The year is 965. Viking King Harald Bluetooth says goodbye to the Norse gods and yes to the Christian God. He had this event engraved on a large runestone in Jelling, near the stone his father, Gorm the Old, erected a few years earlier. On the stone, Harald boasts that he won Denmark and Norway and made the Danes Christian: “King Harald raised this monument after Gorm, his father, and Thyrvé, his mother, Harald who won all of Denmark and Norway and made the Danes Christian.” The runestone is considered Denmark’s baptismal certificate, and the Christ figure from the stone can be found in all Danish passports.
Gorm the Old’s slightly smaller memorial stone for Queen Thyrvé bears the inscription: "King Gorm made this memorial for his wife Thyrvé, Denmark's adornment." It is the oldest evidence of the name Denmark, and the runestone is therefore called Denmark’s name certificate.
During his reign, Harald also had two mighty mounds and a massive enclosure, called the Palisade, erected at the site.
UNESCO World Heritage
Today, Harald's magnificent Viking complex has a central location in the town center of Jelling. From the top of the mounds, which are about 10 meters high and have a diameter of 70 meters, you have a good view of the monument area. The northern mound had a wooden-built burial chamber, presumably erected by Harald Bluetooth for his father, who was later reburied at the site where Jelling Church stands today. Today's Jelling Church is a Romanesque stone church, built around 1050-1100, and is built on top of Harald Bluetooth's presumed longhouse from the 10th century. In 2000, Gorm the Old was reburied under the church where he was found in 1978.
In the distance, hundreds of newly erected white concrete posts surround the entire complex and mark the approximate location of the Palisade. From the path, you can experience the interpretation of the 356-meter-long ship setting as well as the placement of the so-called Trelleborg houses. The palisade has been part of the World Heritage site in Jelling since 2018.
In the middle of the mounds, you can be captivated by the runestones in their beautiful high-tech bronze and glass showcases or find reflection in the church.
The Jelling monuments are considered the finest in Europe from the Viking Age and are on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Viking Market and the Experience Center Kongernes Jelling
Every year in July, you can find your inner Viking when the Viking market is held at the monuments. In the beautiful experience center, Kongernes Jelling, the Vikings' life and the exciting history of the monuments unfold in interactive exhibitions. Through digital binoculars on the rooftop terrace, you can see how Jelling looked 1000 years ago.
Bluetooth Technology
The Bluetooth technology used everywhere in mobile phones and computers for wireless communication is named after the Danish king, Harald Bluetooth, due to his ability to create new connections and unite different entities.
