Prehistoric and archaeological sites in Norway
Alta Rock Carvings
The Rock Drawings of Alta constitute the most important piece of evidence in favour of the existence of human activity in the confines of the Great North during the prehistoric period. Studied from 1967, the petroglyphs of the Alta fjord in the province of Tromsø were immediately classed among the leading rock art sites in the world. Close to the Arctic Circle, they are a valuable illustration of human activity bet ...
Founded: 4200-500 BC |
Location:
Alta, Norway
Austre Åmøy Rock Carvings
In Austre Åmøy, specifically at the Meling farm, you can find the largest concentration of rock carvings in Rogaland. There are several fields in the area, with both large and small rock carvings. The largest petroglyph fields are prepared and signposted to the public, while the smaller fields are not accessible to visitors. On sloping rocks lies artwork carved by human hand 2000-3000 years ago. In Austre &A ...
Founded: 1000 BC - 0 AD |
Location:
Austre Åmøy, Norway
Stunner
Stunner was a Stone Age settlement located in Ski. The settlement was first discovered in 1928 when a farmer, Johannes Mikkelsen harvested potatoes. Mikkelsen was a knowledgeable man and recognized the flint tools. More than 700 pieces of flint and other stone artifacts has been found at the site. The flint finds from the Stone Age settlement at Stunner reveal that the site was populated around 11000 years ago. Pioneer s ...
Founded: 9000 BC |
Location:
Ski, Norway
Kulisteinen
Kulisteinen is perhaps the most famous runic stone in Norway. For over 900 years the Kuli stone had been at Kuløy, but then 1913 it was moved to Vitenskapsmuseet i Trondheim. A copy of Kulisteinen was erected in 1969, where the original stone is believed to have stood. Erecting stones as monuments is an ancient pre-Christian custom. Today, we can read on the stone: «Tore and Halvard erected this stone for Ulv ...
Founded: |
Location:
Smøla, Norway
Kaupang
Kaupang was a Norse term for market-place. Today, it is generally used as a name of the first town-like market-place in Norway, the Kaupang in Skiringssal, which is located in Tjølling near Larvik. Kaupang was an important merchant and craft center during the Viking period and as yet the first known Norwegian trading outpost. Kaupang was founded in the 780s and abandoned for unknown reasons in the early 10th centu ...
Founded: 780 AD |
Location:
Larvik, Norway
Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings
Photo from Flickr, copyright Jose Antonio Abad
Historic Site of the week
Cháteau Comtal
The Château Comtal (Count’s Castle) is a medieval castle within the Cité of Carcassonne, the largest city in Europe with its city walls still intact. The Château Comtal has a strong claim to be called a 'Cathar Castle'. When the Catholic Crusader army arrived in 1209 they first attacked Raymond-Roger Trencavel's castrum at Bèziers and then moved on to his main stronghold at Carcassonne.
The castle with rectangular shape is separated from the city by a deep ditch and defended by two barbicans. There are six towers curtain walls.
The castle was restored in 1853 by the architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. It was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1997.