Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Taktsang Lhakhang, also known as the “Tiger’s Nest”.
Bhutan • 11 days, 10 nights
Festivals & Temples of Bhutan
from
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The ‘Old Secretariat’ government building in New Delhi.
The 'Old Secretariat'
This set is inspired by a Roman arena.
Bozdağ Film Platolari
The Sea Water Distilling Plant.
Sea Water Distilling Plant
Contemplative paths.
Ayo Rock Formations
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The sign declares this the number-one gumbo shop in town.
Gumbo Hut Shioya
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
The truth is out there—somewhere.
The Truth Is Out There at the Dreamland Resort (or Should We Say ‘Area 51?’)
19 days ago
Edward Payson Weston
How the 6-Day Race Became an American Spectator Obsession
20 days ago
Alresford Spy Toilet
This Public Bathroom in a Sleepy English Village Was an Epicenter for Cold War Espionage
22 days ago
Manhattan Well
The Manhattan Well: How Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton United to Solve a Murder Mystery
23 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom Scotland Haroldswick The Viking Unst Project and Skidbladner
AO Edited

The Viking Unst Project and Skidbladner

Recreations of a Norse longhouse and boat on Shetland's northernmost inhabited island.

Haroldswick, Scotland

Added By
linkogecko
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The Viking Unst Project and Skidbladner   linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
The Viking Unst Project and Skidbladner   linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
The Viking Unst Project and Skidbladner   linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
The Viking Unst Project and Skidbladner   linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
Long boat replica at Haroldswick   rdugdale45 / Atlas Obscura User
The Viking Unst Project and Skidbladner   linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
The Viking Unst Project and Skidbladner   linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
The Viking Unst Project and Skidbladner   linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
View of the Skidbladner from the longhouse.   linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
The Viking Unst Project and Skidbladner   linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
The Viking Unst Project and Skidbladner   linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
The Viking Unst Project and Skidbladner   linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
Longhouse   rdugdale45 / Atlas Obscura User
The Viking Unst Project and Skidbladner   linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Norse (or Viking) heritage in Shetland is a source of cultural pride and uniqueness. While the entirety of the British Isles and a large part of Northern Europe saw repeated Norse invasions and settlements, the Scottish archipelagos of Shetland and Orkney had a particularly long period of Norse habitation, starting in the 8th-century and being part of the Kingdom of Norway until the 15th-century.

The abundance of longhouse remains in Shetland (around 60 explored so far, most of them in Unst) represent the largest concentration of rural Norse ruins in the world. The Unst community of Haroldswick celebrates this with a longhouse recreation as well as the Skidbladner, a replica of the Gokstad ship found in Norway in the 19th-century.

The replica Skidbladner, named after a ship in Norse mythology, was originally built in Sweden and intended for the United States. While being sailed to its destination in 2000, the boat made a stop in Shetland and was eventually acquired by the islands' Amenity Trust. With Haroldswick being the home of the Unst Boat Haven, a group of local shipbuilders assisted in its restoration and eventual placement in its current home.

The longhouse was built in 2010 with its authentic interiors and now plays host to several Norse cultural and heritage events.

Related Tags

Vikings Architecture Boats History & Culture

Community Contributors

Added By

linkogecko

Edited By

rdugdale45

  • rdugdale45

Published

June 2, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.shetlandamenity.org/the-skidbladner
  • https://www.shetlandamenity.org/viking-unst
  • https://www.shetland-heritage.co.uk/viking-unst
The Viking Unst Project and Skidbladner
A968
Haroldswick, Scotland, ZE2
United Kingdom
60.785292, -0.834315
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Bobby's Bus Shelter

Baltasound, Scotland

miles away

The Gloup Disaster Memorial

Shetland Islands, Scotland

miles away

The Hjaltadans Stone Circle

Fetlar, Scotland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Scotland

Scotland

United Kingdom

Places 739
Stories 49

Nearby Places

Bobby's Bus Shelter

Baltasound, Scotland

miles away

The Gloup Disaster Memorial

Shetland Islands, Scotland

miles away

The Hjaltadans Stone Circle

Fetlar, Scotland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Scotland

Scotland

United Kingdom

Places 739
Stories 49

Related Places

  • The historic crossing of Yagiri.

    Tokyo, Japan

    Yagiri no Watashi

    The only Edo-period ferry that is still in operation in Tokyo today.

  • Washington Canoe Club

    Washington, D.C.

    Washington Canoe Club

    This historic boathouse was constructed using salvaged lumber from burned barns.

  • Herreshoff Castle

    Marblehead, Massachusetts

    Herreshoff Castle

    This Gothic castle was inspired by Erik the Red's Viking residence at Brattahlid in Greenland.

  • Decorative drainpipe on the former Waring home (Chippewa Square).

    Savannah, Georgia

    Dolphin Drainpipes

    These ornate, fish-shaped water spouts guard Savannah’s historic facades.

    Sponsored by Visit Savannah
  • Castillo de Gillow.

    San Lucas el Grande, Mexico

    Ex-Hacienda de Chautla

    A historic Puebla estate featuring a striking castle.

  • Face of Nakpil-Bautista house

    Manila, Philippines

    Bahay Nakpil-Bautista

    A century-old ancestral home was home to some of the key figures of the Philippine Revolution.

  • The Tomioka Silk Mill.

    Tomioka, Japan

    Tomioka Silk Mill

    The World Heritage-designated site of Japan’s industrial revolution, once mistaken as a den of vampires.

  • Addolorata Cemetery.

    Raħal Ġdid, Malta

    Addolorata Cemetery

    Malta’s largest cemetery is a Victorian-era architectural masterpiece.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.