The five Halders at Viborg

At De fem Halder near Viborg you will encounter 800 years of Danish history in a scenic area by Hald Sø. Experience castle ruins, a manor house environment, exhibitions, walks and historical traces in the middle of and close to nature.

800 years of history at Hald Sø

Between Dollerup Bakker and Hald Sø lies The Five Halder near Viborg - a historical area where castles, redoubts and manor houses tell of power, defense and life through several centuries.

Here you can explore the landscape and experience five historical sites within walking distance: Gammel Hald, Valdemars Skanse, the ruins of Hald Slot, Daas Herregård and Hald Hovedgård. The area brings together cultural history and natural experiences in a way where you can follow the traces of history directly in the terrain.

Take the children on a trip and visit the nearby forest playground , which is based on the historical surroundings and events that have taken place here.

The five Halders

Old Hald

This is the castle that was never finished. Gammel Hald would have been an impressive castle if it had been completed. The castle bank has a diameter of about 80 meters and was surrounded by a 2,5 meter deep inner moat. This suggests that the castle dates from the period 1250-1300.

Valdemar's Skanse

Valdemar's Skanse is a siege facility that was built by King Valdemar Atterdag in 1372 to capture the castle Hald. On the larger of the two ramparts, the king apparently built a large throwing machine.

Ruin Hald Castle

In the 1520s, the last Catholic bishop in Viborg, Jørgen Friis, built this state-of-the-art defensive castle. Today, you can still see the ruins of Hald Castle with shrapnel for the cannons in the tower, from which the view is absolutely fantastic.

Daas Manor

Daas Manor was built by Major General Gregers Daa in the early 1700s. He built a large half-timbered farm with barns, stables and a paved courtyard with building materials from the old Hald Castle. The main house was located where the two white pavilions in front of Hald Hovedgård stand.

Hald Hovedgård

The current main building for Hald Hovedgård was built in approx. 1787 by county judge Frederich Schinkel. Schinkel was known by the name "The farmer's tormentor", as he was said to be a hard man. The main building was originally built as a gate building for Gregers Daas manor, from the beginning of the 1700th century. 

Start the visit to Haldladen

Haldladen at Hald Hovedgård is a good place to start the tour. Here you will find an exhibition that gives an overview of Hald's history with animated films, posters and stories about the individual castles and manor houses. The exhibition is made by Viborg Museum with contributions from medieval archaeologist Jesper Hjermind and Hald Hovedgaard.

The Haldladen is open from April to October from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm and is closed for the winter from November to March.

Mystery hunts and guided tours

Experience De Fem Halder in a different and active way with a family-friendly mystery hunt. The mystery hunt combines nature, history and play.

The Curse of Niels Bugge, the mystery hunt

You can also book a guided tour at Viborg Museum, where you can experience When Viborg burned, hear about gossip and scandals, find the mysterious moat - and many more events and activities.

Book a guide and see activities

Practical information

• There is free access to the area around De fem Halder all year round.
• Start your visit at Haldladen if you want an overview of the history.
• You can experience the five historical sites on foot.
• There is a toilet in the area.
• There are good parking options, also for buses.
• Remember footwear suitable for trails and natural areas.
• Always check current conditions at Viborg Museum before the visit.

See De five Halder from above.

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Updated by: VisitAarhus | web@visitaarhus.com