| Rønne | |||
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Rønne
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Denmark | ||
| Region | Capital Region of Denmark | ||
| Municipality | Bornholm | ||
| Population (2011) | |||
| • Total | 13,904 | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
Rønne is the largest town on the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. It has a population of 13,904 (1 January 2011).[1] Once a municipality in its own right, it is now the administrative centre of the Bornholm municipality.
Owing to its natural harbour and its strategic position in the Baltic Sea, Rønne has an interesting history coming under German and Swedish influence during its development as a herring fishing port. Today, with its cobbled streets, half-timbered houses and interesting museums, it attracts visitors mainly from Denmark, Germany, Sweden and Poland.
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Rønne's origins probably date back to around the year 1000 when a small fishing community grew up around the natural harbour. Around 1275,[2] a small chapel dedicated to St Nicholas was built on the site where Rønne's church now stands. The community was soon given the official status of a market town with its own mayor and council as well as its own law court. However, by the beginning of the 14th century, not only the king of Denmark but the archbishop of Lund and even various north German princes all competed for control of the town. The Germans took a special interest in Bornholm because of its strategic position in the Baltic Sea between the German coast and Visby in Gothland, now southern Sweden, at times establishing their own interests in the town. After the church's expansion in 1360, the parish of Rønne was established.
As its trade prospered, by the beginning of the 15th century Rønne was repeatedly plundered and burnt by the Lübeckers from northern Germany.[3]
In 1525, they took control of Bornholm as compensation for the fact that Denmark was unable to reimburse the large debts it had run up. They even allowed their own merchants to establish businesses in Rønne. Though the Lübeckers contributed to the success of the fishing trade, they demanded ever-higher taxes from the local population. The citizens took revenge, chasing the Lübeckers off while allowing other German communities to remain. The result was that in 1576, control of Rønne returned to the Danish crown. However, the Baltic had by this time lost much of its strategic importance. The fishing industry declined and when the town's population was twice struck by the plague in 1619 and 1655, it took decades for it to recover.[4]
A further setback occurred in April 1658 when, in the midst of the Dano-Swedish war, Denmark ceded Bornholm to Sweden under the terms of the Treaty of Roskilde. The occupation was however short as the Swedes were overcome by the local population in December of the same year.[5]
In 1834, Rønne City Hall was built on the Store Torv, the central square of the city. This important building was the centre of administration in Rønne and Borholm for many years, and was housed the courthouse and jail of Bornholm.[6]
Towards the end of World War II, on 7 and 8 May 1945, the town was bombed by Soviet aircraft when the German commandant of the occupying forces refused to surrender.[2][7] Although the rest of Denmark had been liberated on 4 May, the Russians then occupied Bornholm on 9 May sending the Germans back to Germany. The Russians did not leave until 5 April 1946 when an agreement was reached with the Danish authorities and the island finally came under Danish rule once more.[8]
Most of the houses in Rønne were damaged by the bombs and it took several years to fully rebuild the city, retaining its traditional architecture, quaint streets and half-timbered houses.[2] The Swedes contributed 300 timber houses to the town while the rest of Denmark including Greenland and the Faroes raised the considerable sum of 8 million Danish crowns to help rebuild the town.
The economic status of Rønne grew dramatically during the Middle Ages with the development of the herring industry.[9] However, by the late 16th century, the fishing industry had begun to decline and for the next 300 years there was practically no further growth. The ceramic industry in the town surpassed that of the fishing industry and has continued into modern times, with as many of 50 ceramics shops in Rønne today.[2] However, today, tourism is the most important source for the local economy.[2] There are several notable sandy beaches in the area which tourists frequent.[9]
Rønne also became famous for its longcase clocks or Bornholmeure which were manufactured from the middle of the 18th century until around 1900. Interest in clock-making started when a Dutch ship sailing from England ran aground off Rønne in 1744 carrying five grandfather clocks which were damaged in the accident. In view of the clocks' value, the sailors called on Poul Ottesen Arboe, a local turner, who was able to repair them. As a result of the experience he gained in the repair work, he was able to manufacture clocks himself, giving birth to a new local industry.
Several workshops soon began to produce Bornholm clocks which became popular as they were cheaper than the more authentic models produced elsewhere. There were probably about 30 different clockmakers in the town at the beginning of the 19th century. By the 1840s, some 2,000 clocks were being completed each year. Over the years, they were produced in various styles with both wooden and metal casing. The smaller pendulum clocks which were also produced became popular too. By the end of the 19th century, production came to a halt as industrially produced clocks became far cheaper than Bornholm's handcrafted artefacts.[10][11]
The city is characterised by its quaint cobblestoned streets and low-timbered houses in some parts. Two streets of particular interest are the Laksegade and Storegade as they contain many historical houses which were once the homes and trade buildings of merchants and noblemen.[12][13] Notable landmarks include the Bornholm Museum,[14] the Defence Museum (Forsvarsmuseet), the church (Skt Nicolaj Kirke), and the Smedegårds riding school in the southern part of town, and the lighthouse, which was built in 1880.[2]
The Bornholm Museum offers an insight into the history of Rønne and the island of Bornholm, dating from the Paleolithic era to the modern age, including the history of occupied Bornholm during World War II. The museum houses a number of Nordic Bronze Age and Iron Age artefacts relating to the island and uses a Mjolnir, discovered in Bornholm, but now housed in the National Museum of Denmark, as its logo. It also has a notable collection of Roman coins, pottery and paintings.[12]
The Skt. Nicolaj Church with its distinctive tower is part of the Diocese of Copenhagen and in its present form was enlarged and fully refurbished in 1918. It stands on the site of an earlier church or chapel from the 13th century of which some sections can still be seen.[15] Forsvarsmuseet, or Rønne Defence Museum, is housed in a round tower with walls 3.5 m thick known as Kastellet or the citadel. Built in 1744 to contribute to the town's defences, there was never any occasion for it to be used. The museum has numerous artefacts related to military history such as guns, baldes, bombs and uniforms.[12] Store Torv, the central square, was formerly used for military parades. Several notable buildings lie in the heart of the town, including the Rønne Public Library, the Nordeabank and old merchant/noble warehouses and residence buildings.[12] Buildings of note include Erichsens Gård, built in 1806 and now a museum, the neo-classical Kommandantgården, built in 1846 and now a ceramics museum, and the Amtmandsgården, located at Storegade 36.[13] The Toldboden is a merchant warehouse, built in 1624, and is one of Rønne's oldest half-timbered buildings.[13] The Torhus building, at the side of the square, was built in 1834 and was the former town hall, courthouse and jail.[6] Rønne Theatre built in 1823 is Denmark's oldest provincial theatre still in active use.[13] Hovedvagten at Søndergade 12 was built as a guard house in 1744 with bricks from Hammershus which was being demolished at the time. It is the oldest brick house in the town.[16]
Rønne is connected to the rest of Denmark and to the outside world by ferry lines. BornholmerFærgen operates the lines to Køge, Ystad and Sassnitz, while Polferries operates the line to Świnoujście.[17]
The boat to Ystad is a high-speed catamaran, and there is a matching direct-train connection from Ystad to Copenhagen.
Outside Rønne, Bornholm Airport offers flights to Copenhagen and to some summer destinations.
Media related to [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:R%C3%B8nne Rønne] at Wikimedia Commons
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