Sverd i fjell — Attraction in Stavanger

Amazing historical site. The view is truly beautiful. Sverd i fjell (English: Swords in Rock) is a commemorative monument located in the Hafrsfjord neighborhood of Madla, a borough of the city of Stavanger. The three bronze swords stand 10 metres (33 ft) tall and are planted into the rock of a small hill next to the fjord. They commemorate the historic Battle of Hafrsfjord which by tradition took place there in the year 872, when King Harald Fairhair gathered all of Norway under one crown. The largest sword represents the victorious Harald, and the two smaller swords represent the defeated petty kings. The monument also represents peace, since the swords are planted into solid rock, so they may never be removed and used again.

Sverd i fjell adalah monumen peringatan yang terletak di lingkungan Hafrsfjord di Madla, wilayah kota Stavanger. Tiga pedang perunggu setinggi 10 meter (33 kaki) dan ditanam ke batu bukit kecil di sebelah fjord. Mereka memperingati Pertempuran Hafrsfjord yang bersejarah yang menurut tradisi terjadi di sana pada tahun 872, ketika Raja Harald Fairhair mengumpulkan seluruh Norwegia di bawah satu mahkota. Pedang terbesar mewakili Harald yang menang, dan dua pedang yang lebih kecil mewakili raja kecil yang kalah. Monumen ini juga mewakili kedamaian, karena pedang ditanam ke dalam batuan padat, sehingga tidak akan pernah bisa dilepas dan digunakan lagi. (Stavanger...

Visited on a sunny Saturday morning in late May, with clear skies and no wind — the perfect conditions to experience this impressive site. Sverd i fjell is beautifully situated on a rocky outcrop by the fjord, offering great views and a sense of openness. Though the small parking lot was nearly full, people spread out nicely, creating a calm and pleasant atmosphere.

The three enormous swords are truly striking — powerfully shaped, beautifully placed, and well-proportioned. The symbolism, referring to the Battle of Hafrsfjord and the unification of Norway under Harald Fairhair, is strong and tangible. While I didn't see any information boards on site (or simply missed them), I had read up beforehand, which made the visit all the more meaningful.

Nearby there's a small public beach (with toilets, though you need to park at a different location to access them), and a sort of stepping-stone pier that stretches out into the fjord. On a calm day, it offers a spectacular perspective of the monument from the water — not for the faint of heart!

Absolutely recommended. This is a place where history, symbolism, and art blend seamlessly with nature. It's both a powerful reminder of Norway’s origins and a beautiful piece of public art in a...

This isn't just some boring, old statue. It's Sverd i fjell—Swords in Rock. Three massive, preposterously large swords plunged into a... well, into a rock. Or a small hill, whatever you want to call it.

It's ridiculous, and that's precisely why it's brilliant.

They're not just any swords, either. They're about ten metres tall, so if you stood next to them, you'd feel like a garden gnome who's lost his gardening tools. They're meant to commemorate the Battle of Hafrsfjord, which, in the grand scheme of things, sounds far less interesting than the swords themselves. It’s a magnificent display of pointless grandeur. It's a bit like a Viking's version of a garden shed—just bigger, shinier, and with no actual purpose other than to look completely and utterly over the top.

And it’s a photograph waiting to happen. You can't just drive past it without thinking, "Good heavens, look at that." It’s so unapologetically dramatic that it deserves a moment of your time. Don't go expecting a deep, profound experience; go expecting to see three massive, ridiculous swords sticking out of a hill.

And that's all you...