the three swords monument

[temperature: 5-11.6C]

As we still had time today, we decided to go to a place a little outside of Stavanger, which we saw on the hotel magazine. It was called the Three Swords Monument. We don't really know its significance until one of our young teachers told us that it was where the battle that unified Norway took place. So aside from getting pictures at this seemingly lovely place, we also get to visit one of Norway's historical place.

From what I have read, this monument is called Sverd i fjell, or in English, Swords in Mountain. It is a commemorative monument located in Hafrsfjord made of three, 10 meter, bronze swords planted into the rock of a small hill next to the fjord. It commemorates the historic Battle of Hafrsfjord that took place around the year 872 (although other scholars peg the dates at about the 880s), when King Harald Fairhair (Harald Hårfagre, Fairheaded Harald) united Norway into one kingdom. The biggest sword represents King Harald while the other swords represent the other kings he defeated. The monument also represents peace, having the swords planted into solid rock so that it may never be removed.