“Viking houses did not have chimneys or windows. Instead, there was a hole in the roof, where the smoke from the fire escaped. The lack of ventilation meant that there was a great deal of smoke in a Viking house… In the middle of the house was an oblong fireplace – the long fireplace. Here the food was made.”

The typical Viking dwelling was the longhouse, a rectangular building with a wooden frame and walls of wattle and daub, stone, or turf depending on local conditions. These houses were long and relatively narrow and were roofed with thatch or turf. A hearth in the centre of the house provided heat and was used for cooking; smoke escaped through a louver or opening in the roof.

The National Museum describes the typical building as a **longhouse**: “The Viking Age house was usually **a long, narrow building** constructed of wood,” sometimes with walls of wattle and daub. It notes that length could reach 20–30 m while width remained modest. Inside, “**an open hearth was located in the middle of the living room**,” used for heating and cooking; there was no chimney, so smoke escaped through the roof. The text explains that windows were either absent or very small, stating that the houses were **dark, with only small openings for light**.

The National Museum of Denmark describes houses of the Viking Age as typically long and relatively narrow, built with wooden posts and sometimes wattle and daub or turf walls, often on stone footings. It notes that these houses had a central living space that included the hearth. Regarding heating and light, the museum explains that the hearth in the middle of the house was used for both cooking and heating and that there was no chimney; smoke escaped through the roof. It further notes that there were only small openings in the building, so most light came from the open door and the fire, indicating that large windows were not a typical feature of Viking houses.

National Museums Scotland describes Viking rural buildings as “**long, narrow houses** built of timber where available, or of **stone and turf in areas with fewer trees**.” It notes that walls could be turf‑built over a timber frame, with roofs of turf or thatch. On the interior, it says: “In the centre of the main living area was an **open hearth**, providing heat and light. There was no chimney, and the smoke escaped through the roof or gaps in the construction.” The article comments that windows were rare and small, so “**the houses would have been quite dark inside**.”

Experimental archaeology projects reconstructing Viking longhouses follow archaeological evidence indicating buildings between 15 and 30 metres long and about 5–7 metres wide. Walls can be made of turf, stone, or wattle and daub carried by a timber frame. A long central hearth or a series of hearths along a central trench provide heating, with smoke vented through the roof. The structures have very few openings in the walls, so they are effectively windowless.

“Smoke holes in the roof (or, in rare cases, chimneys) provided ventilation and illumination, letting in light and letting out smoke… Typically, no windows were used in the house. All light came from smoke holes overhead, and open exterior doors. Some houses may have had small openings covered with animal membranes, located where the roof meets the wall, to allow more light to diffuse into the house.” The article also notes: “fires were built in this region, either in a fire pit running lengthwise in the longhouse, or in individual fire circles in the rooms. The fire provided light and heat and was also used for cooking.”

The experimental archaeology study describes a reconstructed Viking-Age longhouse: “The house is 28.5 m long and 5 m wide… The walls are turf and timber, and the roof is covered with turf.” The authors explain that heating and cooking were done with “an open hearth placed in the middle of the room,” and they studied how smoke escaped through roof openings rather than chimneys, leading to high indoor smoke levels.

“Vikings lived in **elongated, rectangular structures called longhouses**. Across the Viking world, **most houses had timber frames but, where wood was scarce, stone and turf were also used as construction materials**. The walls were often made of wattle and daub or timber planking, with a grass roof.” “Excavated examples reveal the central area of the structure was sometimes used as a hall for feasting and entertaining **around a large, central hearth**, with a chimney above.”

The Viking longhouse was a long, narrow building with timber frames, walls of wattle and daub and thatched roofs. Others were made of turf and sod. These houses usually had just one room, although chiefs’ and wealthy Vikings’ longhouses were often divided into several sections.

This article explains that Norse turf houses began “with the construction of **stone footings**. Besides forming a firm base on which the house rests, they also keep the **wooden structural elements** of the house away from the soil, protecting them from rot.” It states that “the structural support for the house was provided by **wooden interior posts and beams**,” while walls of “**turf blocks**” formed the outer shell. For the layout, it notes that “**the main hall in the middle of the house took up most of the floor area, with a fire pit in the middle**,” which provided heat and light. The turf walls are described as about 2 m thick, filled with gravel or dirt for drainage and insulation.

