Experience Scandinavia

The VIKINK studio is located in Västra Götaland in southwest Sweden, an area rich in history. This place has many visible remnants from the Stone age, to the Bronze Age well into the Viking Age. We want to offer you the chance to explore all these beautiful ancient sites with us.  

We are offering an opportunity to have a guided trip to see some of these beautiful locations with your own eyes. Have you booked a tattoo appointment with us and want to extend your stay, are you planning to visit Sweden on another occasion and want to see some of these historical sites or do you want to soak up inspiration for your future tattoo? Book an appointment with us.

Below we will show you some ancient sites and places around the area of the VIKINK studio, as well as points of interest elsewhere in Sweden.

Tanum

West of Västra Götaland lies the province of Bohuslän, which is home to the UNESCO cultural heritage site of Bronze Age Tanum. Tanum is famous for Bronze Age rock carvings which are a treasure of information about the Bronze Age cultures that lived among the shores of what is now Southwest Sweden. The province Bohuslän historically overlaps the west of Västra Götaland and Bronze Age sites are spread throughout the whole area. 

The rock carvings spread through Scandinavia show a wide variety of images ranging from ships, warfare, farming, animals and ritual. Originally these carvings would have marked the shoreline of Bronze Age Scandinavia. Nowadays they appear to be more inland, this is because the coastline of the Bronze Age was much higher than it is today. The climate of the Bronze Age was comparable to that of today, with temperatures of the time just averaging a little higher. 

But the carvings are not the only thing surviving from the Bronze Age. Spread throughout the area we also find stone cairns and dolmen (burial mounds) that are still visible and accessible today. 

Falbygden

The Falbygden area between Sweden's two largest lakes, Vättern and Vännern, is rich in megalithic sites. This area was the northernmost border of where the megalithic (stone-age) cultures in Sweden settled and is a hotspot for prehistoric sites; many of which are still visible.

Most recognisable to the Falbygden area are the various passage graves, more than 250 of them are still quietly present in the landscape, some are even visible in inhabited areas and peoples gardens.

Luttra passage grave is one of the most notable and prominent of the passage graves in Falbygden. It contained the remains and belongings of more than a 100 individuals. 

Luttra passage grave, via platabergensgeopark

 

Ekornavallen

Ekornavallen is also situated in the Falbygden area. This area has been inhabited since the prehistoric times. Some of the most prominent features in Ekornavallen are various passage graves and a Bronze Age cairn, a mound made of rocks. 

 

Ale Vikingagård

Ale Vikingagård is located some half an hour north of Göteborg. Its holds a well taken care of 17m long Viking Age longhouse and hosts various events for the public, including Viking markets. This is the perfect place for familiarise yourself with what a Viking longhouse looked like.

Find Ale Vikingagård on their instagram

Gamla Stan, Stockholm

The medieval city centre of Stockholm, Gamla Stan, with its little hidden corners and narrow alleys has many secrets. Because there are too many to list, we will explain one of the most interesting hidden secrets.
In the photo below we see a runestone; or at least part of it. Next to the stone there’s what appears to be a post, but is actually a 17th century cannon. Coincidentally, this is also when the first mention of the runestone was made. How the stone got there is unknown. It is not uncommon at all for runestones to be used in walls; many churches in Scandinavia also feature parts of runestones in their walls. This does however not necessarily indicate there is a deeper meaning other than just using the stone for structural purposes.
The stone features the so called “Urnes style” animal motifs and dates back to the 11th century. The inscription reads “Torsten and Frögunn had the stone erected after their son (name missing)…”. It is very likely the stone originated from the direct area of Stockholm before it ended up at its current place. Records tell of two other runic inscriptions in Gamla Stan. One is now located in the Medieval museum, the other one is sadly lost.
The stone pictured is located at the crossing of Prästgatan / Kåkbrinken.

 

Halle och Hunneberg

Halle och Hunneberg eco reserve is the home to Late Iron Age hill forts and possible sacred sites. The landscape was a large natural factor in why Iron Age people lived here. The natural elements offered a strategic and cultural home. Today the area is a nature reserve that is easily accessible.

 

Gröna högen or Kun Rane's hög (near Skövde)

This place is the home to a large burial mound situated next to a church. The fact a church is built right next to it is not uncommon. Many churches are built upon pre-christian sacred sites. The burial mound likely dates to the Vendel period and is reminiscent of the burial mounds at Gamla Uppsala. It is believed the person buried in the mound was part of the elite society and his remains are still in the belly of the mound. The mound suggest a regional power centre. 

 

Askeberga

This is the second biggest stone ship setting in Sweden (the biggest being Ales Stenar on the southeast coast). It is dated to the Late Iron Age with the latest possible dating into the Vendel Period. The ship-shaped burial is made up of 24 boulders.

Ålleberg

Ålleberg is a massive Iron Age hill fort towerig over the landscape. This hill fort is not unlike its British counterparts. The top of the fort is home to burial sites and offers a panoramic view of the whole area. The view explains the strategic and cultural importance of the site.

 

Runestones

Västra Götaland is home to many rune stones that are easy to visit. Rune and picture stones are of course a big part of the VIKINK brand. These stones are scattered all over the area, often in easily accessible places. Read more about runestones on our runestones page.

 

Nature

Of course Sweden is rich in forest and lakes. Are you more into nature? no problem. Walk with us through deep mossy troll forests, where mushrooms gather in circles, ravens scouting above our heads and wolves are howling at night. I’ll show you the nicest lakes for a midnight swim under a bright northern sky, where there are no other people in sight. Or a boat trip to catch some fish on the historical river Ätran, the same river that vikings used for trades and transport.