Celebrate Saint Hans in Lejre Land of Legends

Experience the coziness of Saint Hans, a legendary atmosphere and performances from four eras when the past comes together on June 23 to decide who wins the right to light this year’s midsummer bonfire.

All corners of Lejre Land of Legends are buzzing with activity.

The farmers in Krikkebjerghuse are getting ready to celebrate Saint Hans. The girls are giggling and taking sweet nothings in spring water and summer flowers and the men are carrying firewood and getting everything ready for tonight’s St. Hans bonfire.

But they’re not the only ones with bonfires on their minds. At the Viking site, everyone is busy, with young and old alike dragging branches, logs and rigging so that they can light the bonfire to honor deceased relatives on the summer solstice and send them on their way to meet the gods.

The Iron Age people in the village between the green meadows are also preparing for a magnificent evening. The Midsummer Solstice is celebrated and the gods are honored with bonfires and sacrifices.

Even among the Stone Age people, everyone helps to clear the forest and gather dry sticks for a grand celebratory bonfire.

Luckily for everyone, the work goes surprisingly quickly. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think the fire grew all by itself. In fact, it’s as if the work is going four times as fast as usual. Because neither the crofters, Vikings, Iron Age farmers nor Stone Age hunters have realized that they are not alone in hauling wood to the big fire.

But alas, how will it work? Bonfires have been a part of human celebrations from the earliest times to today’s St. Hans bonfires. It just doesn’t usually happen at the same time. Not even in Lejre Land of Legends. And with one bonfire and four different purposes, the question is what happens when the time travelers gather around the impressive bonfire?

Fortunately for all of them, Sankt Hans is a very special evening, and the one time of the year when Sagnlandet Lejre lets the midsummer breeze dissolve the last airy divisions between times and lets the past meet across, to tell about the traditions of the different times and celebrate the bright evenings in community with the many modern-day guests.

Pack your picnic basket and join in the festivities.
But it’s not just the meeting of time periods that makes Saint Hans a special day in Lejre Land of Legends. Even before the bonfire is lit, there’s plenty to do. Throughout the day, there are plenty of activities and from the afternoon onwards, the bonfire valley lays the ground for the coziest picnic in Central Zealand, where guests and well-wishers can grill food and make sure their bellies are full before the celebrations really get underway. Opening hours have been extended to 21:00 and if you arrive after 17:00, you can get in for less than half the price.
In Kongehallen, from 10:30-13:00 and 14:00-20:30, young and old can meet the Vikings of Lejre Land of Legends and travel back in time to the beginning of the Viking Age with a visit to Denmark’s largest Viking hall.

The bonfire will be lit at 19:00 followed by a sing-along with ‘Midsummer Song’ and Sagnlandet’s traditional midsummer song ‘Lygtemanden’s Song’, where guests and ancients head for the sacrificial bog to round off the evening in proper Iron Age style.

In Cafe Hvidsøhus, the staff behind the counter pack the most delicious homemade picnic packs with everything from sandwiches to delicious game sausages with homemade potato salad. Pre-orders close on Tuesday at 23:00. If you have not ordered in advance, it is possible to buy food on the day while stocks last. The kitchen closes at 19:30 for the other food items.

Ticket for Midsummer in Lejre Land of Legends
If you buy a regular ticket, it will be exchanged for a season pass as always. If you arrive after 5 pm, you can buy the special Midsummer ticket for DKK 65. The St. Hans ticket must be purchased at the door and is only valid for one evening. If you want to time travel more than once this year, we recommend a regular ticket, which is valid throughout the year from the day it is purchased.

Do you know what you’re going to eat?

If not, the talented folks in our Cafe Hvidesøhus have a suggestion:

Pre-orders close at 23:00 on Tuesdays. If you have not ordered in advance, it is possible to buy food on the day while stocks last.