Jelling, Vejle, Denmark
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Anciently, Jelling was the seat of Gorm the Old, the last pagan king of Denmark. Gorm was buried in a viking burial mound just outside the church and also situated next to the church are the famous Jelling stones created to commemorate Gorm and his wife Thyra.
The Jelling church was burned by fire on 3 April 1673. Then on 1 July 1679 the priest's farm house was burned as well. Jelling is an old and important historical town in the history of Denmark. In the Viking Age it served as the royal seat of the first Monarchs of the Kingdom of Denmark. Jelling is the site of a large stone ship and two large burial mounds, the Jelling stones and Jelling Church which are an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994. In the North Mound, built between 958 and 959 CE (possibly for King Gorm of Denmark), an empty burial chamber was found. The South Mound was built around 970 and contains no burial. Beneath the two mounds is a large stone ship from around the end of the 9th century. Between the two mounds stand two rune stones, the Jelling stones. Near the stones, Gorm's son King Harald Bluetooth built a wooden church (965), and beneath it re-interred (965–966) the remains of his father. |
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