Summer Market at Haithabu Viking Museum

Vikings You Can Touch

The Summer Market at Haithabu Viking Museum is one of the most authentic Viking events in Northern Germany. For four days, the grounds of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Haithabu transform into a lively marketplace, just as it existed here between the 8th and 11th centuries. Blacksmiths, woodturners, weavers, leatherworkers, and bronze casters demonstrate their traditional techniques, while traders offer goods – from wool blankets to Viking jewellery.

UNESCO World Heritage Site Haithabu

Haithabu was one of Northern Europe's most important trading hubs between the 8th and 11th centuries. In 2018, the Viking settlement, along with the nearby Danevirke, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. The adjacent Haithabu Viking Museum includes the outdoor area with the reconstructed Viking houses, the museum building with original archaeological finds, and a long rampart that enclosed the former trading centre.

Programme and Highlights

During the Summer Market:

• Over 50 craftspeople using traditional techniques (blacksmithing, weaving, woodturning, bronze casting)
• Viking reenactors in historical clothing present daily life from the 9th to 11th centuries
• Traders sell Viking-typical products: leather goods, jewellery, carvings, clothing, archery equipment
• Interactive workshops for children – e.g., baking bread, felting, archery
• Demonstrations with historical boats on the Haddebyer Noor lake

Location: Busdorf, Schleswig-Flensburg District

The museum is located in the municipality of Busdorf, south of Schleswig in the Schleswig-Flensburg district. Its location on the Haddebyer Noor lake and on the southern edge of the Schlei makes a visit a perfect excursion into the northernmost region of the state of Schleswig-Holstein. The Viking Days Schleswig (approx. 2 km away) complement the region's Viking offerings.