Jarlabankes Bro

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Jarlabankes office after the 2005 restoration.

Jarlabankes Bro (Jarlabankes Bridge) is a monument from the Viking Age , which the large landowner (probably also chief) Jarlabanke Ingefastsson had built around 1060 in the area of ​​the Swedish town of Täby . It is less a bridge than a paved 6.5 meter wide and 150 meter long path across a wetland.

The northern and probably also the southern end of the path were decorated with two rune stones each, which provide information about Jarlabanke's social position and his actions. The northern rune stones (U164 & U165) are still in their original position. The rune stones that are currently in the vicinity of the churches of Danderyd and Fresta (U127 & U161) are believed to have been posted at the southern end of the path, as they report from the bridge. Whether a fifth rune stone (U 212 or U 217) was initially in the vicinity of the path is controversial. The first stands today next to the church of Vallentuna and reports on the establishment of a court square. The second is a fragment with the church and names Ingefast (probably Jarlabanke's son) as the builder of a bridge.

The basis of the path was neither a pile foundation nor a brushwood bed (the source of Stockholms Läns Museum contradicts this). According to the Swedish Imperial Antiquities Office , the bottom layer consisted of reddish tillite . Further layers of stone, gravel and sand followed, although the original shape could not be reconstructed as the path was rebuilt several times over the centuries. It was used as a country road until the 1960s. The edges of the path had in the meantime and in addition to the rune stones, a marking made of about 2.5 meters high lettered stones. These were positioned every 12 meters on both sides and between them there were rows of smaller stones. A 2005 study found no evidence that these rows of stones existed as early as the Viking Age. Presumably they were only created in the 17th century . In connection with this investigation, a restoration of the path took place.

Rune stones

The four rune stones with strong references to Jarlabanke's bro have the following inscriptions.

  • U164, Jarlabankes Bro: Jarlabanke had these stones set up for himself while he lived, and he made this bridge for his soul, and he alone owned all of Täby. God help his soul.

  • U165, Jarlabankes Bro: Jarlabanke had these stones set up for himself while he lived, and he created this bridge for his soul ... owned all of Täby.

  • U127, Danderyd Church: Jarlabanke had these stones erected for himself while he lived, and he made this bridge for his soul, and he alone owned all of Taby.

  • U261, Fresta Church: Jarlabanke had these stones set up for himself while he lived, and he made this bridge for his soul, and he alone owned all of Täby.

Web links

Commons : Jarlabankes Bro  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 59 ° 29 ′ 56 "  N , 18 ° 3 ′ 46"  E