About us
About Hǫðr Hjørungavåg Viking site
Convey Viking history, Viking culture, and the national Viking heritage.
The goal of the association Hǫðr Hjørungavåg Vikingsete is to share the history, culture, and local community by building a longhouse according to ancient traditions and, over time, expanding with more buildings, workshops, boathouses, and boats at Leira in the center of the village. In this way, it becomes possible to enjoy beautiful nature while learning about and experiencing Viking history and Viking culture.
We celebrate the dedicated volunteers who have helped build this from the ground up.
The Battle of Hjörungavåg
In Hjørungavåg, 1040 years ago, Håkon Jarl of Lade gathered a levy for the first time to defend Norway from Jomsviking violence. Only three battles are described hour by hour by Snorri Sturluson. The battles at Hjørungavåg, Hafrsfjord and Stiklestad are therefore unique in Norwegian Viking history.
Hǫðr Hjørungavåg Viking Site has been established to carry forward the legacy and history of the battle, to honor the ancestors and to teach future generations and visitors about the Vikings who lived in this area more than a thousand years ago. Hǫðr Hjørungavåg Viking Site shall be free of charge and open to everyone; no commercial activity shall be facilitated other than rental and guided visits to generate income for the association.
The house and the grounds can host cultural gatherings, concerts and various events, and shall be operated and developed by the board elected at the annual meeting of the association Hǫðr Hjørungavåg Viking Site.
The Battle of Hjørungavåg was one of the decisive battles in Norwegian history. At the funeral feast after Harald Bluetooth in Denmark, the Jomsvikings and the Danes competed in boasting of great deeds. Vagn Åkesson, Bue the Stout and Jarl Sigvaldi took part in the funeral feast and were feared Vikings at that time. Sigvaldi vowed to kill Håkon Jarl of Lade or drive him out of the country, because Håkon had dishonored Harald Bluetooth and refused to submit to the power in Denmark.
In the spring of 986, the Jomsvikings set course north along the Norwegian coast, robbing and killing on their way toward Earl Håkon. A local chieftain from Jæren managed to survive the plundering and killings and was able to warn Håkon about the army that was on its way. For the first time in history, a “leidang” was assembled for the defense of the country.
The two armies met at Hjørungavåg. At first, the Jomsvikings had the upper hand, but after the earl sacrificed his 7-year-old son Erling to Torgjerd Holgabrud (a mythical female being), the fortunes of war turned. A hailstorm swept in over the bay, and Earl Eirik managed to clear many ships. The Jomsvikings were killed, driven into flight, or taken prisoner. Bue the Stout took two chests of gold and jumped overboard into the depths. Thirty prisoners were placed on the execution block by Håkon Earl of Lade, and many had to lose their lives. Håkon’s son, Earl Eirik, intervened in the executions and granted mercy to many of them.
In Snorri’s saga, the Battle of Hjørungavåg is decisive for the Danish king’s withdrawal from Norway. Norwegian independence was secured.
About Hǫðr Hjørungavåg Viking site
Hǫðr Hjørungavåg Viking Settlement was founded in 2017 by a group of dedicated friends who wanted to create a vibrant and authentic Viking environment in Hjørungavåg. The village has a rich Viking history, with the Battle of Hjørungavåg in the year 986 as a central backdrop, and the aim was to bring this heritage into the spotlight.
The goal was – and still is – to give both locals and visitors an experience of the Viking Age as it may have been. Through traditional activities, crafts, storytelling and living history, the intention is to bring the past closer, so that it can be felt, smelled and experienced.
Volunteer Work and Construction
The Leira area was not further developed after the anniversary in 1986, and in 2018 some local enthusiasts came together and began shaping a plan for the area. This is how Hǫðr Hjørungavåg Viking Settlement was established.
The name Hǫðr comes from the Old Norse name for Hareidlandet, which was Hòd. Hǫðr means warrior and was the blind brother of Balder in Norse mythology. The name is intended to connect identity and history to everyone living in the municipality, on the island, and throughout the entire region.
It has taken over 16,000 volunteer hours to raise this spectacular longhouse, built according to ancient traditions and with very few modern tools. It is 26 meters long and 9 meters wide. 250 pine trees have been felled locally, shaped, and dried. Natural roots form the braces, wooden pegs are used in the joints, moss and tar lie between the log walls, and 14,800 roof shingles have been dipped in 70-degree tar and dried.
The house clearly shows that period-appropriate tools have been used as much as possible in the construction. Even the foundation wall has been laid by hand with natural stones found in various places in the village. The house is a monument. In connection with the house, a sanitary building and a lean-to shelter for teaching have been erected.
It is a national responsibility to preserve history, culture, and identity!
This is Hǫðr Hjørungavåg Viking Site!
Hjørungavåg
Overåsanden
The finest bathing beach in Sunnmøre is located by the National Monument at Overå. It is an east-facing, shallow beach with beautiful white sand, well sheltered from northerly winds and heavy seas.
The historical play “Power Struggle at Hjørungavåg” was performed for the first time in 1986 at the national monument at Overåsanden in Hareid municipality to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of the Battle of Hjørungavåg.
The village of Hjørungavåg is located in Hareid municipality in Sunnmøre, has just under 1,000 inhabitants, and lies beautifully situated between the Vartdalsfjord and the entrance to the Storfjord towards Tafjordfjella and Geiranger. The village offers spectacular nature with the fantastic Overåsanden, further into the bay which is narrow and sheltered, ending in Leira and the millennium site where the longhouse is being built.
The village and the municipality are rich in nature experiences with fishing lakes, high mountains, and many miles of developed hiking trails. Hjørungavåg has always had a strong sense of community, a great volunteer spirit, and is a village with a high level of activity. The village has a rich cultural history dating back to the Viking Age, and ancient monuments, standing stones, and various tools have been found here, most recently in the autumn of 2024.
This important Viking history belongs to everyone, and for Hǫðr Hjørungavåg Vikingsete it is important that culture, history, and identity-building are understood as a unifying and creative force for creating good lives and a desire to live in the region for its inhabitants, as well as memorable experiences for visitors.