Exhibition: Odense's Viking Fortress
At TID – Museum for Odense, you can explore the story of Nonnebakken and the fortress that today lies mostly hidden beneath the city. Through archaeological finds and stories of Harald Bluetooth’s ring fortresses, you can learn why the fortress was built – and what it reveals about royal power and society at the end of the Viking Age.
Discover the hidden ring fortress
Nonnebakken was built in the late 10th century as one of Harald Bluetooth’s five Danish ring fortresses. In the exhibition, you can see finds from the area and learn more about the fortress’s design, purpose and location close to early Odense.
The exhibition also places Nonnebakken in the wider story of the Danish ring fortresses and the strengthening of royal power during this period of the Viking Age.
From archaeological traces to UNESCO World Heritage
In 2023, Nonnebakken was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List together with Aggersborg, Fyrkat, Trelleborg and Borgring. The exhibition explains why these five ring fortresses are regarded as exceptional evidence of Harald Bluetooth’s era and of the major changes that shaped Denmark in the late 10th century.
The exhibition is a good introduction to Nonnebakken, either before or after you visit the site itself and stand where the fortress is still preserved beneath modern Odense.
Last updated by:VisitOdensejmjen@odense.dk
