Located in the spacious Danish countryside is a theme park known as Land of Legends (Sagnlandet Lejre) that replaces roller coasters and cotton candy with authentic recreations of life during a number of brutal historical eras.

From the Stone Age to the Iron Age, Land of Legends attempts to mix fun with the gritty realities of pre-industrial society. The park was actually established in 1964 as a site where archeologists and anthropologists could attempt to recreate ancient civilizations among the natural bogs, lakes, and woodland of the area. The researchers would reconstruct Iron Age farming equipment and housing, attempting to learn more about eras in the distant past by experiencing them. The actual benefit of the experiments were controversial, but people flocked to the site to watch the pioneering scientists work.

Today, the site has embraced the public’s interest in its work and evolved into a park that invites visitors to come and experience life in the past for themselves, all while the experimental reconstruction continues. The major historical reconstructions at the site now include the original Iron Age village, a Stone Age camp, a Viking market, and a smattering of 19th century farm-cottages. Visitors can try their hand at some labor intensive farming, ancient handicraft, or simply watch the archeologists work.

Stepping into the Land of Legends is almost like a form of time travel in immersing visitors so completely in the ancient eras. And even if that concept is too far-fetched, the park is still home to acres of experimental science.