The Faxe Limestone Quarry south collecting area is a great public fossil collecting site and has free access to Paleocene marine fossils. Located just 70 km south of Copenhagen, this designated zone within an active limestone quarry allows visitors to collect corals, bryozoans, and other marine invertebrates from deposits formed around 66 million years ago in the aftermath of the dinosaur extinction.
Visiting Information
From Copenhagen, drive south on Route 14 for approximately 70 km (1 hour drive) to Faxe. The quarry is on the northern edge of town, clearly signposted from Route 14. Public transportation is available via train from Copenhagen to Faxe (1.5 hours, trains run hourly), then a 10-minute walk or short taxi ride to the quarry. The museum provides free parking for visitors. GPS coordinates: 55.2613°N, 12.1288°E.
The south collecting area features fresh piles of excavated limestone where fossils weather out naturally. The modern Geomuseum houses spectacular displays of Faxe fossils including corals showing color patterns, complete bryozoan colonies up to 30 cm across, and the 15-meter Faxe limestone stratigraphic column. There’s also a café that serves Danish pastries and coffee. The gift shop sells geological hammers (150-250 DKK / $22-37 USD), chisels, safety glasses, and collecting bags. Clean restrooms and covered picnic areas are available. The site is wheelchair accessible.
Fossil Collecting
Fossil collecting at the Faxe south area is completely free with no permits, fees, or advance registration required. The site is open during museum hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-16:00 (winter, October-March) and 10:00-17:00 (summer, April-September), closed Mondays. Visitors can keep all fossils found with no restrictions on quantity or size.
The designated collecting area consists of large piles of freshly excavated limestone blocks and smaller rubble. The best collecting is in material that has weathered for a few weeks—fossils loosen from the matrix and can often be extracted by hand. Fresh blocks require hammering to split along natural bedding planes. Bring a geological hammer and cold chisel, or purchase them in the museum shop (hammer 175 DKK / $26 USD, chisel 50 DKK / $7 USD).
Safety glasses are mandatory when hammering and can be borrowed free at the museum desk. Gloves are helpful too!
Common finds include bryozoan fragments (in nearly every rock), coral pieces, brachiopod shells, and bivalve molds. Complete coral colonies 5-10 cm across are found pretty regularly. Large colonies up to 20-30 cm occur but rare. Some corals show traces of original color (pink, orange, brown) that are visible when freshly broken. Brachiopods are abundant as internal molds. Shark teeth and fish remains occur but rare.
The best collecting weather is after rain when fossils are freshly washed and visible. Summer weekends can be crowded (especially July-August); weekdays and shoulder seasons (April-May, September) offer quieter collecting.
Geological Setting
The Faxe Formation represents a shallow marine environment from the Danian Stage of the Early Paleocene, approximately 66-61 million years ago. This period immediately followed the asteroid impact that ended the Cretaceous and wiped out the dinosaurs. The limestone formed in a warm, tropical sea that covered much of what is now Denmark, with Faxe representing a localized buildup of carbonate sediment.
The deposit is unusual because bryozoans, not corals, constructed the primary framework. While coral reefs are common in the geological record, bryozoan-dominated buildups are rare. The Faxe bryozoans created intricate, lace-like colonies that trapped sediment and provided habitat for diverse marine life. Corals grew within this bryozoan framework, along with abundant brachiopods, mollusks, and echinoderms.
Ancient Climate
The Danian climate was significantly warmer than today, with no polar ice caps and sea levels approximately 100-200 meters higher than present. The Faxe region, positioned at roughly 55°N latitude (similar to today), experienced subtropical to warm temperate conditions with sea surface temperatures of 20-25°C—much warmer than the current Baltic Sea’s 5-15°C.
This warm period represents the Earth’s recovery from the end-Cretaceous mass extinction.
Discovery and Research History
Limestone quarrying at Faxe dates to the early 1600s, making it one of Denmark’s oldest industrial sites. Early quarry workers recognized the abundant fossils, which were occasionally incorporated into church buildings as decorative elements. Scientific study began in the 1820s when Danish geologist G. Forchhammer described the deposit’s unusual composition and diverse fossil fauna.
Between 1880 and 1920, several comprehensive monographs documented the Faxe fauna, establishing it as the type locality for numerous species. The site became internationally famous among paleontologists for its exceptional preservation and diversity. In the late 20th century, concern over loss of fossil-bearing rock to quarrying led to conservation efforts. The Geomuseum Faxe was established in 1989 to preserve significant specimens and provide public education. Happy fossil hunting!
New to fossil hunting? Start here! Beginner's Guide to Fossil Hunting!
Have questions? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.