NO25.27 Sundvollen – Vikings in the 21st Century

The best discoveries are the accidental ones. And this one was an absolute gem.

In Sundvollen, we stumbled across a group of locals building a Viking ship using entirely traditional methods. No modern tools, no machinery, everything done by hand – exactly as the Vikings would have done it over a thousand years ago. Axe instead of saw, wooden pegs instead of screws, tar instead of varnish.

We stood and watched, completely transfixed, as these people worked with extraordinary dedication and precision. Every movement was deliberate, every piece of wood carefully chosen and shaped. You could see immediately that this wasn’t simply a boat being built – this was a piece of history being kept alive.

The passion with which these Norwegians tend to their cultural heritage left a deep impression on us. Seeing a Viking ship in a museum is one thing. Watching people build one using the same methods as their ancestors is something else entirely. Sundvollen captivated us so completely that it was obvious: we’d be coming back.