Sverd i fjell

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 which lies in the southwestern part of the large municipality of Stavanger in Rogaland county, Norway.[1]

Sverd i fjell
Sverd i fjell
Location of the monument
Sverd i fjell (Norway)
Coordinates58.9414°N 5.6713°E / 58.9414; 5.6713
LocationHafrsfjord, Norway
DesignerFritz Røed
MaterialBronze
Height10 m (32 ft 9 1⁄2 in)
Completion date1983

History

The monument was created by sculptor Fritz Røed from Bryne and was unveiled by King Olav V of Norway in 1983. 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.[2][3]

Swords in Rock

The monument was featured in the 2005 documentary, Metal: A Headbanger's Journey, when Sam Dunn traveled to Norway to document on Norwegian black metal.

The monument also gives its name to the closing track on the Leaves' Eyes album King of Kings.

The monument cameos in the animated television series Steven Universe with the location known as the Gem Battlefield being loosely based on the concept and location of Sverd i fjell.

The monument is featured in German painter Werner Büttner's 2012 painting Kriegergroupies.

The monument also features as the symbol of Norway in Duolingo's Norwegian language programme.

See also

References
  1. "Sverd I Fjell". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  2. Store norske leksikon. "Fritz Røed" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  3. Leif Inge Ree Petersen. "Slaget i Hafrsfjorden". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 15 December 2016.


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