A transnational serial nomination to UNESCO’s world heritage list

Six states have combined their resources in order to nominate Viking Age heritage sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Viking Age serial nomination includes eight component parts from the 8th to the 12th century, including three properties already inscribed on the WH List. All within an area spanning the North Atlantic to the Baltic Sea and representing the wide diversity of this early maritime culture.

The component parts represent key attributes of Viking Age culture while the ship is the common feature throughout. In modern times, Viking Age  culture has contributed significantly to the creation of cultural coherence, symbolic values and cultural identity in the Nordic region, and it continues to hold immense public appeal world-wide.

The sites included in this transnational nomination are:

Þingvellir, Iceland. World Heritage since 2004. Site of the Althing, the national assembly established by Viking Age settlers.

Birka and Hovgården, Sweden. World Heritage since 1993. One of the most complete and undisturbed examples of a Viking Age trading settlement.

Jelling mounds, runic stones, palisade area and church, Denmark. World Heritage since 1994. Demonstrates the religious and political transformation of the Viking Age, marking the consolidation of royal power and official acceptance of Christianity.

The Trelleborg fortresses, Denmark. Unique in their uniform and geometric layout, they are outstanding examples of technological know-how and engineering skills.

Hedeby and Danevirke, Germany. A unique system of defences and a trading centre on the southern border of Scandinavia.

Grobina settlements and burials, Latvia. A hillfort, settlement site and several burial sites witnessing a variety of mortuary customs connected with early Viking Age Scandinavia on the one hand and local inhabitants on the other.

Vestfold ship burials, Norway. A unique memorial landscape that holds a major symbolic role in modern times.

Hyllestad quernstone quarries, Norway. A representative of the mass-production and bulk-trade which emerged in the Viking Age.