Nakskov is a town in south

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...

. It is situated in

Lolland municipality Lolland municipality (on the island of Lolland) is a municipality (Danish, '' kommune'') in Region Sjælland in Denmark. According to ''Municipal And Regional Key Figures'' (www.noegletal.dk) it covers a total area of 885.40 km² (341.85 squa ...

Region Sjælland Region Zealand ( da, Region Sjælland) is the southernmost administrative region of Denmark, established on 1 January 2007 as part of the 2007 Danish Municipal Reform, which abolished the traditional counties ("amter") and set up five larger regi ...

on the western coast of the island of

Lolland Lolland (; formerly spelled ''Laaland'', literally "low land") is the fourth largest island of Denmark, with an area of . Located in the Baltic Sea, it is part of Region Sjælland (Region Zealand). As of 1 January 2022, it has 57,618 inhabitant ...

. The town has a population of 12,495 (1 January 2022). To the west is

Nakskov Fjord Nakskov Fjord is an inlet in the west of the island of Lolland, Denmark. It is about long. There are about 10 small islands located in the fjord. The largest town in the area is Nakskov. The area is a designated bird sanctuary. Geography Nakso ...

, an inlet from the

Langeland Belt Langeland (, ) is a Danish island located between the Great Belt and Bay of Kiel. The island measures 285 km2 (c. 110 square miles) and, as of 1 January 2018, has a population of 12,446.

(''Langelandsbælt'') that runs between the islands of

and

Langeland Langeland (, ) is a Danish island located between the Great Belt and Bay of Kiel. The island measures 285 km2 (c. 110 square miles) and, as of 1 January 2018, has a population of 12,446.

. Nakskov Fjord is a

wildlife reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...

, known for its bird life.

History

Nakskov is in the inner part of the Western

inlet An inlet is a (usually long and narrow) indentation of a shoreline, such as a small arm, bay, sound, fjord, lagoon or marsh, that leads to an enclosed larger body of water such as a lake, estuary, gulf or marginal sea. Overview In marine geogra ...

of Lolland, one of the agriculturally richest of the

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...

islands. The area was settled during the

neolithic period The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...

and has been continuously inhabited since. The town received trade privileges in 1266, during the reign of king Erik V Glipping. Once the export center of western Lolland, Nakskov thrived on trade, commerce and industry. This changed gradually as overland traffic was enabled by a railway to the neighboring island of

Falster Falster () is an island in south-eastern Denmark with an area of and 43,398 inhabitants as of 1 January 2010.

in 1875. The connection to Sjælland and

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

over the Storstrømsbroen bridge in 1937 shifted goods from the port of Nakskov. Although traditionally a center of manufacturing and industry, when Denmark joined the

EEC The European Economic Community (EEC) was a regional organization created by the Treaty of Rome of 1957,Today the largely rewritten treaty continues in force as the ''Treaty on the functioning of the European Union'', as renamed by the Lisb ...

and the subsidies were dismantled, causing the industrial boom in shipbuilding to end, Nakskov has turned to commerce and trade. Nakskov is one of the most environmentally conscious and cleanest towns of

. Technological and environmental enterprises replace heavy industries. In recent years, local government has restored the town.

Transport

Nakskov is connected to

Nykøbing Falster Nykøbing Falster (; originally named Nykøbing) is a southern Danish city, seat of the Guldborgsund ''kommune''. It belongs to Region Sjælland. The city lies on Falster, connected by the Frederick IX Bridge over the Guldborgsund (''Guldb ...

and the

rail network Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a prep ...

by the

Lollandsbanen A/S Lollandsbanen was a Danish railway company operating the Nykøbing F–Nakskov line mostly on the island of Lolland. Established in 1954, it was based on the remains of Det Lolland-Falsterske Jernbane-Selskab (LFJS). The company received fun ...

line. Boats run from Nakskov to the islands of Nakskov Fjord ( Slotø, Vejlø, Enehøje, and Albuen). A

ferry A ferry is a ship, watercraft or amphibious vehicle used to carry passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A passenger ferry with many stops, such as in Venice, Italy, is sometimes called a water bus or water taxi ...

connects the Nakskov through the Langeland Belt to

Spodsbjerg Spodsbjerg is a village in south Denmark, located in Langeland Municipality on the island of Langeland in Region of Southern Denmark The Region of Southern Denmark ( da, Region Syddanmark, ; german: Region Süddänemark, ; frr, Regiuun Sydda ...

on the island of

Langeland Langeland (, ) is a Danish island located between the Great Belt and Bay of Kiel. The island measures 285 km2 (c. 110 square miles) and, as of 1 January 2018, has a population of 12,446.

