Geirangerfjord

The eastern end of the Geirangerfjord in the overview, July 2010

Panorama of the Eagle Road in June 2013

The Geirangerfjord is one of the most famous fjords of Norway and heard since 14 July 2005 on the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is located about 200 km (airline ) northeast of Bergen and about 280 km ( straight line ) northwest of Oslo, in the province of Møre og Romsdal.

He is about 15 km long and 0.6 to 1.3 km wide. The Geiranger is a continuation of the Sunnylvsfjords, which in turn is a tributary of the Storfjord. At the end of the Geirangerfjord, about 100 km away from the coastline, lies the village of Geiranger.

In professional circles, the Nærøy and Geirangerfjord apply because they are constantly providing new insights into the landscape formation and effects of climate change as a " natural history laboratory".

Geography, landscape and geology

Million years ago, around 2.5 rivers dug from deep V-shaped valleys along geological vulnerabilities. The fjords of the area formed when the glaciers of the Quartäreiszeit formed these valleys to large trough valleys, with exceptionally high and steep cliffs in which accumulated sea water after the end of the Ice Age.

The Geirangerfjord is shown next to the Tafjord and the Sunnlysfjord along the watershed from the Storfjorden. The fjords go very steep, sometimes almost vertically in high mountain areas like above. On the Alpine mountain areas between the fjords are some fertile mountain pastures with great cultural and historical value. Several avalanche fields, often located between deciduous forests, exhibit unique ecosystems with rare species.

Flora and Fauna

The species diversity of plant life is due to the many different habitats and the exceptionally mild climate. The formerly cultivated plots of land offer another special habitat for some plants.

Last but not least live due to the diversity of plants in and around the Geirangerfjord numerous mammals such as mountain reindeer, elk, deer, arctic fox, lynx, otter, lemmings ( or forest lemmings ) and porpoises, but also fish, insects and over 100 species of birds including the white-backed woodpecker and many other lakes, Wat, forest, and high altitude birds. Many animals are on the red list of endangered species.

Cultural History

When the glaciers melted away in the area around 10,000 years ago, the first settlers found a. On the basis of animal trapping and hunting Hide graves could be demonstrated the importance of reindeer hunting at this time.

Fjord farms

On the steep slopes of the fjord are still some, abandoned, farms today to see some dizzying height, which were mostly built to prevent snow and rock avalanches secure locations. Some of today partially restored farms and huts were previously accessible only by ladders. Nevertheless, agriculture was worth at that time in this area, since almost 24 hours of sunlight on the fjord even Mediterranean fruit, such as apricots, could be harvested by the mild climate, with ( in summer). Today the courts are among the most important cultural and historical sites in the region. The organization "Friends of Storfjord " makes very committed to seeing that these farms could be restored and preserved.

Skageflå

The farm Skageflå is on the south side of the Geirangerfjord in about 250 m above sea level. NN. He was given up in 1917, but still managed to 1970 as meadowland. It has dried on the meadows of hay, which was let down with wire rope winches to the fjord and was brought from there by boat to Homlong at the Geirangerfjord. The official badge of UNESCO, which has documented the status of Geirangerfords World Heritage revealed in the yard Skageflå on 12 July 2006 by Queen Sonja and signed. Today you can reach the courtyard of the fjord on a steep road on foot.

Blomberg

The farm Blomberg is on the south side of the Geirangerfjord in about 452 m above sea level. NN. He was abandoned in 1947. He was restored within five years for about NOK 2.6 million and is now in a good condition. You can reach the courtyard via a path that goes up in 28 curves on a steep slope from the fjord.

Knivsflå

The farm Knivsflå is on the north side of the Geirangerfjord in about 250 m above sea level. NN at the waterfall " The Seven Sisters ". He was abandoned in 1896 because it is a dangerous rock overhang near which was believed at the time that he abrutsche soon. Until the 1960 's there have been manages the farm as meadows, dried hay and lowered with wire rope winches to the fjord. There it was loaded on rowing boats and brought to Geiranger.

Tourism

A special tourist attraction is the ferry ride Hellesylt Geiranger or one of the ships of the Hurtigruten, sailing in the fjord during the summer. Worth seeing are the Waterfalls " The Seven Sisters " ( norweg.: De syv søstre ) or the waterfalls "Free " and "Bridal Veil " Another attraction is the ride on the " Eagle Road " ( in Norwegian called Ørneveien ). , With its eleven hairpin bends and the beautiful view of the Geirangerfjord. Besides tours with ferries are hiking, fishing and kayaking popular activities for travelers.

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Together with the Nærøyfjorden the Geirangerfjord 2005 UNESCO World Natural Heritage " West Norwegian Fjords " ( in Norwegian called " Vestnorsk fjordlandskap " ) was declared. This is partly fulfilling the same two nature conservation criteria, because the area has a unique natural diversity, which was created through the symbiosis of sea and mountains, and a largely uninfluenced by human interventions landscape.

The 1227 km ² (of which 107 km ² water surface ) large area includes the inner parts of the fjords with a, the thrust out as far as the central massif, Eastern Norway which geographically separates from Western Norway. The part of the area around the Geirangerfjord has a size of 518 km ², of Nærøyfjorden an area of 709 km ².

The UNESCO committee justified the decision to include the fjords as follows:

" The West Norwegian Fjords 's classic and especially especially well pronounced Fjord types that are to be regarded as a typical example for all fjords in the world. Its mightiness and grandeur is comparable to other fjords, which have been inscribed on the World Heritage List. Furthermore, they are characterized by their specific climatic and geological conditions. The area has all the elements of the processes for the formation of two of the longest and deepest fjords in the world.

Nærøy and Geirangerfjord are regarded as by far the most beautiful fjord scenery in the world. Their sublime nature comes through the narrow, steep valley walls to express that extend from 500 m below sea level to 1,400 m above sea level. Numerous waterfalls extremely steep rock walls plunge down, and countless mountain streams flow from snow-capped peaks, glaciers and glacial lakes by deciduous and coniferous forests down to the fiord. The variety of other natural phenomena to water and land, such as submarine moraines and marine mammals, enhance the experience of nature. Remains of ancient, now abandoned farms and pastures give the dramatic natural landscape a cultural dimension, which support and enhance the value of this area. "

Gallery

Waterfalls The Seven Sisters Geiranger Fjord in May 2008

View of Geiranger and the Geirangerfjord