Gayle and I recently took a tour bus to Avaldsnes to visit this Nordvegen History Center, plus the nearby Viking Farm, and Olav's Church. The history center is largely underground and features a fascinating display of local Viking history. For 3,000 years, princes and kings sat at Avaldsnes and controlled the shipping traffic that was forced in through the narrow Karmsundet - Nordvegen - the shipping lane that has given Norway its name.
It was here that we heard the story of how Avaldsnes became Norway's oldest royal seat. We met Harald Hårfagre who introduced us you to the rulers who sat and controlled the Norwegian coast from Avaldsnes - both before and after his time. Some of these rulers are known from royal sagas, heroic sagas, old quatrains, and archaeology. read more