It's so nice sometimes to get away from the modern noisy city with its crazy rhythm of life and touch something ancient and calm, breathing peace! There are many places on our planet where people, having abandoned life in megacities, have created or recreated small islands of various ancient eras, and live in these settlements. Such places become real meccas for tourists who are hungry for various curiosities and are fed up with the usual excursions.
Interest after a thousand years
But the history of the ancient Scandinavian people - the Vikings - attracts special attention of modern mankind with its originality, mythology, culture. There are many such modern archaeological sites, and they are quite different in nature, but the most famous are: the village of Borg, located on the Lofoten Islands (Norway); Viking village Svengard near Vyborg (Russia); and a Viking village in Tallinn (Estonia). In addition, there is a largethe number of festivals of historical reconstruction that recreate the life and traditions of the Scandinavian people. The most popular among them is the Legends of the Norwegian Vikings festival, which takes place annually in St. Petersburg.
Homeland of the Scandinavian warlike people
A real Viking village called "Lofotr Museum" has been reconstructed in the settlement of Borg, which is located near Bøstad in the commune of Vestvogøy in Norway. It is based on archaeological excavations in Nur-Norga, in the Lofoten archipelago. The museum itself has been open since 1995 and consists of a king, whose length is 83 meters, a forge and a real ship of the brave sailors of the Middle Ages - a drakkar. For tourists, there are also entertainment for guests and real dishes of Viking cuisine, as well as dramatizations of their lives. The museum shows a film about the Vikings, and tourists can also buy a memorabilia at the local souvenir shop. On the territory there is a real farm with horses, cows and other animals. But not only this is famous for Borg. Every year the Viking Festival is held here, where designers from all over Europe and beyond come together.
Viking village near Vyborg
Russia is a huge country with an ancient rich history, so a large number of different fortresses, ruins, historical monuments and other archaeological sites are scattered throughout its territory. In the Leningrad region, 16 kilometers from the ancient city of Vyborg, on the ninth kilometer of the Svetogorskoye highway, which is along the highwayA 124, there is a unique reserve of historical and cultural significance - Svargas Manor, better known as the Viking Village Svengard (or Svargas). Both names are relevant. The word "svargas" has Indo-European roots and is translated into Russian as "sunny sky". This object is a "living history", because it is a real inhabited settlement, a life-size model of the princely estate of the eleventh century. This is a project of experimental archeology, as the creators themselves call it, which was created by the historical and cultural center "Varangian Court" in 2005-2008.
A unique living history project
Despite the fact that the settlement is known as the Viking Village, Svargas, according to one of the founders Alexei Dudin, or Sven, as it is called, this is a model for the reconstruction of not only Scandinavian culture, but also Slavic and Finnish. In the estate, everything is really real, and almost like a millennium ago - there is no running water, electricity and other benefits of civilization. But instead of home hearths of that era - stoves with pipes.
Despite the fact that there is very little reliable data about those times, Svengard recreated the life of the Middle Ages as accurately as possible. Authentic technologies were used for the construction. Each visitor to the estate can touch ancient times, even smell and taste it, taste original dishes, see how the life of the Vikings was arranged in antiquity. You can even plunge into the secrets of crafts, notonly to observe, but also to try to create something yourself. There is also a unique opportunity to see how the weapons and armor of those times were created. And, of course, anyone can feel like a real Viking for a while, dressed in chain mail, fighting with swords, archery and overcoming obstacles prepared by the villagers. This is a great option for a holiday with friends and family, and the kids have a fantastic experience.
Entertainment and Leisure Center in Estonia
In a very picturesque place in Estonia called Saula, on the banks of the Pirita River, since 2005, another Viking Village has been located. Tallinn is located almost 30 kilometers along the Tartu highway from this historical entertainment center. If the Viking village in Vyborg is rather an experimental project of the so-called living archeology, then its Estonian counterpart was created specifically for recreation and entertainment of tourists. Despite this, the owners of this place did their best, recreating an excellent model of a medieval settlement of the Scandinavian people. Tourists, if desired, can stay here for the night, for this there are separate rooms. True, the bathroom and shower cabin are still modern, albeit stylized antique. The tavern will feed any starving traveler from 11 am to 10 pm. There is plenty of entertainment for tourists.
Discover the Viking in you
Every member of the family in this wonderful village will be able to find entertainment into your taste. For example, you can try to become a real warrior: archery at targets, throw an ax like a real Viking, you can also take part in the competitions of medieval warriors and in the capture of the settlement, a historical and entertainment event for all ages. The Viking Village provides the opportunity to go fishing and catch trout for lunch from the local pond, which the chef can cook on the grill. In addition to the 150-year-old Estonian bath, the Viking village also has an amazing cave bath, which, according to ancient beliefs, will help heal the soul and body, as well as get rid of evil spirits. Thematic games are held before the bath procedures.
A unique entertainment program has also been thought out for tourists, which includes ancient dances, songs and games. And just a 10-minute walk from the village are the unique Estonian Saulaki Blue Springs. This most beautiful protected place is famous for its amazing landscape, crystal clear spring water, which becomes healing if the traveler performs a special ritual that the local guide will gladly suggest.
Petropavlovka. Viking Village and Reenactment Festival
For 6 years in a row at the end of May in St. Petersburg on the shore of the Kronverk Strait near the Peter and Paul Fortress, the festival of military-historical reconstruction "Legend of the Norwegian Vikings" has been held. The format is "living history". The festival has become popular not only in Russia, but throughout the CIS. On Hare Island annuallya real Viking village unfolds. The Peter and Paul Fortress this year even received the descendants of real Vikings from Norway, who sailed on a real drakkar straight from the Lofoten Islands. The king, the leader of the Vikings, along with his retinue were guests of honor at this year's festival. They surprised the audience and participants with their rituals, and also debunked many myths about their glorious ancestors. The Norwegians told about the intricacies of cooking in the Middle Ages, Viking hygiene, their way of life and customs.
Recreation and spectacle
In general, about 300 representatives of the best military-historical clubs from all over the country, as well as thousands of guests, have been gathering in this medieval settlement for 6 years in a row. The beat of drums and the sounds of a battle horn become an accompaniment to large-scale reenactment battles, in which more than a hundred of the best warriors take part. The equipment of the fighters is made in the spirit of the time, the armor is almost identical to the real one. Swords, axes, helmets, chain mail look very realistic. Reenactors recreate, albeit for a short time, the real atmosphere of the Middle Ages: camping tents, tents of artisans and merchants' shops, as well as a real battlefield - everything is designed in the true spirit of the Scandinavian people.
Besides direct battles, the Viking village amazes modern people with its curiosities. There you can learn how the Vikings forged their weapons and created armor, how they made bows and arrows for them, how they minted coins. Well, the shops will amaze with their variety of handmade goods, there arereplicas of real copper, silver and iron jewelry from the Viking times, and a variety of clay, wood, glass and leather products, as well as military armor and weapons. In addition to purchasing any product, the guest will also hear a historical note about it. Even children will not be bored at the festival, because they are provided with special interactive entertainment in the Viking style.
