Aggersborg Viking Fortress

Aggersborg is the biggest of the Danish viking fortresses, built at the same time period as the Trelleborg, Fyrkat and Nonnebakken viking fortresses in 980-981 AD by King Harald Bluetooth.

Aggersborg Viking Fortress is located at a trade and logistic crossroads with the Limfjorden ship traffic, a then existing canal just West of Aggersborg going North to the North Sea and a main sailing route to Norway and the main road up through Jutland, Hærvejen.

Aggersborg is 288 meters in diameter, and contained 48 long houses inside the wall. Each house was 32 meters long. Researchers speculate that Aggersborg Viking Fortress was used to collect taxes and excise from travelers as well as having a controlling role of the population in the area.

The wall itself is 11 meters thick. Today it is only about a meter high, but it used to be higher than the wall you see today at Trelleborg Viking Fortress.

The viking castle defensive system consisted of a moat, at Aggersborg 4 meters wide, and the circular wall with 4 gates, North, South, East and West. The wall was covered with Oak planks and the gates had Oak doors.

The gates were covered by wall overhead, and sentries and defensive forces could walk the entire perimeter of the wall and gates.

The present day town of Løgstør or Loegstoer is just South of Aggersborg, across the Limfjorden fjord.

When visiting Aggersborg Viking Fortress, don't overlook the exhibition building next to the parking area. It offers an excellent insight into the construction and usage of Aggersborg - and visiting it is free.