The cold night falls over the city but the little more than 7,000 inhabitants rush onto the streets. After a a day of celebrations, about 7.30 p.m, one thousand
Vikings cross some of the streets engulfed in the darkness. Torch in hand, the fire reflects in their helmets, the coats of mail, the leather cloaks, the shields and the axes. The city is in darkness and the columns of the torches follow an enormous galley in the shape of a dragon. After the short speech of the
Jarl Guizer, their leader, hundreds of voices sing old hymns in unison.
At 9 p.m., the torches set the gigantic
ship (drakkar) on fire, which burns right until dawn. The
Up Helly Aa festival has been celebrated in
Lerwick, the capital of the
Shetland Islands on the last Tuesday in January since 1880s to remember its
Viking past.
The festival's
webpage will broaden information and give details of the events going on.
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http://www.mappery.com/map-of/Shetland-Islands-Tourist-Map-2 |