Lindholm Høje, the Hill of the Dead

Lindholm Høje, the Hill of the Dead

A fascinating necropolis from the Iron Age and Viking Age, with 700 graves spread on its original site on a hill overlooking Aalborg and the Limfjord.

Hear about life in the area in those times (c. 400 - 1000 AD), and about the Vikings' and their ancestors' changing myths, rituals and beliefs concerning afterlife - and how these explain the striking variety we see in the form of these burials as we walk among them: mounds, stone circles, boat-shaped stone-settings...

Guided by a Viking scholar passionate and knowledgeable about Iron Age and Viking Age culture and myths.

Excavated in the 1950s from the sand which had perfectly preserved the site, Lindholm Høje - Lindholm Hills or Mounds, one of the most famous and most important burial grounds in Iron and Viking Age Scandinavia, always makes a formidable impression.

The oldest graves are at the top of the hill, later ones on the slopes and at the foot.

There is free access to the site, and we walk up and across the hill among the monuments, while I explain their shape and structure. Sometimes we can even tell from their appearance whether the deceased was a man or a woman.

Among other things I tell you about these people’s culture and rituals relating to death. We know more and more about it from archaeology, while some intriguing light is also cast by Viking poetry and later sagas.

Of particular interest are the boat-shaped Viking cremation graves, outlined with stones so as to suggest the form of a ship.

From the top of the hill we also enjoy a great view over the Limfjord, the long and intricate waterway which has been of major significance for the region since prehistory.

Many of the finds are displayed in the Lindholm Høje Museum at the foot of the hill, which we also visit. Here you see exciting presentations of the historical context and the conditions of life for the local community before and during the Viking Age.

A village also existed nearby as long as the burial site was in use, and there are traces of houses close to the graves. But why did they keep moving their dwellings up and down the hill?

Find out about the captivating history of Lindholm Høje during this eye-opening and thought-provoking tour.

This tour can be combined with a visit to the Fyrkat Viking ring fortress.