The Jelling Monuments, Unesco Site, Jelling, Southern Denmark, Denmark

The Jelling Monuments, Unesco Site, Jelling, Southern Denmark, Denmark  

The year is 965. Viking King Harald Bluetooth bids farewell to the Norse pantheon and embraces Christianity. He has this message chiselled into a large rune stone in the town of Jelling close to the rune stone erected a few years earlier by his father, King Gorm the Old. On the rune stone Harald boasts of having conquered Denmark and Norway and brought Christianity to the Danes. The inscription reads: “King Harald ordered this monument made in memory of Gorm, his father, and in memory of Thyrvé, his mother; that Harald who won for himself all of Denmark and Norway and made the Danes Christian.” The rune stone is considered Denmark’s baptism certificate and the figure of Christ inscribed on the stone is also featured in all Danish passports.

Gorm the Old’s slightly smaller memorial stone to his Queen, Thyrvé, bears the inscription: “King Gorm made this monument in memory of Thyrvé, his wife, Denmark’s adornment.” This is the oldest reference to the name ‘Denmark’ and the rune stone is therefore referred to as Denmark’s name certificate.

During his reign, King Harald Bluetooth also erected two large barrows and built a church on the site.

Epic Denmark Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound