The Jelling Mounds and Runic Stones of Denmark
A tour through the Jelling mounds, runestones, and church that mark an important point in Denmark's history.
Today, King Harald Bluetooth might be best remembered as the namesake of a famous hands-free device. But long before his name became a brand, Denmark’s first king needed to ensure his own legacy. His most lasting monuments can be found at Jelling on the Jutland Peninsula. There, two earthen mounds, several rune stones, and a church epitomize the crucial transitions that occurred during his reign.
King Harald I was King of Denmark for about 30 years in the middle of the 10th century. He not only united Denmark under a single crown; he also briefly ruled over Norway. His reign saw the introduction of Christianity to Denmark, marking a gradual movement away from the seafaring, Old Germanic customs of the “Viking era.” Like his ancestors before him, Harald erected a runestone at Jelling dedicated to his parents. But this stone contains Christian themes and imagery, and it is one of the first recorded mentions of ‘Denmark’ as a unified state. Harald also ordered the construction of a church at the site of the mounds. The current standing church is one of several built over the centuries in its place.
If you want to learn more, this video, provided by UNESCO, takes us to Jelling to admire this monument built at a pivotal point in Danish history.
Further Reading
“Jelling Mounds, Runic Stones and Church.” UNESCO World Heritage Centre, UNESCO, whc.unesco.org/en/list/697/.
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