. Bus runs within the town and to neighbouring areas. Bike routes follow the levees encompassing Lolland.

Economy

Denmark's largest sugar factory is located in Nakskov. It processes about 12,000 tons of

sugar beet A sugar beet is a plant whose root contains a high concentration of sucrose and which is grown commercially for sugar production. In plant breeding, it is known as the Altissima cultivar group of the common beet (''Beta vulgaris''). Together wi ...

per day and belongs to the German group

Nordzucker Nordzucker AG, headquartered in Braunschweig, Germany, is Europe’s second largest sugar manufacturer. The production of sugar, liquid sugars and other specialities for the application in the nutrition, beverage and sweets industry as well as ...

Nakskov municipality

Until 1 January 2007, "Nakskov" was also the name of a municipality (

, '' kommune'') covering an area of 33 km², and with a total population of 14,745 (2006). Nowadays Nakskov is integrated into, and encompassed by,

. The last mayor of Nakskov was Flemming Bonne Hansen, a member of the Socialist People's Party (''Socialistisk Folkeparti'')

political party A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific political ideology ...

. Nakskov municipality ceased to exist as the result of ''Kommunalreformen'' ("The Municipality Reform" of 2007). It was merged with

Holeby Holeby is a small town in Lolland Municipality, in Region Zealand, Denmark. It was the seat of Holeby Municipality. Holeby is the planned location of Lolland South railway station, set to open in 2028 on the line to Germany via the Fehmarn Belt ...

Højreby Until 1 January 2007 Højreby was a municipality ( Danish, '' kommune'') on the island of Lolland in Storstrøm County in south Denmark. The municipality covered an area of 128 km², and had a total population of 4,049 (2005). Its last mayor was J ...

Maribo Maribo is a town in Lolland Municipality in Region Sjælland on the island of Lolland in south Denmark. It was the municipal seat of the former Maribo Municipality, until 1 January 2007, and then it became the seat of the current Lolland Muni ...

Ravnsborg Until 1 January 2007 Ravnsborg was a municipality ( Danish, '' kommune'') on the northwest coast of the island of Lolland in the former Storstrøm County in south Denmark. The municipality, including the islands of Fejø and Femø, covered an area ...

Rudbjerg Until 1 January 2007 Rudbjerg was a municipality (Danish, '' kommune'') on the southwest coast of the island of Lolland in the former Storstrøm County, southern Denmark. The municipality covered an area of 143 km², and had a total population ...

and

Rødby Rødby is a town, with a population of 1,983 (1 January 2022),Lolland municipality Lolland municipality (on the island of Lolland) is a municipality (Danish, '' kommune'') in Region Sjælland in Denmark. According to ''Municipal And Regional Key Figures'' (www.noegletal.dk) it covers a total area of 885.40 km² (341.85 squa ...

. This new municipality consists of an area of 892 km² and a total population of 48,634 (2007).

Attractions

Nakskov Church Nakskov Church ( da, Sankt Nikolai Kirke) is the largest church in Nakskov on the west coast of the Danish island of Lolland. As Nakskov was mentioned in Valdemar's Census Book in the 13th century, the church probably dates to the same period. H ...

, dating to the early 13th century, has carved works from the

Baroque period The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...

including the pulpit (1630) by

Jørgen Ringnis Jørgen Ringnis, also known as "Jørgen Billedsnider", (birth unknown, died 1652 in Nakskov) was a Danish woodcarver. He created a number of altarpieces and pulpits in Danish churches, especially on the islands of Lolland and Falster.

and the altarpiece (1656) by

Anders Mortensen Anders is a male name in Scandinavian languages and Fering North Frisian, an equivalent of the Greek Andreas ("manly") and the English Andrew. It originated from Andres via metathesis. In Sweden, Anders has been one of the most common names fo ...

.Kirsten Weber-Andersen, Otto Norn, Aage Roussell, Gertrud Købke Knudsen, "Nakskov Kirke"
''Danmarks kirker: Maribo amt, Volume 8'', 1951, Nationalmuseet, pages 89-126. Retrieved 14 July 2013. Large parts of the wetlands around Nakskov were drained in the 19th century. The

levee A levee (), dike (American English), dyke (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English), embankment, floodbank, or stop bank is a structure that is usually soil, earthen and that often runs parallel (geometry), parallel to ...

along the southern shore of the fjord allows to travel by foot or on a bicycle to Langø. Another attraction of Nakskov is the Danish sugar museum (sukkermuseum). The town also used to display an ex-Soviet submarine designated S-359 or U-359.

