The wooden ships lie still in the harbour. Water laps against the hulls. From the boatyard comes the sound of a plane on wood

Gl. Havn is Denmark's first cultural harbour, designated by the Ship Preservation Trust in 2023. Here past and present meet – historic wooden ships, listed buildings and active maritime craft.

At Lillebælt Boatyard, volunteers keep 150 years of boatbuilding tradition alive. Clinker building is UNESCO intangible cultural heritage, and here dinghies and wooden ships are still restored using the old method, where the planks overlap one another.

Today Gl. Havn is home to approx. 10 listed ships and offers free experiences including De Hængende Haver (The Hanging Gardens), the maritime exhibition in the dinghy houses and the listening station with harbour porpoise sounds. As part of the Træskibs Sammenslutningen's free harbour scheme, historic vessels can visit the harbour free of charge – and during the summer season, daily sailing trips on Lillebælt depart with vessels including S/S Aventura and MS Marianne.

Walk up through the old town. Winding lanes, cobblestones, small houses on terraces down towards the water: De Hængende Haver. From the harbour you have views of the bridges' architecture and the fish shop selling freshly caught lunch.

Head down Brogade and step into Henner Friisers Hus to learn about the daily life of harbour porpoise hunters in the 1800s – one of the other free experiences in Middelfart.

Tip: Visit the dinghy houses behind the boatyard, where Middelfart Museum has set up an exhibition on the maritime history of the area.

Faq:

What is Gl. Havn in Middelfart?

Gl. Havn is Denmark's first maritime cultural harbour, designated by the Ship Preservation Trust in 2023. The harbour is home to approx. 10 listed wooden ships and the active Lillebælt Boatyard, where volunteers keep 150 years of boatbuilding tradition alive. It is a living cultural environment where past and present meet on Lillebælt.

What can you experience for free in Middelfart at the harbour?

There are many free experiences in Middelfart at Gl. Havn and the old town: walk through De Hængende Haver, visit the dinghy houses with Middelfart Museum's maritime exhibition, look in at Lillebælt Boatyard and watch the craftspeople at work, or visit Øret i Havet in the old wheelhouse at Sildemarken – the listening station where you can hear the click sounds of harbour porpoises live from the seabed as part of Naturpark Lillebælt. Henner Friisers Hus in Brogade is also free to visit.

What is clinker building, and why is it UNESCO intangible cultural heritage?

Clinker building is a traditional Nordic boatbuilding technique where planks overlap and are riveted together – as opposed to carvel building, where planks are laid edge to edge. The technique is over 2,000 years old and was added to UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage in 2021. At Lillebælt Boatyard in Middelfart, this craft tradition is kept alive by volunteers.

When is the best time to visit Gl. Havn in Middelfart?

The harbour is open and accessible all year, but the summer season (June – August) offers the most activities: daily sailing trips on Lillebælt, craftspeople at work in the boatyard and events such as Fyn Rundt for old wooden ships and Middelfart Jazz Festival. Spring is also a good time, when the harbour comes to life without the summer crowds.