The area around Ribe, in South Jutland, plays an important role in Viking Age. Since about 1980, there have been major excavations, followed by setting up Ribe Vikingecenter. Ribe town museum is by the way a good combination visit.
The Vikingecenter is frequented by German tourists and Danish school groups, but what makes it special is the formula of “learning and working” for adolescents who combine school (produktionsskole) with a job experience, be it construction work, live interpretation roles or for example work in the shop.
The Center counts several sceneries (fully furnished wooden buildings) based on Viking Age sources. There is an early Viking Age market place, a chieftains house and a collection of 8 town houses. The Vikingecenter truely comes to life when living history volunteers camp here, for 6 months a year.
Goal of the Center is to promote the Viking Age with the coming to life of the reconstructed areas. Usually over 10 different crafts or activities are presented. Live interpretation is important here, besides creating work experience place and employment. The different groups of volunteers (adults, children, grandparents and bowmen and –women) are trained in crafts and are supported to keep the crafts alive.
