West Norwegian Fjords – Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord in World Heritage Site in Norway

Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord are located in southwestern Norway.The vast fjord region stretches approximately 500 km from north to south, from Stavanger in the south to Andalsnes in the north. The mysterious scenery of the fjords created by the earth is a landscape that should be called “nature’s art”, although the moraines that sink to the bottom of the sea are also characteristic.

Here, a World Heritage enthusiast explains why the West Norwegian Fjords – Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord – are World Heritage Sites in an easy-to-understand manner. Read this and you will definitely learn more about Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord!

West Norwegian Fjords – What are Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord?

The word “fjord” is derived from the Norwegian word, which means “a valley of high cliffs, carved by glaciers, leading to the sea,” and these two fjords are a perfect example of this type of fjord. Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord are located in southwestern Norway and were registered as World Heritage sites for their fjord-like scenery.

The registered fjords range in height from about 500 meters below the sea floor to about 1,400 meters above the ground.Many waterfalls cascade down from the cliffs.The bottom of the fjord is especially geologically valuable because of its moraine, a rocky deposit of sand, clay, and gravel caused by glaciers.

Let’s take a look at the differences between each fjord.

The main registered constituents

Geirangerfjord (North)

Fjord in the province of Moulle-aux-Romsdal.It is known as a beautiful fjord, so much so that it is famous for the saying, “You don’t need a pastor in Geiranger because the fjord speaks the word of God.The fjord is so beautiful that it is famous for the saying, “Because the fjord speaks the word of God.The fjord is approximately 60 km long, and is characterized by permafrost at the top of the fjord.Compared to Nærøyfjord in the south, the fjord’s landscape is surrounded by high mountains.

Nærøyfjord (South)

The fjord is located in the province of Sogn-Fjörlane.It is about 100 km long, nearly twice as long as Geirangerfjord.It is characterized by gently sloping mountains with glacial lakes and glaciers at their summits.

For what reason are the West Norwegian Fjords – Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord on the World Heritage List?

Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord were evaluated for the following

Registration Criteria (vii)
The point is that these two fjords are considered one of the most scenic fjords on earth.

Registration Criteria (viii)
This is a typical example of a fjord, which means that during the Pleistocene period, glaciers were active in this area.

World Heritage Mania Conclusions and Comments

There are many fjords in the world, but these two are typical fjords that can be called “truly fjords!The Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord are, of course, more famous as tourist destinations than the other fjords.Of course, the point is that Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord are so famous as tourist attractions that they offer more beautiful scenery than other fjords.

This is a discussion based on research conducted by a World Heritage enthusiast.As for the data, interpretation differs depending on the media.