The two rune stones standing in front of the church (12C) opposite Royal Jelling are UNESCO listed. The smaller is pagan and was inscribed by King Gorm in memory of his wife, Thyra. The larger stone, often described as "Denmark's birth certificate" bears the words "by King Harald in honour of Gorm, his father, and Thyra, his mother; that Harald who conquered all of Denmark and Norway and made the Danes Christians".