# Audunborg

- **Country:** Norway
- **Coordinates:** 61.530280, 6.231940
- **Condition:** Ruin
- **Location Text:** Ålhus village

Audunborg was a medieval stone castle built between 1276 and 1286 by Norwegian nobleman Audun Hugleiksson on his inherited estate near the village of Ålhus in what is now Sunnfjord Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. Located approximately eight kilometers northeast of Vassenden on the shores of Lake Jølstravatnet, the castle was constructed of stone, likely by English craftsmen working from Bergen. The rectangular structure measured approximately 22 by 13 meters and featured three stories with a ground floor store room, living quarters on the second floor, and a feast hall at the top. The building was strategically positioned with water on three sides for defensive advantages and was likely surrounded by additional fortifications including a moat or castle wall.

Audunborg holds significant historical importance as one of only two known examples of privately owned stone castles in medieval Norway, the other being Isegran built by Alv Erlingsson. During an era when typically only the King and the Church possessed sufficient funds for stone construction, Audun Hugleiksson's ability to build such a structure reflected his exceptional status as a baron permitted to maintain an armed retinue. The castle is believed to have been modeled after Håkonshallen in Bergen. Research suggests Audun spent relatively little time at his castle, as his activities frequently took him to Bergen, eastern Norway, or abroad.

Today, only ruins remain at the site on the tip of Hegreneset. The castle was first excavated in 1934 by architect Gerhard Fischer. A memorial featuring Audun's seal was erected at the location in 1960, carved by Jørgen P. Solheimsnes from Jølster Municipality.

![Photo of Audunborg](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Audun%20Hugleiksson.JPG)

**Source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audunborg (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)