Limfjord cliffs named UNESCO World Heritage site

Two dramatic moler cliffs on Denmark’s Limfjord—Hanklit on Mors and Knudeklint on Fur—have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, a designation reserved for sites of “outstanding universal value.”

The cliffs, formed 25,000 years ago, comprise more than 100 layers of clay and ash that preserve fossilised fish, birds and insects, making them unique in the world, according to DR.

Anna Marie Madsen, who lives 1.5 km from Hanklit, learned of the decision only after finishing her morning yoga session on the 60-metre summit. “It’s wild that we have something so unique it earns this enormous recognition,” she said.

Madsen leads yoga classes on the cliff several times a week in summer; the hike to the top serves as the warm-up. Asked if the classes might now be marketed as “World Heritage yoga,” she laughed: “I think yoga will stay the same. But it’s funny to sit on top of a World Heritage site.”

Within hours of the announcement in Busan, South Korea, she noticed more cars than usual at the base of Hanklit. Officials expect the designation to boost visitor numbers on Mors and Fur by 30 percent, or 100,000–200,000 additional tourists a year.

Madsen said she is not worried about crowds. “There’s room to share. We share it with Fur and Knudeklint, so I think there’s space.” If parking becomes tight, she added, “we’ll find a solution.”

Denmark now has 10 World Heritage properties across 14 locations.