Hanklit and Knudeklint named UNESCO World Heritage Site

The two coastal cliffs contain some of the world’s best-preserved fossil fish. Together, they form the oldest and most important known site for understanding the early evolution and diversification of modern bony fish following the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period.

The fossils are preserved in layers of diatomite and volcanic ash dating from around 56 to 54.6 million years ago. More than 200 volcanic ash layers help scientists date the deposits and their fossils. The site contains more than 80 fish species, alongside exceptionally well-preserved fossils of sea turtles, birds, insects, plants and microorganisms.

Visitors can experience the dramatic coastal landscapes, admire the distinctive layers of moler and volcanic ash exposed in the cliffs, and learn more about the area's fascinating geological history at the Fossil and Moler Museum on Fur.

The site was officially added to the UNESCO World Heritage List on 25 July 2026 during the World Heritage Committee's 48th session in Busan, Republic of Korea.

With the addition of Hanklit and Knudeklint, Denmark is now home to 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Bony Fish Fossils of the Western Limfjord (Hanklit and Knudeklint), the Jelling Monuments, Roskilde Cathedral, Kronborg Castle, Stevns Klint, Møns Klint, the Wadden Sea, Christiansfeld, the Par Force Hunting Landscape in North Zealand, and the Viking-Age Ring Fortresses.