A Viking Town in Gudvangen
As a pensioner professor in nordic archeology I have for several years followed the work with the Viking village with great interest.
In teaching of nordic Viking age we can find the whole spectre of rather unserious "viking country" play parks with purely commercial aims to deep research based and serious projects where authentisity and detailed hard work has been put down to teach the "thruth" as far as we know it.
This project is based upon serious research and will to teach the heart of truth. I am deeply impressed by the work that has been accomplished so far and I value the project as very good.
Here there are possibilities to create something where the landscape, serious reconstructions and enthusiastic workers can give ancient history a living presentation, and at the same time make sure that this is not cheap entertaining for tourists.
Arne Emil Christensen
Professor emeritus, dr. philos.
(Former director of the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo.)
A Viking age kaupang in Gudvangen A Viking age activity centre based upon Scandinavian Viking age towns is unique, and has a great commercial potential.
Situated in the World Heritage area asks for great demands concerning quality, especially visual form and authenticity. There is no place for a Disney style Viking age - theme park in Gudvangen.
The centre is planned to be built on fresh and newly updated archeological knowledge and research, and the layout is created in close relation with leading archeological scientists.
The centre itself is located at the tip of a stone area, made when the nearby tunnel was constructed. Due to this, there is no archeological evidence that might be disturbed. It is not a reconstruction of a Viking age kaupang from Gudvangen, but rather a modern reflection of Viking age towns closely based on authentic evidence.
In this way, the kaupang will be open to mass tourism with correct archeological and historical teaching.
Lars Holger Pilø
University in Oslo Archeologist Responsible for the excavation of the Viking city of Kaupang, Vestfold 1999-2004.
See the book “Kaupang I” (2006) chapter 10