From Denmark to the world
Jelling is on the UNESCO World Heritage List
In 1994, Jelling was included as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the first Danish site ever on the list. This unique place tells the stories of a nation born more than 1.000 years ago, when the Viking kings united the country, introduced Christianity and founded the royal family that still sits today.
Why is it a World Heritage Site?
UNESCO's justification
More than 1,000 years ago, the monuments in Jelling were created to show future generations that:
- here the country was united into one kingdom
- here the name Denmark appears for the first time
- here Christianity became the official religion in Denmark
- here was presented the royal lineage whose descendants have sat on the Danish throne ever since
- here stands the symbol of the founding of the Danish nation
- here was marked the change from a Nordic pagan society to a European Christian civilization
The Danish nation was born and created in Jelling, and the monument area was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1994. 25 years later in 2019, the ship setting and palisade were made part of the World Heritage area.
What is UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Following the devastation of World War II, the United Nations decided to make an effort to preserve cultural heritage. This led to what we know today as the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Today, the list includes more than a thousand sites, selected as representatives of the most unique natural and cultural sites on this planet.
