Arn & the Middle Ages
From fiction to reality
Jan Guillou’s best selling book trilogy featuring the Swedish crusader Arn Magnusson can now be seen on the screen. The epic saga of Arn is, so far, the most expensive production in the history of Swedish filmmaking.
Arn Magnusson is born in 1150 on Arnäs farm in Västra Götaland in the west of Sweden. At this time, Sweden was not one single, united kingdom. He grows up to become a well educated young man and a skilled warrior. He meets Cecilia, the love of his life, but a cruel and jealous world forces them apart. Cecilia is imprisoned in a monastery and Arn is sent away as a Knight Templar to the Holy Land, where war is raging between Christians and Muslims. They both have to fight to survive.
The story combines fiction with historical fact and makes references to real events and people. It tells the story of crusaders and adventures in the Holy Land but above all it tells the story of the country in the north, West Sweden, which is where the film mainly was shot.
West Sweden played an important part in the birth of the nation of Sweden. Remains from the 12th and 13th centuries, mainly churches and monasteries in scenic surroundings, still bear witness of this period in history.
When traveling in Arn’s footsteps, you can experience the historical sights as well as the actual locations from the making of the film.
