Video: Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord
A visit to two of the grandest fjords in Norway, courtesy of UNESCO.
Norway’s rugged Western coastline is home to some of the most beautiful and sheltered natural harbors in the world: the fjords. Carved out by glaciers during the Earth’s last ice age, the glacial river valleys flooded as temperatures rose again. The glaciers left behind steep, rocky walls, limited fertile land, and warmer waters than the open ocean. And because of that, they have fostered thriving communities of both humans and wildlife. Their deep waters have even been found to contain cold, dark coral reefs.
The fjords have played a notable role in the history of Norway and Scandinavia. For one, their natural harbors rarely freeze, encouraging a culture of seafaring merchants and warriors. The scarce arable land also pushed earlier Norwegians to sea, in search of richer farmlands to conquer. Nowadays, the fjords are home to scenic coastal communities and busy tourist sites.
Two of the most iconic of these fjords, Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord, have been selected as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The video below, courtesy of UNESCO, takes us to some of Southwestern Norway’s most famous scenic landscapes.
References
“West Norwegian Fjords – Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord.” UNESCO World Heritage Centre, UNESCO, whc.unesco.org/en/list/1195.
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