The article states that “Viking houses were adapted to the region and therefore **built with the materials available** in the immediate surroundings,” noting that in Denmark forests “provided **oak for framing**,” while in Greenland and Iceland, where wood was scarce, “houses were built with blocks of **peat**, a naturally insulating material,” often over stone foundations. It notes that roofing might use thatch, grass, or shingles and adds: “**A few tiny windows with bladder skins stretched over them could let some light in**,” indicating that windows were small and limited. In the center of the inhabited part was the hearth or “long fire,” “**a simple hole dug in the earth, sometimes delimited with stones, which provided heat, light and means of cooking**,” with smoke exiting through a roof opening.

Describing the architecture, the article notes that longhouse roofs had “a hole in the middle to let out smoke from the fires lit within the home.” It states: “The centerpiece of a Viking house was the big rectangular hearth that sat in its center. Built-in benches used for sleeping surrounded this central hearth.” It also comments that “timber was the main resource used to construct most of the buildings in the Viking age,” with stone foundations surviving archaeologically.

Viking longhouses were typically rectangular in shape, with curved walls, with an open floor plan that allowed for multi-functional spaces. The large central hearth was used for cooking and heating, while raised platforms along the walls provided sleeping areas and storage for the family. Viking longhouses varied in size, ranging from 15 to 75 meters in length, depending on the owner's importance and wealth. The main construction materials were wooden columns, roofs made of wood, thatch, or turf, and walls built with clay, wooden planks, or wattle and daub. Apart from the door, these "windows" were often the only openings in the longhouse.

This university‑hosted blog explains that “the **Viking longhouse was an elongated, narrow building** that could be over 20 metres long.” It states that construction varied by region, but “in Norway and Iceland **stone and turf walls supported a timber roof**, whereas in more forested areas, timber walls were common.” It notes that interiors had “a **central hearth or line of hearths** down the middle of the house, used for cooking and heating,” with smoke vented through the roof. It adds that there were **few windows** if any, making the interior dark and smoky.

The article describes longhouses as: "They were around 5-7 metres (15-25 feet) wide in the middle and from 15-75 metres (50-250 feet) long." It notes that, regardless of size, "the basic construction was the same" and that these buildings were the primary homes of many Norse people. On light and windows it states: "There were rarely any windows so light would get in through vents built to let out smoke, or through the gaps in the thatching." Later it adds: "As you might imagine, a house with no windows could be very dim. On the contrary, many reconstructions have shown that if you place a couple of smoke holes in the right place, you can let in enough light to work by. Likewise, some homes had a gap between the walls and the roof that were covered in animal skins that could be rolled up to let in more light." Fire is described as central: "Fires would also provide some light and, in the cold Northern climate, these would likely be lit for most of the time throughout the year."

The Viking longhouse was a rectangular building, often quite long and relatively narrow, built to withstand the harsh Scandinavian climate. The central hearth provided warmth, and the room's layout, with living and sleeping areas away from the door, minimised heat loss. The longhouse was typically constructed with wooden frames, and walls made of wattle and daub or turf, depending on local resources.

Viking houses, especially longhouses, were long, narrow structures with slightly curved walls, resembling an upturned ship. They were usually built of timber where it was available, but in Iceland and other treeless areas they used turf and stone for the walls. Inside, a long central hearth or several smaller hearths along the central axis provided heat and light and were used for cooking.

“These buildings were usually elongated and rectangular, with a length of up to 30 meters and a width of around 5 to 7 meters.” The article highlights the heating arrangement: “Another typical feature was the central fireplace or hearth, which was used for both cooking and heating. This hearth was usually located in the middle of the house, which allowed for an even distribution of heat. The longhouses had no chimneys; the smoke escaped through openings in the roof.” On openings, it adds: “The doors and windows of the Viking houses were relatively small in order to minimize heat loss… Windows were usually made of thin animal skins or fish bladders, which let in light but also protected against wind and weather.”

The museum describes the reconstructed chieftain’s longhouse at Borg: “The longhouse is 83 metres long and about 9.5 metres wide at its widest. It is a reconstruction based on the archaeological remains of a Viking longhouse… The walls are built of timber with turf cladding, and the roof is covered with turf.” Inside, “the main room has an open hearth in the centre of the floor, where fire provided light, heat and a place for cooking,” with smoke passing up through the roof opening rather than a chimney.

