Nakskov

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Nakskov

City

Party of boats heading out from the port of Nakskov around 1914-1920

Coat of arms

Country

Denmark

Region

Region Sjælland

Municipality

Lolland municipality

Center

- coordinates

54°50′0″N 11°09′0″E / 54.83333, 11.15Coordinates: 54°50′0″N 11°09′0″E / 54.83333, 11.15

Population

14,745 (2006)

Trade privileges

1266

Time zone

CET (UTC+1)

- summer (DST)

CEST (UTC+2)

Nakskov (lower center) in Denmark

Nakskov and surrounding area (up = south) as depicted by the Swedish king's cartographer during the siege of Nakskov in 1959.[1]

Nakskov is a town in Lolland municipality in Region Sjælland on the western coast of the island of Lolland in south Denmark. To the west is Nakskov Fjord, an inlet from the Langeland Belt (Langelandsbælt), which runs between the islands of Lolland and Langeland. Nakskov Fjord is a wildlife reserve, known for its bird life [2].

1 History
2 Transport
3 Attractions
4 Notable people born in Nakskov
5 Nakskov municipality
6 See also
7 External links
8 References

[edit] History

Copper plate illustration of the town of Nakskov, Denmark, probably 17th century, seen from the south across the strait separating the inner and outer portions of the fjord.

Situated in the inner part of the fjord in Denmark which remains the richest of the islands, despite many of the islands having been included in the larger island of Lolland, the area was settled during the neolithic period. The town received trade privileges in 1266. Once the hub of the wealthy farmland region of western Lolland, Nakskov thrived on trade and industry. This situation changed gradually, as overland traffic was enabled by the construction of a railway to the neighboring island of Falster in 1875,[3] and from there to Sjælland and the capital Copenhagen at the Storstrømsbroen bridge in 1937[4]. An industrial boom in shipbuilding ended after Denmark joined the EEC and subsidies were dismantled.

[edit] Transport

Nakshov is connected to Nykøbing Falster by the Lollandsbanen railway.

Boat services can be arranged out to the islands of Nakskov Fjord (Slotø, Vejlø, Enehøje, and Albuen) from the town of Nakskov. A ferry service connects the harbour northwest of the town of Nakskov, over the Langeland Belt, to the town of Spodsbjerg on the island of Langeland.

[edit] Attractions

Large parts of the wetlands around Nakskov were drained in the 19th century. The dyke along the southern shore of the fjord allows walking or biking to the village of Langø.

[edit] Notable people born in Nakskov

View from Langø in Nakskov Fjord toward the peninsula of Albuen and the island of Langeland in the west

Mette Jacobsen (b. 1973) – Danish freestyle and butterfly swimmer
Severin From[5], chess player.
Freddy Blak,[6] politician, former member of Socialdemokraterne, now founder and member of Blaklisten[7]. Former MEP representing Socialdemokraterne, now member of Region Sjælland representing Blaklisten.The architect jens visby, born 1939.

[edit] Nakskov municipality

Until January 1, 2007, "Nakskov" was also the name of a municipality (Danish, kommune) covering an area of 33 km², and with a total population of 14,745 (2006). The last mayor of Nakskov was Flemming Bonne Hansen, a member of the Socialist People's Party (Socialistisk Folkeparti) political party. Nakskov municipality ceased to exist as the result of Kommunalreformen ("The Municipality Reform" of 2007). It was merged with Holeby, Højreby, Maribo, Ravnsborg, Rudbjerg and Rødby municipalities to form the new Lolland municipality. This created a municipality with an area of 892 km² and a total population of 48,634 (2007).