Photos: IsalovAuk, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Maarten Heerlien from Voorschoten, The Netherlands, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 Vuxi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo credits
Photos: IsalovAuk, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Maarten Heerlien from Voorschoten, The Netherlands, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 Vuxi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Sverd i fjell, three swords in the rock
Your local guide
Tor Idsøe
View profile
Highlights
- Three bronze swords set into rock
- A battle said to unify Norway
- Legend and record, told apart
- A monument overlooking its own battlefield
- Centuries before the cathedral was built
About this tour
This session looks at Sverd i fjell, three huge bronze swords set into rock outside Stavanger. You see each sword in turn and the wider fjord the monument overlooks. Tor explains the battle the swords are said to commemorate and why it mattered to Norway's early unification.
He moves between the swords at a measured pace, since each one carries its own part of the story. Questions about how much of the battle's history is verified come up often, and he is honest about where legend and record separate.
This suits anyone who enjoyed Tor's cathedral session and wants the earlier chapter of the same national story. It also suits anyone simply curious about a monument visible from the road.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 5 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Stavanger before heading out.
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Three bronze swords 15 min
The camera looks up at the three huge bronze swords set into the rock, and I explain how each represents one of the parties in the battle the monument commemorates.
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The story of Hafrsfjord 15 min
Standing back from the monument, I talk through the battle said to have unified Norway under a single king, and why this particular fjord was chosen as the site to mark it.
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Your questions 7 min
Time to ask anything about Stavanger: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 3 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Waffles (vafler) and Storhaug, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Oslo time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 10 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Stavanger, showing you Three bronze swords and The story of Hafrsfjord live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I walk out to Sverd i fjell live with my phone.
Times shown in Oslo time (CET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Thu 19 Nov · 10 seats left From 18,00 €
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