La contribution de la Norvège au patrimoine mondial

La Norvège a six biens culturels inscrits sur la liste du patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO…

L’ Arc géodésique de Struve

L’art rupestre d’Alta

Le quartier de Bryggen à Bergen

L’avis de National Geographic

« Bryggen consists of a single row of medieval timber houses, on the quayside in Bergen. The city easily deals with the small numbers of visitors who do not visit as part of a cruise. »

« Old, beautiful Hanseatic buildings are well kept in spite of considerable structural work needed. The harbor architecture blends seamlessly in with the rest of the city center, overlooking the fjords and sheltered by hills. »

« One of the best managed urban World Heritage sites I have visited. Surrounding urbanization compliments rather than competes. »

L’archipel de Vega

La ville minière de Røros

L’église en bois debout d’Urnes

… et deux sites naturels classés sur cette même liste:

Les fjords de l’Ouest de la Norvège – Geirangerfjord et Nærøyfjord (un bras du Sognefjord)

Ces deux sites sont classés comme réserves naturelles intégrales et bénificient d’une protection législative. Tous deux sont situés dans des zones très peu peuplées, donc l’impact de l’Homme est minime. Il n’ y a ni aquaculture, ni pêche commerciale. L’exploitation forestière y est également bannie, tout comme les centrales hydroélectriques. Même si ces destinations sont très populaires en été, la saison touristique est brève, et les effets sont donc limités à trois mois de l’année.

L’avis de National Geographic

« Since this part of Norway was just chosen as a World Heritage site, a visitor management plan is completely lacking, but the scenery is beautiful and the roads to Geiranger are improving. »

« To float into the Geirangerfjord is an astonishingly complete natural experience—steep, lush and rocky canyon walls, endless waterfalls, a snow-capped backdrop and inconceivably deep, emerald green water. There are a wealth of farms, now largely abandoned (Skagefla, Knivsfla and Blomberg) along Geirangerfjord’s banks, one of which is only accessed by climbing a flimsy rope ladder which spans hundreds of meters from the water, along the cliff face, to the farm plateau. Some information on its history is available, but there’s not yet an emphasis on touring there. »

« The West Fjords have sensational scenery, are well-preserved and are clean. The people there are willing and helpful. There are great outdoor activities, and good hotel options and restaurants, but they close rather early! In May-June there’s no feeling of mass tourism, visitors can just take ferries like normal Norwegians going about their business. »

« The presence of the ‘shelf farms’ and human population scattered along this dramatic coastline is unique and wondrous. But is this farming sustainable, and can it continue? Or will the settlements become subject to the pressures of camping and cruise tourism, as some signs (and obtrusive) signage begin to indicate? »

« The Norwegians know they have a good thing going, and they want to preserve it. They’re doing all the right things and there’s little doubt they’ll succeed in maintaining a destination that meets all the criteria for sustainability. »