Faxe Kalkbrud (Faxe Limestone Quarry), with its turquoise blue waters and pristine white cliffs, lies only an hour away from Copenhagen and makes for a fantastic day trip for adults and kids alike, who dream of being archeologists – or just like smashing stones, like me 😉
The Story of the Limestone Quarry in Faxe
Sixty-three million years ago, in the area where the Faxe Kalkbrud lies now, a deep ocean abundant with life and a lush coral reef existed. Nowadays, we can still find relics of the ancient past in the form of fossilized coral remains and remains of their past inhabitants hidden in the limestone, making Faxe Limestone Quarry the world’s oldest fossilized deep-water coral reef.
The quarry is still in operation, meaning that you can see how the machines operate and how the limestone is mined if you visit it during the week, but even more exciting; you can go fossil hunting! 😀
Fossil hunting
You can go hunting for fossils of all the corals, sharks, crabs, and mussels that used to inhabit the area millions of years ago.
You can either try your luck alone with your own set of tools or rent a hammer and chisel at Geomuseum Faxe for 25kr. You can also partake in a guided tour, where an experienced guide will take you to the best places where you can crash rocks to your heart content. Check out details for the tour here.
You can bring a fossil to Geomuseum Faxe for evaluation if you find something interesting, and you might even get a finders fee! Regardless, whatever you find, it is going to be a fantastic souvenir that you will be able to take home, even if it is just a rock 🙂
Bathing
Even though the azure waters can tempt you to take a dip, especially during a hot summer day, it is not recommended to bathe there.
The water can be dangerously cold even in the midst of summer due to groundwater inflow, resulting in a warm surface and an ice-cold layer only one meter further down. The water in the lakes also has a high pH value, resulting in a breakout of rashes if you decide to go for a swim.
Opening hours
The quarry is open 24/7, so you can come whenever it suits you. We went during sunset and were the only people there! However, I would recommend that you visit when Geomuseum Faxe is open to learn more about the history of the place and fossils and to rent the hammer.
Check out the timetable here.
How to get there
The easiest way, as always with all the places not in Copenhagen, is with a car. There is a big parking lot next to Geomuseum Faxe where you can park for free.
If you would like to use public transport, take S-train to Køge St., then local train to Faxe Syd Station. From there you can either walk 2 km or take a bus.
