The Balder Stone
Straight ahead of us, standing on a large burial mound, we see the Balder Stone, towering nearly 8 meter over the ground and considered on of the tallest menhirs in Norway.
The Balder Stone
On the outskirts of the mound, archaeologists have found a man`s grave dating back to Viking times, or perhaps a little earlier. The mound may have been the burial site for a powerful family through many generations.
Why the name Balder Stone?
Traditionally, the name of the Balder Stone has been linked to the saga about Fridtjov the Bold. The story of Fridtjov takes place in the Viking Age 800-1050 AD and tells of a large place of worship on a farm called Baldershagen. It has been claimed that this refers to Baldershagen at Husabø. It was also thought that the Balder Stone was given its name because the memorial stone was placed on Fridtjov`s grave. Opninions are divided on whether the saga is based on real life. It was written down several hundred years after the Viking Age and no other sources support the theory that the Balder Stone is on Fridtjov`s grave or linked to him in any other way. The menhir has doubtlessly been placed here as a memorial stone, but we do not know who was being commemorated.
Source: Visit Sognefjord AS
The Balder Stone