The Jelling Monuments are one of Europe’s finest Viking Age monuments on the Unesco Heritage list.

The Jelling Monuments in South Jutland was the first Danish site that was included on the Danish Unesco Heritage List because the site has a very important historical value. The monuments consist of two runic stones, a church and the two largest mounds known from the Nordic Viking period. In Jutland, you will find several Viking and UNESCO heritage attractions.

The rune stones are unique in the Nordic context. The two rune stones have different stories, are from the tenth century, and are placed in the small town of Jelling west of Vejle. The stones reflect the transition from paganism to Christianity and are regarded as Denmark`s birth certificate, and the figure of Christ is visible on one of the runic stones.

More about the rune stones

The first one, "Gorm the Old's rune stone", was raised by King Gorm the Old in memory of his wife Thyra, and tells about the royal couple Gorm and Thyra as head of a kingdom called "Denmark". King Gorm died in 958/59.

The other bigger rune stone was raised by King Gorm`s son, Harald Bluetooth, in memory of his parents, and is therefore called Harold Bluetooth`s stone. On this, you find a story, which describes a central event in the history of Denmark - the conquest of Denmark and Norway, and the King's acceptance of Christianity on behalf of his people. For that reason, the stone is often called "Denmark's Certificate of Baptism", where you also can see the figure of Christ.

 


"Bluetooth" is from Jelling

Bluetooth technology, used everywhere in mobile phones and computers for wireless communication, is named after Harald Bluetooth, an old Viking king from Denmark. It could be due to his communicative skills in bringing warring factions together.

 
See also two large barrows

Harald’s magnificent Viking monuments are centrally located in the town of Jelling. You can enjoy views of the area from the top of the 10-metre barrows, which have a diameter of 70 meters. The northern barrow contained a tomb, probably constructed by King Harald Bluetooth for his father, who was later re-entombed in the church in 2000.

Today’s Jelling Church is a Romanesque church, built around 1100 and built on the site of Harald Bluetooth’s original church from the 900s AD.

The monuments are bordered by hundreds of white concrete pillars, which show where King Harald`s royal estate was placed just nearby the monuments. 

Digital technology exhibition

The Royal Jelling visitor`s centre is located close to the monuments. In the amazing Kongernes Jelling experience centre, you can explore the world of the Vikings and the exciting history of the Jelling Monuments in an interactive exhibition. With digital technology, you can experience how the Vikings lived around 1,000 years ago in Jelling. The special exhibitions highlight different cultural and natural aspects concerning the monuments outside.

The technology gives a unique and super modern sensory experience regarding the life of the Vikings. It is possible to imagine how it had been to sit around the fireplace listening to stories of the life of Vikings going to war.

  
Viking Market in July every year

The Viking Market in Jelling is a real Viking heritage festival, where you can find crafts, enjoy food and drinks at the Viking Long House, and watch Viking horse shows with real Viking Age horses, also called Icelandic horses. Here you can discover the Viking in you - also, by visiting the Kongernes Jelling experience centre, you can get to know the world of the Vikings through interactive exhibitions.