Vikings
HISTORY / CULTURE
The history of the Vikings fascinates people of all ages. They were adventurers, seamen, artists, craftsmen, traders, politicians – and warriors. No other place has just as rich memories from the Viking time as here in Vestfold. The traces of our ancestors can be found all over Vestfold and leads to both exciting experiences and knowledge.
Vikings were people from the area that we nowadays call Scandinavia. The name itself was used to describe Nordic traders or sea warrior that took part in trade or plundering missions throughout countries in Western and Eastern Europe.
The Viking era lasted from about 790 – 1100 after Christ., and the first known Viking attack was towards the Lindisfarne chapel in England in 793. During the next two centuries, many stories all over Europe´s coast tell us about different Viking attacks. Small and larger fleets plundered and went back to sea before anyone was able to gather troops to fight back. The Vikings sailed far up the rivers of Germany and France, and conquered large parts of Ireland and England.