Torstein of Heimnes

Bautastein in Hebnes in memory of Torstein of Heimnes, King Håkon Håkonsson's chief advisor in war and peace. It was erected in 2002 by the Ropeid Peninsula Community Council, with support from Suldal Municipality, the Ryfylke Fund, and SR-Bank in Sand.

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Torstein may be the greatest chieftain to have lived in Ryfylke. He was Håkon Håkonsson's standard-bearer and carried the king's standard in war. The chieftain from Hebnes was crucial in the Battle of Oslo in 1240, where Håkon Håkonsson defeated Duke Skule and ended the 100-year-long civil war in Norway.

Long before Torstein, Hebnes was an area inhabited by powerful people. This is evident from the many burial mounds (40-45 exist today), including the largest in Ryfylke. Several of the five to six large mounds may date from the Bronze Age, around 3500-2500 years ago. Most of the mounds are likely from the Iron Age (2500-1000 years ago). Behind the memorial stone, you can see seven of these burial mounds, as well as a boathouse from the Iron Age.

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Well-arranged: The Torstein of Heimnes monument stands on a large, open, and paved area that is easily accessible.

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