Nyborg

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The town musuem Mads Lerches Gaard

The 40 metre long gatehouse Landporten in Nyborg

Nyborg is a city in central Denmark, located in Nyborg municipality on the island of Funen. The population is 15,862 (2004).

Nyborg was first mentioned in 1193 in the history of Denmark as Nyborg castle, which still exists today, but the town itself was not mentioned before the year 1202. In the 17th century, Nyborg was one of three major, fortified towns in Denmark. The two others are Fredericia and Copenhagen. Each was placed near an important body of water - in Nyborg's case, the Great Belt (Storebælt). In 1659 the city was besieged by the Swedes and relieved by an expeditionary fleet sent by the Dutch, then Denmark's allies, commanded by admiral De Ruyter.

In 1867 the fortress was abolished and the land was sold to the inhabitants in Nyborg, who used the land to build houses around the ramparts. Most of the ramparts exits today around Nyborg Castle and each year a part of the ramparts near the castle are used for a theatre called Nyborg voldspil.