Avaldsnes is best known as the royal residence of Harald Hårfagre and other kings referred to in the sagas. Avaldsnes is named after the legendary King Augvald, described in the sagas as son of the gods and father of kings..

For 3500 years the chieftains of Avaldsnes controlled the ships passing up and down the Nordveg (North Way), the shipping route that gave Norway its name. These chieftains left behind large Viking burial mounds, menhirs and rich archaeological finds. The soil and the sea surrounding the ancient royal residence still conceal secrets that archaeologists have only just started to uncover.

Saint Olav's church, built in about 1250, is today the most important relic of Norway's golden age. A walk from the church takes you through the historical landscape to a reconstructed Viking farm comprising several buildings. Construction of Nordvegen Historical Centre starts in 2003 and is scheduled to be completed in April/May 2005.

The centre will present the story of how over the millennia Avaldsnes has been shaped by all the people who sailed up and down our coast and by all those who came to Norway from foreign countries.

For more information-click to the website..