phone +45 75 8723 50 , Fax 75 87 23 48
Email

INFORMATION • EXHIBITIONS • CALENDAR • THE 1000 YEAR KINGDOM

Two giant mounds, a couple of large rune stones, and midway between them a whitewashed church - what links these impressive monuments from the past?
The exhibition Royal Vikings is among other things about how these mighty monuments were created a thousand years ago, about their central position in the history of Denmark, about the victory of Christianity over the Norse gods, and not least about the first kings in the world's oldest monarchy.

The Jelling of the Viking Kings
In the tenth century, at the highest point in the landscape west of Vejle, the kings Gorm the Old and Harold Bluetooth created a monument that is unique in the Nordic context. The oldest feature is the remains of a huge ship-shaped stone circle - then came the rune stones and the mounds, and finally the church.

Gorm the Old's rune stone links the royal couple Gorm and Thyra to a kingdom called Denmark. The story continues on Harold Bluetooth's rune stone, which describes a central event in the history of Denmark: the King's acceptance of Christianity on behalf of his whole people. For that reason the stone is often called "Denmark's Certificate of Baptism".

Mysteries
The exhibition touches on a number of the mysteries associated with Jelling. Is it King Gorm the Old that the archaeologists have found in the floor beneath Jelling Church? Was he really buried first in the northern mound in accordance with heathen custom? And why does the largest runestone show both the Midgard Serpent and Christ on the Cross? Who lies buried in the world's largest ship setting?

World Heritage
Jelling is one of Denmark's most important historical sites. In 1994 the monuments were included on UNESCOs list of historical monuments particularly worthy of preservation, the World Heritage List (thus joining among other things Stonehenge and the Great Wall of China).

Vejleegnens Museer:

Info from museums in the Vejle area: Vejle Museums home-page

Egtved Museum – Details on Egtved Borough home page.

Royal Jelling

Gormsgade 23, 7300 Jelling, Phone +45 75 8723 50 , Fax 75 87 23 48 Email



INFORMATION • EXHIBITIONS • CALENDAR • THE 1000 YEAR KINGDOM


				Two giant mounds, a couple of large rune stones, and midway between them a whitewashed church - what links these impressive monuments from the past? The exhibition Royal Vikings is among other things about how these mighty monuments were created a thousand years ago, about their central position in the history of Denmark, about the victory of Christianity over the Norse gods, and not least about the first kings in the world's oldest monarchy. The Jelling of the Viking Kings In the tenth century, at the highest point in the landscape west of Vejle, the kings Gorm the Old and Harold Bluetooth created a monument that is unique in the Nordic context. The oldest feature is the remains of a huge ship-shaped stone circle - then came the rune stones and the mounds, and finally the church. Gorm the Old's rune stone links the royal couple Gorm and Thyra to a kingdom called Denmark. The story continues on Harold Bluetooth's rune stone, which describes a central event in the history of Denmark: the King's acceptance of Christianity on behalf of his whole people. For that reason the stone is often called "Denmark's Certificate of Baptism". Mysteries The exhibition touches on a number of the mysteries associated with Jelling. Is it King Gorm the Old that the archaeologists have found in the floor beneath Jelling Church? Was he really buried first in the northern mound in accordance with heathen custom? And why does the largest runestone show both the Midgard Serpent and Christ on the Cross? Who lies buried in the world's largest ship setting? World Heritage Jelling is one of Denmark's most important historical sites. In 1994 the monuments were included on UNESCOs list of historical monuments particularly worthy of preservation, the World Heritage List (thus joining among other things Stonehenge and the Great Wall of China).

Vejleegnens Museer:

		Info from museums in the Vejle area: Vejle Museums home-page

		Egtved Museum – Details on Egtved Borough home page.