Lillebæltsværftet " Old Shipyard"

The scent of tar and old wood at Lillebælt Shipyard

You stand at Middelfart’s Old Harbour, and from the shipyard hall you hear the sound of the plane on wood. Boats are built here the same way craftsmen have done since 1855: clinker-built, plank by plank, with hands as the most important tool. In 2021, the technique was added to UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage, and Lillebælt Shipyard is one of the few places in the world where the tradition is still practised in daily life.

The shipyard was founded to build fishing cutters and small boats, later moving on to repairing wooden ships. In 1997, the Lillebælt Smakkelaug and Middelfart Museum founded an association that saved the shipyard from closing. Today, volunteers keep the craft alive, and you can follow the work on smakkejolle boats and other clinker-built vessels up close, while the story of the Little Belt’s maritime culture unfolds around you.

The place suits you if you’re interested in craftsmanship, coastal culture and Middelfart’s history by the harbour. It’s a short walk to the rest of the old town, the museums and the harbour surroundings, and a visit to the shipyard combines easily with a walk along the Little Belt.