Viking Fortress Nonnebakken in Odense to Undergo Renovation with €26 Million Investment.

Nonnebakken, a Viking fortress located in Odense, is set to undergo a significant transformation aimed at enhancing its visibility and enriching its historical storytelling. This ambitious renovation project is expected to begin soon, with a target completion date set for autumn 2026.

As one of Denmark’s five Viking ring fortresses, Nonnebakken has often been overlooked due to its subtle presence. However, the upcoming renovation will draw attention to its historical importance. Broad steel bands will outline its embankment, and markers will be installed along Allégade and Hunderupvej, where the fortress once stood. Additionally, a large bronze model representing the Viking structure will be placed in a nearby park.

The project will highlight sections of the ringfort rampart using wide ribbons and plants placed between them, making the markings visible at several locations in central Odense. A large model of the ringfort will also be created, and students from Giersings Realskole, along with other children, will have the chance to play on a small section of the recreated defenses.

This initiative is a collaboration between Odense Municipality as the project developer, Museum Odense, and the current residents of Nonnebakken, including Odd Fellow Logen and Giersings Realskole. The project is backed by a generous 26 million kroner investment, with contributions from the A.P. Møller and Chastine Mc-Kinney Møller’s Foundation, the Augustinus Foundation, and Odense Municipality.

The Nonnebakken ringfort, constructed around 980 AD by Harald Bluetooth, was part of a defensive network of five ringforts. As a protected ancient monument, Nonnebakken, along with Aggersborg, Borgring, Fyrkat, and Trelleborg, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in September 2023. The fortress was originally a circular structure with a 180-metre outer diameter, surrounded by a 9-metre-wide moat and a rampart up to 5-6 metres high, with timber cladding on both sides.

Odense Mayor Peter Rahbæk Juel expressed, “The fortress’s location in the centre of the city deserves attention and helps tell the story of Odense as a strategically important place, both in the Viking era and today.”

The renovation will bring greater focus to Nonnebakken’s role in Denmark’s Viking history, with the fortress originally constructed around 980 as part of a network of five ring fortresses, or "ringborge," built during Harald Bluetooth’s reign.

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