Trelleborg

Trelleborg, near Slagelse in western Zealand, is one of the Viking Age ring fortresses that together form a UNESCO World Heritage site. Built in the late tenth century, probably under King Harald Bluetooth, it shows how the young Danish kingdom organised power across its lands.

The fortress is a perfect circle of earth rampart with four gates aligned to the points of the compass and two streets crossing at the centre. Inside, the outlines of sixteen longhouses, arranged in four groups of four, are marked in the grass, all laid out with remarkable geometric precision. A burial ground and an outer ward lie beyond the rampart. The site was used for only a short time, yet it remains one of the most striking monuments of the Viking Age. Show more

A museum presents finds and the story of the fortress, and a full size reconstructed longhouse and a small Viking village bring daily life closer. During summer, living history days and markets fill the site with crafts, food and activities for families. The fortress sits above the quiet meadows of the Tude river, a peaceful setting for a walk along the rampart.

Trelleborg is a short drive or bus ride from Slagelse and pairs well with a journey across Zealand or the Great Belt Bridge. A visit takes a few hours. The museum has seasonal opening hours, while the rampart and the landscape can be explored throughout the year.