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Viking village in Denmark makes a difference

People playing Viking games

Viking games

No culture is more grossly misunderstood and under-appreciated than the Vikings. Few people realize that the Vikings, though they led simple lifestyles, were amazingly effective and advanced. Circular forts, for example, are among the most impressive examples of Viking construction technique. Harald Blåtand Gormsen constructed two unique circular forts around 980 AD in Denmark. The strict and precise geometric plans of these forts attest to the military, commercial and administrative functions that these forts served.

The Viking lived a culture that was truly their own; however, influences from all parts of their known world did impact the evolution of their culture. There is no question that the introduction to Christianity forever changed the Viking culture. In fact, the period around 1200 AD, when Christianity was firmly established in Denmark, symbolically represents the end of the Viking era.

Viking Village: Experience the real Viking culture
The Viking Village near Copenhagen, Denmark, is a fantastic example of local and slow travel experiences. Unlike many other tourist attractions with historic and cultural themes, the Viking Village is not selling cultural tour packages that are Hollywoodized, romanticized or portrayed stereotypically. Far from it: Through participatory activities, visitors are challenged to think about the deeper meanings of their experiences and encounters in the village. Developed based on the latest Viking archaeological and historical research, these activities reflect the true Viking daily life.

The village has been built on a 1000 AD Viking farmland in a beautiful meadow. The stunning rural landscape has sweeping views of creeks, rolling hills and open fields. This is not just another reconstructed medieval village built for masses of tourists. Here, there is no souvenir shop with touristy T-shirts, Happy-Hour bar or fancy designer clothing store. All meals, cooked over an open fire, are made with village resources such as herbs and wild plants. Visitors are not allowed to use any gadgets that were not used in the early Middle Ages, such as sunglasses.

Continue reading this article on TIES’ Your Travel Choice blog

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One Response to “Viking village in Denmark makes a difference”

  1. Wonderful! We wish we had an authentic village like this at the Museum of Danish America in Elk Horn, Iowa, USA! What an educational gem!

    Posted by Brent & Shirley Norlem | March 1, 2014, 2:43 pm

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