How do you like the special effects from the viking movie? It reminds us of the shots of "The Lord of the Rings", there were also giant stone sculptures of warriors.
Okay, okay … this is quite a real place and a real monument.
The monument, created by sculptor Fritz Røed, was unveiled in 1983 by King Ulaf V. It consists of three swords thrust into the ground, made in accordance with real Viking swords that were found during excavations in different parts of the country. The monument was erected in memory of the battle of the Hafrsfjord in 872, which played a decisive role in the history of Norway: after the victory of King Harald I the Fair-haired, the warring tribes of the Normans finally united - and thus Norway was born.
The tallest sword symbolizes Harald, and the other two, smaller ones, represent the local rulers he defeated. The monument also has one more meaning: it personifies the desire for peace, because the swords will forever remain in the rock and no one can use them.
The first settlers settled in these parts at the end of the Ice Age. During the Viking Age, local rulers fought a desperate struggle for universal domination among themselves, until about 872 AD. in the vicinity of Stavanger, not on the banks of Hawrs Ford, the fateful battle did not take place.
King Harald Horfager (850-933) defeated two of his main rivals in this battle. As a sign of the final reconciliation, the warriors stuck their swords into the ground. These events laid the foundation for the unification of the Norwegian lands into a single state, and Harald became the first king.
It is believed that it was then that the toponym "Norway" (literally - "northern route") came into use. By the way, according to legend, before the unification of the Norwegian lands, the brave victorious Viking vowed not to comb his hair, for which he was nicknamed "Shaggy". After the Battle of Hawrsfjord, the epithet was changed to "Fair-haired".
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Despite the fact that most scholars consider the unification of Norway to be a long process that lasted for many centuries, the Battle of Havrsfjord is of great importance in the culture and history of the peoples of Norway. In the memory of the Vikings, this battle remained as the largest in history.
According to Snorri Sturluson's Circle of the Earth, King Harald controlled much of the southeast of modern Norway before the battle. According to other sources, the eastern part of Norway was controlled by the Danish king. The Battle of Havrsfjord led to the final defeat of Harald's opponents in the southwestern part of Norway (Rogaland, some leaders from the Fjord area, etc.). The king was then able to collect taxes from most of Norway and subjugate the country. The king's opponents fled to Iceland. Historiography considers King Harald the first legitimate king of Norway.