Lofotr Viking Museum

Day 5, 03.12.2015

In one of our lectures we where talking about the old Viking longhouses and about the Lofotr Viking Museum.

The Lofotr Viking Museum is a historical museum based on a reconstruction and archaeological excavation of a Viking chieftain's village on the island of Vestvågøya in the Lofotenarchipelago in Nordland county, Norway. It is located in the small village of Borg, near Bøstad, in the municipality of Vestvågøy.

In 1983, archaeologists uncovered the Chieftain House at Borg, a large Viking Era building believed to have been already established around the year 500 AD. A joint Scandinavian research project was conducted at Borg from 1986 until 1989. Excavations revealed the largest building ever to be found from the Viking period in Norway. The foundation of the Chieftain House at Borg measured 83 metres long and 9 metres high. The seat at Borg is estimated to have been abandoned around AD 950.

I really liked this lecture because I am never getting tired of history. It is one of my favorite subjects!

The Lofotr Viking Museum

Picture source:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/Borg_Vestv%C3%A5g%C3%B8y_LC0165.jpg

Gildeskål Church

Day 4, 01.12.2015

Our last trip was to the Gildeskål Church in the municipality of Gildeskål in Nordland county, Norway. The Gildeskål church is a parish church. It is located north of the village of Inndyr. The church is part of the Gildeskål parish in the Bodø deanery in the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland.

In 1851, a new law was passed that said that all rural churches had to be able to fit at least 30% of the parish members in the church building. Since the old Gildeskål church was too small, a new church had to be built for the parish. It was decided that the new church would be built on the same site, just west of the old church. The new church was completed in 1881 and it seated about 750 people.

The landscape around the church site is untouched by recent development. Grave mounds, 

old stone boat landings and the old church path are among the cultural relics in the area. 

There is a magnificent view of the islands and shipping channels from the church hill.

Petter Dass Museum in Alstahaug

Day 3, 24.11.2015

After our visit to the International War Cementery in Tjøtta, we went to the Petter Dass Museum in Alstahaug. For everybody who is not known to Petter Dass, I will give a short introduction:

Throughout the ages, Alstahaug has become best known due to such prominent personalities as Petter Dass. He was born in Herøy in 1647 and lived there for the first six years of his life. At the age of 22, Petter Dass returned to Helgeland, first to Vefsn and Nesna, and then to Alstahaug, where he became minister in 1689. He was also writing, and his best-known works are The Trumpet of Nordland and the hymn"Mighty God", to Thy dear Name be given Highest praise". He lived in Alstahaug until his death in 1707.

A little about the museum:

Here you can gain an insight into how the poet-clergyman Petter Dass lived. The grounds accommodate a main building, a storehouse, a cookhouse/scullery, a well house, a chapel and down by the sea a quayside warehouse where boats and tackle help illustrate elements of coastal culture. A guided tour will give you insight into an important part of Norwegian history and culture. Guided tours are available between mid June and mid August. The Petter Dass Museum at Alstahaug is The County of Nordland´s millennium site. The building is designed by the architectural firm Snøhetta AS. This building is the Petter Dass Museum’s main building.

I really like architecture. The museum is built in between the rocks. It fits quite well into the landscape. You really can see the connections between the buildings and how the architects wanted them to interact with each other.

International War Cementery in Tjøtta

Day 3, 24.11.2015

On our previous trip of our third module of the Adventure Knowlegde course we went to Sandnessjøen. We arrived very late in the evening on Monday the 23rd of November 2015. 

On the next day we went by bus to the International War Cementery on Tjøtta. It is actually a Russian War Cemetery. TThis cemetery was devoted to all of those who perished at the sinking of the troop transport ship "Rigel" on November 27, 1944. The ship sank and altogether 2,457 people perished. The event is considered one of the most significant shipwrecks in the world. The wreck lay partially submerged off the coast of Rosøya island until about 1970, but has now been removed. This cemetery was consecrated in 1970. All the graves are anonymous, but a memorial stone in the form of a cross has been erected on the site.

I can not really describe the feelings I had, when I stood on the ground of a cementery where more than 6,700 dead soldiers are buried. It made me feel terrified to what people are able to do during war and how devastating war is. I hope that I will never experience something like that.

Bodin Church

Day 2, 18.11.2015

The Bodin Church is one of the oldest buildings in Bodø. It is located a little bit outside of the town centre. It is said that people come to worship at this place for almost thousand years. The church was torn down and rebuilt several times. But people believe that it is built around 1240 A.D.. The place where the church is located served even in earlier times as a place to worship the old gods. The architecture of the church is quite different to younger churches. Maybe it the it is today because it was rebuilt so often. 

Very striking is the altar-piece. It is quite big and made from wood. It is typical for the period, the baroque age. In the center of the altar-piece the story of Christ is told: the last supper in the centre, the crucifixion above, the burial at the bottom and above it all: Christ ascending into heaven. In early years the ceiling of the church was very low so the people could not se Christ ascending into heaven. There was literally a hole in the ceiling because the altar-piece was so tall.

On the same level as the last supper is Moses and his brother Aaron and on the next level is St. Paul and St. Peter. On top of them there are the four evangelists. On the extreme right and left are Adam and Eve to one side, and the baptism of Christ on the other. The date of the altar-piece is supported by two mermaids, 1670. There is also a record who gave it, and that it was painted by Gotfried Ezekiel, a german painter, in 1745. It is said that at that time no one in Nordland was able to paint like that. The baptism font was designed by Oscar Bodøgaard, a famous local artist who also restored the altar-piece in 1964.

I really liked the visit at the Bodin Church. It was very impressive to hear that the church was rebuilt several times, and that it was a worhshiped place for a long time either for the Norse gods or Christianity. I think it is very important to preserve such places to be able to teach history to our children and keep up their cultural interests. We should never forget where we come from. History is a important teacher for the future.

Bodø Town History

Day 1, 17.11.2015

On the first day of our third module of Adventure Knowledge we visited the Nordland Museum in Bodø and had a look at some of the main buildings concerning architecture.

The Nordland Museum is a follow up of the Nordland Fishing Museum. The current museum was built in 1903 and is one of the oldest buildings in town. The exhibition contains the history of the town Bodø, the history about the Samen in Salten, the lifestyle of the farmers and fisherman, a part of the rich birdlife in this region, the history of the fish industry on the Lofoten islands, and a big silver treasure from the Viking Age.

One part of the exhibition took all my interest, The part about the history of Bodø. Bodø was established as a town in 1816. Especially the part of Bodø history while World War II took my attention. I am a quite a big fan of history. Maybe thats why it fascinates me so much. Bodø was nearly destroyed by german bombers on the 27.05.1940. 400 of all 600 buildings where destroyed in 2 and a half hours. The town was one of the worst hit towns in Nordland. It had to be built up again from scratch with swedish support. After war a new great period of growth started for the town again. After the Second World War the armed forces played a big role in Bodø. During the Cold War Bodø gained military importance. The western powers lead by America feared a soviet arming on the Kola-Peninsula. Therefore the NATO invested a huge buzz of money into the extension of Bodø's military airport.

Bodø has still today a very huge importance for the NATO. 

I really enjoyed the first day at the museum and the tour through the city. I see the city now with different eyes. I never had the idea that Bodø had such a rich history.

Blog für Adventure Knowledge Module 3!

Hi everybody!

Here I will post serveral experiences I make during my third module of Adventure Knowledge, which can be studied at the University of Nordland! I hope I can give you a good insight of it!