Hagbardshøj (the mound of Hagbard) originates from the bronze age (1800 - 500 B.C.)
The mound is bound to the sad love tale about Hagbard and Signe, mentioned in Gesta Danorum "the Cronicle of Denmark" written by Saxo
The legend connected to “Hagbardshøj”, tells the story of the Norwegian prince Hagbard, who loved the Danish princess Signe. As he had killed her brother, it was a difficult alliance. Hagbard disguised himself as a shield-maiden, but was disclosed and condemned to death. Before that, Signe had sworn that if she saw him in the gallows, she would follow him to death. Saxo narrates in his “Denmark’s Chronicle”: Hagbard, a Norwegian prince, could not have his beloved Signe, the daughter of king Siger (Sigersted). When he went to see her anyway, he was caught. His punishment should be to hang on the hillock. Signe wished to die with her Hagbard. They had agreed, that when she saw Hagbard in the gallows, she would set her bower alight. To test her love, Hagbard had his cloak hung in the gallows. When he saw the bower ablaze, he met his death happily. She was buried a nearby hillock called Signes hillock (to be seen from Skælskørvej).
Signe's mound is best to be seen from Skælskørvej.
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The Mound of Hagbard
The Mound of Hagbard
Hagbardshøj
4100 Ringsted
Photo: Oplev Ringsted / Heidi Taymyr
Photo: Ringsted Turistinformation
Photo: Ringsted Turistinformation
