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| St Olaf, Norway's Eternal King and Patron Saint has a reputation and place in history unchallenged by any other Norwegian King for the last 1000 years Olaf II Haraldsson of Norway, King and Saint Olaf Haraldsson, born in AD 995, was a viking who raided throughout western Europe and the Baltic until his return to Norway in 1015, where he was elected king of the Norwegians with the support of the Upland chieftains. His reign was rather typical for a king of the Viking Age: he defeated his oposition and governed as the King of Norway for a decade until he had to leave the throne to a more powerful king: Canute the Great of Denmark and England. Eventually Olaf Haraldsson tried to regain his kingdom but ended up losing his life at the Battle of Stiklestad, where his own followers rallied against him. The reason King Olaf is so famous in Norwegian history is because he is traditionally considered to have converted Norway into Christianity and have been the unifying force behind Norway. Although much of Norway was already Christian in those days, Olaf finished the job by bringing several missionary bishops from England to help to convert the remaining pagan areas of the country. Years after Olaf’s death, he was credited for performing miracles and his cult spread all over the Nordic countries, where there are still many churches dedicated to Saint Olaf. The Battle of Stiklestad Stiklestad is the battlefield where King Olaf Haraldsson died on July 29th 1030 and became known as Saint Olaf. Olaf Haraldsson was returning to Norway with a small Swedish army with the intention of regaining the Norwegian crown he had lost. His opponents learn about this and assambled a large army of farmers and soldiers against him. The two armies met at the place where Stiklestad church is located today. Tradition has it that the martyr king died from three wounds. First, a man called Torstein Knarresmed inflicted a serious injury with his axe. The king then leaned against a rock and threw his sword away, understanding that death was imminent. The other two wounds were inflicted by rival chieftains Tore Hund and Kalv Arneson, with a spear and an axe. The Battle of Stiklestad became the keystone event in the introduction of Christianity in Norway, as Olaf’s death increased enormously his popularity as a Christian saint. Years on Saint Olaf himself became the unifying symbol of the Norwegian nation: Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae or Norway’s Eternal King. His body was buried in Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim, which became the most important place of Christian pilgrimage in Norway. The Stiklestad National Cultural Centre Stiklestad is home to the Stiklestad National Cultural Centre, the place that brings back to life the stories and the myths about the holy king. Besides the St Olaf Medieval Church and the Folk Museum, Stiklestad has a wealth of many other attractions on offer such as exhibitions, theatre, guided tours, walking paths. Stiklestad has also conference facilities, a restaurant, an auditorium and a concert arena. Stiklestad Folk Museum has about 30 well-preserved historical buildings, some dating back to the 17th century, which include farmhouses, crofters’ cottages, storehouses and workshops. Actors reenact there typical scenes and activities that would have happened in those buildings. Many of the buildings are used for functions on special celebrations. The Stiklestad Church was built in stone in 1180 on the spot where Olaf Haraldsson died, probably replacing an original wooden church, and was restored several times since the Middle Ages. The church has a fresco called "The Sword and the Lily", which reccounts the story of King Olaf. Two hundred metres from the church is the St.Olaf Monument, made in Bornholm sandstone and erected in 1807, and further on there are two large burial mounds from pre-Christian times with walking trails and information boards. Olsokdagene: The Saint Olaf Festival Olsokdagene - The Saint Olaf Festival at Stiklestad is a ten-day long festival with a typical medieval market, art exhibitions, concerts, and most importantly, the world famous Spelet om Heilag Olav - "The Saint Olaf Drama" which is performed every year in the end of July. Every year, about 20,000 people come to Stiklestad to watch a theatre play of the events that led up to the battle and death of the king in 1030. "The Saint Olaf Drama" celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2004, making it the oldest open-air play in Norway. From its beginning in 1954, the play has always been a team effort between professionals and amateurs. Every year, some of Norway’s leading actors play in the central roles, while amateurs from Verdal and neighbouring villages take on smaller parts. When the drama starts, the audience is swept back to a different age. The events of "The Saint Olaf drama", take place on the mountain farm a few days before the battle in 1030. The farmers are busy with the everyday tasks of the haying season, and some of the king’s leading opponents arrive to look for soldiers. Some want to fight against the king, some want to fight for him. This creates divisions in the community, and there are rifts between pagans and followers of the new faith. Besides the theatre play, the St Olaf’s Festival Medieval Market is an experience for all generations. It has musical games, reenactment, archery and physical activities for children. There are shows and workshops of traditional activities such as dyeing of textiles with plant colours, stiching techniques from the Viking age, sewing of shoes and skin rugs, forging metal and woodcarving. In 2004, over 50,000 people visited The Saint Olaf Festival at Stiklestad. © June 2005 Birgitta Olsen
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