Viking-Age Ring Fortresses

The five Danish ring fortresses - Aggersborg, Fyrkat, Nonnebakken, Borgring, and Trelleborg—are now included in UNESCO's World Heritage List. These fortresses have been recognized as cultural heritage sites of unique universal significance, which are vital to the world’s heritage, making them worthy of this prestigious inclusion.

The fortresses were constructed between AD 970 and 980 during the reign of Harald Bluetooth, as a testament to the king's power. They all share a common narrative, reflecting Harald Bluetooth's ambitions to unify the Danish realm and strengthen the kingdom in response to pressure from the German-Roman Emperor Otto II.

Their inclusion on the World Heritage List is a significant acknowledgment of the fortresses' importance in world history. It also holds considerable value locally for the respective municipalities and for Denmark as a nation with a rich Viking heritage.

The application for their inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List was submitted in January 2021. The fortresses were officially accepted into the list in September, 2023, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.