In its overview of Viking architecture, the article says that rural domestic buildings were “**longhouses – long, narrow buildings** that housed people and animals under one roof.” It notes that “across the Viking world, **timber frames were common, but stone and turf were also used** as building materials where wood was scarce,” with walls of wattle and daub or planking and roofs covered with grass. The interior is described as having “**a central hearth** used for heating, cooking and light,” with no chimney so that smoke escaped through the roof. It also mentions that windows, if present, were **small openings**, contributing to a dark interior.

Describing overall form, the article notes: "They were functional masterpieces. Long, narrow, and dug partly into the ground, the Viking longhouse was designed to retain heat and shield its inhabitants from the harsh Nordic climate." It emphasizes their elongated shape and relatively narrow width compared to length. On materials and windows, it explains that Viking houses were generally made from locally available timber, turf, and stone, stating that Norse builders used wooden frames with turf or stone walls in many regions to improve insulation. It also notes that windows, if present, were very small and sometimes covered with animal skins or similar materials, indicating that large glazed openings were not typical features of Viking longhouses.

This heritage page describes excavated buildings as “**typical Viking longhouses: narrow, elongated houses up to 30 metres long**.” It notes they were “built mainly in **timber**, with stone footings,” while in some coastal areas turf was also used for walls or roofing. It explains that the “**fireplace was located in the middle of the house**,” providing heating and cooking, and that there were “only **small openings** in the roof or walls for light and smoke,” meaning that the rooms would have been dark and smoky inside.

Archaeological surveys of Viking Age house sites in Scandinavia and the North Atlantic consistently show long, narrow building footprints, often 15–30 m long and roughly 5–7 m wide. Structural analyses and excavations indicate that walls were typically timber-framed with wattle-and-daub, sometimes resting on stone foundations, and in many regions reinforced or entirely built from turf. No evidence of glass windows has been found; instead, light appears to have come from roof smoke holes and open doors, with only occasional small membrane-covered openings, leading many museum and research summaries to describe Viking longhouses as effectively windowless.

Describing the chieftain’s longhouse at Borg, the museum notes: "The longhouse at Borg was about 83 metres long and up to 9.5 metres wide, making it the largest Viking Age building found so far in Norway." It emphasizes the elongated shape and relative narrowness compared to length. The building is reconstructed with a timber frame, turf-covered roof, and stone foundations. The museum explains that inside the longhouse, "an open hearth in the central hall was used for heating and cooking." Smoke from the fire escaped through openings in the roof rather than through a chimney. The exhibits and descriptions indicate that there were no large glass windows; any openings in the walls or roof for light and smoke were small, consistent with archaeological understanding of Viking longhouse construction.

Discussing archaeological evidence, one contributor summarizes: “The evidence for Scandinavian, Continental and Anglo-Saxon long halls are pretty much similar but not identical in layout, the central hearth appearing to be much as you describe.” Another notes: “As stated before, one central hearth or more would serve to heat a house. There is even some evidence for air vents underneath the hearth itself… There is no stove or chimney as such, but an opening in the roof where the smoke can get out.”

In the narrated description (around 1:20–1:35), the video states that Viking longhouses were "characteristically long with length varying from 20 to 50 m and width ranging from 5 to 7 m" and that they were constructed primarily from wood, often on stone foundations. The walls are said to have been made from wattle and daub or turf, depending on local resources. Around 3:20–3:30, the narrator explains: "The roof of the Viking long house was supported by posts on both the outside and the inside of the house. In addition, a hole was carved into the roof of these homes as the Viking typically had a large fire pit in the center of the long house without chimneys or windows." The video emphasizes that the central hearth provided warmth and light and that there were no large window openings, with smoke escaping through the roof opening instead.

The video’s historical explanation states: “Viking long houses were typically heated by a central hearth with no chimney. The smoke lingered just beneath the roof, warming the upper part of the room before slowly escaping… It’s about 2 ft wide, running straight down the center like a glowing spine… There’s no chimney here. Just a hole in the roof directly above the central hearth.” It also emphasizes that in this world “without chimneys, central heating, or even windows, the Vikings engineered homes” to stay warm.