SEE THE FAMOUS FJORDS ON ONE OF OUR TOURS:
The Norway in a Nutshell/Naeroyfjord
UNESCO has now included the fjords of Norway, exemplified by two of them, on its renowned World Heritage List. The Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord now enjoy the same recognition as the Great Wall of China, the Great Pyramids of Egypt, Zambia’s Victoria Falls and the Grand Canyon in USA.
The purpose of UNESCO’s World Heritage List is to draw attention to parts of humanity’s heritage that are so important, and have such outstanding universal value, that they must be preserved for future generations.
Amazingly, this is Norway’s first natural attraction on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. In addition, five cultural attractions have been found worthy: Bryggen (the old Hanseatic wharf in Bergen), the 12th century Urnes stave church, the petroglyphs at Alta and the old mining town of Roros – and last year the Vegan Archipelago was added. The first two are located in Fjord Norway, the western part of the country.
Now included are not just the two famous fjords, but also two large, virtually unspoiled areas, each of more than 500 km2. It is worth noting that between them lies Jostedalsbreen, the largest glacier on the European mainland. The fjords of Norway were carved out during a succession of ice ages, by the massive forces of the vast ice sheet that once covered most of Northern Europe. Hard bedrock was sculpted at the rate of half a metre every thousand years.
UNESCO is hardly alone in viewing the Norwegian fjords as exceptional. In 2004 National Geographic Traveller Magazine named these fjords “the best unspoiled travel destination in the world”, and that same year, the respected American newspaper Chicago Tribune included Norway’s fjords on its list “Seven Wonders of Nature”.
“More importantly, UNESCO confirms the choice so many travellers make each year, coming to Norway with “the fjords” at the top of their list of things to experience. The Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord have held a magnetic attraction ever since the first tourists came to Norway early in the 19th century,” says Elin Bolann, Director of Fjord Norway, which markets Western Norway.
The Nærøyfjord is perhaps the most spectacular arm of the Sognefjord and the narrowest fjord in the world, at one point only 250 metres with mountains towering 1800 m above its tranquil waters. The Geirangerfjord, farther north, is known for its pristine beauty and magnificent waterfalls. Fittingly, UNESCO finds not just these bodies of seawater, but the entire landscapes, worthy of preservation. Peering down onto the fjords from fertile mountain ledges there are farms, some of them still in use.
“This is great! Norwegian hosts have proudly received travellers for generations. This will inspire everyone here in the magnificent region of Geirangerfjord to cooperate even more closely, in order to offer travellers the best experience possible,” says Geir Gjærde, tourist board manager for the area.
“A place on UNESCO’s World Heritage List is the greatest honour we can receive. We are prepared to receive an increasing number of tourists in the years ahead, while continuing to do our utmost to preserve this magical landscape and environment,” says Noralv Distad, head of the tourist board responsible for the Nærøyfjord area.
· Norway has the highest concentration of fjords in the world – and nowhere on earth are there more (and more beautiful fjords) than in Western Norway. For this reason, the region is commonly referred to as “Fjord Norway”.
· Nærøyfjord is the narrowest fjord in the world, at one point only 250 metres across, while mountains tower up to 1800 metres above its tranquil waters.
· The Nærøyfjord is an arm of the Sognefjord, the deepest and one of the longest fjords in the world, extending 204 km inland, halfway to the Swedish border.
· Perched high above the neighbouring Aurlandsfjord, but within the area UNESCO defines as a World Heritage Site, lies Stigen farmstead, once accessible only by ladder, hence the name. It is said the ladders were pulled up when the tax collectors came, and that young children were kept on a leash to prevent them from falling into oblivion.
· The Geirangerfjord, about 120 km further north, is also an arm of a greater fjord system, branching off from the Storfjord, which starts south of the town of Ålesund.
· One of the famous waterfalls along the Geirangerfjord is the Seven Sisters (De syv søstre). In the 1930s, Ole Knivsflå cleaned up the watercourse, placing rocks so as to more carefully divide the falls, thus enhancing this tourist attraction.
· The fjords of Norway are “young”, carved by ice during a succession of forty ice ages during the last 2.5 million years. A huge sheet of ice up to 3 km thick scoured away half a metre every thousand years – removing 5400 km3 to carve the Sognefjord alone.
· Seals and porpoises swim the fjords, while eagles and other birds soar the skies above. They are known also for their lush flora and fascinating cultural landscapes.
· The fjords have provided people with a livelihood since the ice retreated 10 000 years ago, offering abundant game and fish stocks, and many places there is fertile soil along their shores. The land along the fjords has been farmed for almost 3000 years.
· The sheltered fjords have also provided transportation by boat, since long before the Vikings – and yet they have separated communities, giving rise to a large variation in dialects.
· Thanks to the warming Gulf Stream, the Norwegian fjords enjoy a mild climate and remain virtually ice-free. Apples and apricots are grown at the latitude of Alaska. But summer travellers can still see snow-capped mountains and glaciers from the Norwegian fjords.
· Gudvangen and Geiranger, the innermost villages in these two fjords, are two of the most popular cruise ship ports in Scandinavia.
· The Norwegian government has decided to use an additional nok 30 million annually to preserve and upgrade its UNESCO attractions.
· On 29–30 August, UNESCO and Innovation Norway are co-hosting a conference on Geo-tourism and World Heritage. The conference will be held in Geiranger