Vordingborg

Vordingborg
Panoramic view (2004)

Seal

Coat of arms
Vordingborg
Location in Denmark
Coordinates:
Country Denmark
Region Sjælland
Municipality Vordingborg
Government
 • Mayor Henrik Holmer
Population (2011)
 • Total 16,000
 • Urban area 11,612
Time zone Central Europe Time (UTC+1)
Municipality 46000
Website http://www.vordingborg.dk/

Vordingborg is an old ferry town in Vordingborg Municipality in Denmark. It has an inner urban area population of 11,612 (1 January 2011)[1], and a total population of 16.000 including the satellite towns Ørslev and Nyråd. These satellite towns have evolved during the last decades, due to three large estates surrounding Vordingborg and therefore prevented a collective development of the town. Vordingborg Municipality (Kommune) has a population of 46.000.

Contents

History

On January 1, 2007 the old Vordingborg municipality was, as the result of Kommunalreformen ("The Municipal Reform" of 2007), merged with Langebæk, Møn, and Præstø municipalities to form an enlarged Vordingborg municipality.

Geography

Vordingborg is situated 37 km from Nykøbing Falster, circa 50 from Gedser, and circa 100 from Copenhagen and Odense. The town is situated on the island of Zealand and is linked to the island of Falster with Farø Bridges and Storstrøm Bridge.

Attractions

The ruins of Vordingborg Castle, the old royal castle which was built around 1364, is the town's most famous attraction. The only fully remaining part of the castle, the 26 meter tall Goose Tower (Gåsetårnet), is the symbol of the city. It is the largest of King Valdemar Atterdag's nine main castle towers. The name comes from the golden goose perched on top of the tower's spire. Legend has it that Valdemar Atterdag used the symbol to taunt the Hanseatic League. The current goose was put there in 1871. It is not certain what was on top of the tower before 1871 and maybe it was just a weather vane made of gold.[2] The tower was transferred into the national trust on December 24, 1808, and is thus the first, protected historic monument in Denmark.

A historic garden is also located on the site of the ruin.

Vordingborg is the home of the South Zealand Museum (Sydsjællands Museum).

The city holds an annual festival, Vordingborg Fest Week (Vordingborg Festuge) in July.

The Vordingborg Transmitter is one of the tallest towers in Denmark.

The Danish Army operates a barracks facility on the edge of town, known as Vordingborg Kaserne. It houses the DANILOG regiment.

Twin towns

Vordingborg is twinned with:

See also

References

External links

Media related to [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Vordingborg Vordingborg] at Wikimedia Commons