L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland, Canada

At the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula of the island of Newfoundland, the remains of an 11th-century Viking settlement are evidence of the first European presence in North America. The excavated remains of wood-framed peat-turf buildings are similar to those found in Norse Greenland and Iceland.

Dating to around the year 1000 (carbon dating estimate 990-1050 CE), L'Anse aux Meadows is the only site widely accepted as evidence of pre-Columbian trans-oceanic contact. It is notable for its possible connection with the attempted colony of Vinland established by Leif Erikson around the same period or, more broadly, with Norse exploration of the Americas.

Today the area mostly consists of open, grassy lands; but 1000 years ago, there were forests which were beneficial in boat-building, house-building and for iron extraction. The remains of eight buildings were located. They are believed to have been constructed of sod placed over a wooden frame. Based on associated artifacts, the buildings were variously identified as dwellings or workshops.

L'Anse aux Meadows was named a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1978.

References:

Wikipedia

Address

Newfoundland, Canada

See all sites in Newfoundland

Details

Founded: 950-1050 AD
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in Canada

More Information

www.pc.gc.ca
whc.unesco.org
en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Gabriel B (15 months ago)
So cool place, be ready to lear some fascinating surprises

NBC - Vicki Kell (16 months ago)
loved the scenery and the Viking settlement the most of NL trip, want to get back. Worth your time.

Davis D. Janowski (2 years ago)
I had wanted to travel here since I was a child growing up in Florida in the 70s and 80s and first began reading about archaeology. During a college course in nautical archaeology I finally decided that yes, at some point I would make the trip. It happened five years ago in 2012 after convincing my wife and daughter to go. We landed in Deer Lake and traveled north up the beautiful western peninsula. My wife gave me such a look, when, while changing planes in Toronto, the customs agent asked: "where to?" and I replied "Deer Lake" to which she replied, "where is that?". When I responded "Newfoundland" while staring into my wife's eyes, smirk on her face (as if to say, "where are you taking us!?"), the customs agent said that, well of course it is in Newfoundland and that's why she hadn't heard of it---no one goes there. I thrilled at that response, just my kind of place. And L'Anse aux Meadows was indeed at the edge of what seemed the end of the world. It lived up to all my expectations. We arrived on a cold summer day with it raining or misting, giving a good impression of why the Norse might have been challenged holding on to the site. The park, museum and recreated village are indeed amazing and well worth the trip if you are truly a lover of history, archaeology and beautiful, if remote places.

Jeanette Gladwin (2 years ago)
Very cool historical site. Well worth the visit to stand on visibly Viking inhabited lands.

Julie Wadsworth (2 years ago)
Historical Viking archaeological site has one reconstructed building with knowledgeable period-dressed guides. There is an introductory movie at the main building and gift shop. The rest, including archaeological sites is a self- guided tour on a well- marked wooden trail.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Arnie Papp

Historic Site of the week

Klis Fortress

From its origin as a small stronghold built by the ancient Illyrian tribe Dalmatae, becoming a royal castle that was the seat of many Croatian kings, to its final development as a large fortress during the Ottoman wars in Europe, Klis Fortress has guarded the frontier, being lost and re-conquered several times. Due to its location on a pass that separates the mountains Mosor and Kozjak, the fortress served as a major source of defense in Dalmatia, especially against the Ottoman advance, and has been a key crossroad between the Mediterranean belt and the Balkan rear.

Since Duke Mislav of the Duchy of Croatia made Klis Fortress the seat of his throne in the middle of the 9th century, the fortress served as the seat of many Croatia"s rulers. The reign of his successor, Duke Trpimir I, the founder of the Croatian royal House of Trpimirović, is significant for spreading Christianity in the Duchy of Croatia. He largely expanded the Klis Fortress, and in Rižinice, in the valley under the fortress, he built a church and the first Benedictine monastery in Croatia. During the reign of the first Croatian king, Tomislav, Klis and Biograd na Moru were his chief residences.

In March 1242 at Klis Fortress, Tatars who were a constituent segment of the Mongol army under the leadership of Kadan suffered a major defeat while in pursuit of the Hungarian army led by King Béla IV. After their defeat by Croatian forces, the Mongols retreated, and Béla IV rewarded many Croatian towns and nobles with 'substantial riches'. During the Late Middle Ages, the fortress was governed by Croatian nobility, amongst whom Paul I Šubić of Bribir was the most significant. During his reign, the House of Šubić controlled most of modern-day Croatia and Bosnia. Excluding the brief possession by the forces of Bosnian King, Tvrtko I, the fortress remained in Hungaro-Croatian hands for the next several hundred years, until the 16th century.

Klis Fortress is probably best known for its defense against the Ottoman invasion of Europe in the early 16th century. Croatian captain Petar Kružić led the defense of the fortress against a Turkish invasion and siege that lasted for more than two and a half decades. During this defense, as Kružić and his soldiers fought without allies against the Turks, the military faction of Uskoks was formed, which later became famous as an elite Croatian militant sect. Ultimately, the defenders were defeated and the fortress was occupied by the Ottomans in 1537. After more than a century under Ottoman rule, in 1669, Klis Fortress was besieged and seized by the Republic of Venice, thus moving the border between Christian and Muslim Europe further east and helping to contribute to the decline of the Ottoman Empire. The Venetians restored and enlarged the fortress, but it was taken by the Austrians after Napoleon extinguished the republic itself in 1797. Today, Klis Fortress contains a museum where visitors to this historic military structure can see an array of arms, armor, and traditional uniforms.

Do you know an ancient castle or magnificent church near you?

Why not share it with other people interested in history? You can add your own historic sites and attractions to SpottingHistory.com.

It's absolutely free, easy, and doesn't even need registration!

Upload data

Looks like you are a history fan!

Do you know an ancient castle or hidden ruins near you?

Why not share it with other people interested in history? You can add your own historic sites and attractions to SpottingHistory. It's absolutely free, easy, and you can do it even without registration (of course you an also create an free account)!

L'Anse aux Meadows