Alrekstad
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Álreksstaðir, or in more modern tongue Alrekstad, was one of the largest Norwegian king's farm on the west coast during the early Middle Ages. It was situated at the foot of the mountain Ulriken (a mountain in Bergen, Norway). Harald Hairfair took residence there in the tenth century, and after the battle at Fitjar in 1060 king Håkon the Good was on his way to Alrek, but died at Håkonshella. It is even known that a king by name Alfred lived there at the end of the fourth century.
The houses were probably placed where Haukeland skole (Haukeland Elementary School) is placed today. The water below (today named Store Lunggårdsvann) was then called Alrekstadvannet (the Alrekstad water).
The king's farm was moved down closer to the sea during the reign of king Eystein Magnusson (1103-1123), where Håkonshallen was later built.
The Norwegian author Gunnar Staalesen is planning a play in 2005 (100 year after Norway's independence from Sweden) about Alrekstad.
The name Alrekstad have evolved into today's Årstad, the modern name of a borough of the city of Bergen. Interestingly, the location of Alrekstad - today referred to as "Årstadvollen" - is situated outside of the Årstad borough.
Etymology
Alrek is derived from a norse name, Alrekr which means bulky.
It is believed by Norsk Stadnamnleksikon (Norwegian Place Name Encyclopedia) that the name Álreksstaðir is derived from Ulriken rather than the name Alrekr.