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The Viking Capital

The Viking Age, approx. 800-1050 AD, denominates the period when the Scandinavians explored Europe through trade and warfare. With their fast and seaworthy ships the Vikings travelled as far as to America.
Viking ship at the Viking Ship Museum

The Vikings

The term Viking Age is used to denominate the period from about 800 til 1050 AD in Scandinavia. A viking in that period meant somebody who travelled overseas for trade or warfare, but later the word has been used about all the inhabitants of Scandinavia in that period. 

The first town-like settlement in Oslo came in the Viking Age, around the year 1000 AD. 

The vikings built fast and highly seaworthy ships and were competent sailors, way ahead of their time.

The vikings sailed their longships south to the Mediterranean countries and west to Scotland and Ireland. Cities such as Dublin and Limerick were founded by vikings. The vikings followed the mighty rivers of Russia from north to south, bringing them as far as er grunnlagt av vikinger. De fulgte Russlands mektige elver fra nord til syd og nådde helt til det storslagne Byzantium, now Istanbul. Leiv Eriksson and his men sailed across the Atlantic Ocean and descovered America, 500 years before Colombus.

Viking Ship at the Viking Ship Museum

The Viking Ships

The viking ships have a beautiful shape and artistic carvings, but they were also very well suited for warfare. The  strategic shape of the the ships made them fast and easy to navigate. 

The viking ship had a flat keel for shallow water, so the raiders did not depend on harbours. In the dark of night they were able to get ashore without being seen, pulled the vessels up on the beach and attacked – quickly and without mercy.

The ships allowed the vikings to reach vast areas and gave them power, and was the main reason for their success in trade and pillage raids.
The Viking Ship Museum

Viking Memories in Oslo

Oslo is a great place if you want to learn more about the vikings, the viking age and the viking ships. 
 
Some of the magnificent ships can be seen in the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo, among them the Gokstad ship – the largest and best preserved of the Norwegian viking ships.

The Historical Museum also gives insight into the lives of the vikings.



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