Notable people

(birth date unknown, died 1652 in Nakskov) a Danish woodcarver of altarpieces and pulpits *

Martin Severin From Martin Severin Janus From (8 April 1828 – 6 May 1895) was a Danish chess master known for creating From's Gambit. From's Gambit is a sharp response to Bird's Opening, requiring precision from both players. Personal life Born in Nakskov, From ...

(1828–1895) soldier, civil servant and Danish chess master *

Hans Niels Andersen Hans Niels Andersen (10 September 1852 – 30 December 1937) was a Danish shipping magnate, businessman, diplomat and founder of the East Asiatic Company. Early life Born into a working-class family in Nakskov, he trained as a shipbuilder befor ...

(1852–1937) a shipping magnate, businessman, founded the

East Asiatic Company The EAC Invest A/S, formerly known as the Santa Fe Group and East Asiatic Company ( da, italic=yes, Det Østasiatiske Kompagni or ''ØK'') is a multinational holding and investment company, based in Copenhagen, Denmark. History The East Asiat ...

Ludovica Levy Ludovica Magdalena Marie Levy (née Dysten, from 1896 to 1906 Levy-Lavik; 7 September 1856 – 20 October 1922) was a Danish actress, theatre director and theatre critic. She toured with theatres in Denmark and Norway, and worked as instructor for ...

(1856–1922) a Danish actress, theatre director and theatre critic * Johan Jensen (1859–1925) a Danish mathematician and engineer * August Enna (1859–1939) a Danish composer, known mainly for his operas *

Johannes Wilhjelm Johannes Martin Fasting Wilhjelm (7 January 1868 – 22 December 1938) was a Danish painter. Strongly influenced by Kristian Zahrtmann, he painted bright, colourful landscapes while travelling in Italy. His works also include religious painting ...

(1868–1938) a Danish painter of bright, colourful landscapes *

Jørgen Skafte Rasmussen Jørgen Skafte Rasmussen (30 July 1878 – 12 August 1964) was a Danish engineer and industrialist. Life The son of a shipmaster who died when Rasmussen was still a young child, he attended middle school in Nakskov and in 1894 began an app ...

(1878–1964) a Danish engineer and industrialist *

Paul Hagen Paul Falck Hagen (19 March 1920 – 19 May 2003) was a Danish film and television actor. He appeared in more than 100 films between 1952 and 1999. He is most known for playing Mr. Clausen in the television series Huset på Christianshavn, whi ...

(1920 – 2003 in Nakskov) a Danish film and television actor IMDb Database
retrieved 11 June 2020 *

Per Mollerup Per Mollerup (20 February 1942) is a Danish designer, academic, and author. He is known for his emphasis on simplicity in design and for his wayshowing design at airports in Copenhagen, Oslo, and Stockholm, as well as the Copenhagen Metro. He is ...

(born 1942) a Danish designer, academic, and author *

Ole Kiehn Ole Kiehn (born 1958) is a Danish-Swedish neuroscientist. He is Professor of Integrative Neuroscience at the Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, and professor of neurophysiology at Karolinska Institute, Sweden. Early ...

(born 1958) a Danish-Swedish neuroscientist and academic *

Stefan Wenzel Peer Stefan Wenzel (born 5 May 1962) is a German agricultural economist and politician for the Alliance 90/The Greens who has been serving as a member of the German Bundestag since the 2021 elections, representing the Cuxhaven – Stade II dis ...

(born 1962) a German politician for the Alliance '90/The Greens *

Helle Helle Helle Helle (born 1965 as Helle Olsen but later named Helle Krogh Hansen) is a widely translated Danish short story writer and novelist. Basing her stories on episodes in the lives of ordinary people, she gained fame in 2005 with her novel ''Rødb ...

(born 1965) a widely translated Danish short story writer and novelist * Lisbeth Zornig Andersen (born 1968) a Danish economist, activist and author *

Blak Henrik Blak better known by his stage name Blak (born 1989 in Nakskov, Denmark) is a Danish rapper and songwriter. He started writing and rapping in 2002. In 2007, alongside Jimilian and Mido he helped launch Flex Music working as a main songwrit ...

(born 1989) a Danish rapper and songwriter; stage name of ''Henrik Blak''

Sport

Mette Jacobsen Mette Jacobsen (born 24 March 1973 in Nakskov) is a former freestyle and butterfly swimmer from Denmark who competed in five consecutive Summer Olympics for her native country, beginning in 1988. She won a total of 32 individual medals in int ...

(born 1973) a Danish freestyle and butterfly swimmer, competed in five consecutive Summer Olympics from 1988 * Lee Rochester Sørensen (born 1994) a Danish-Jamaican footballer

Gallery

File:Nakskov st.JPG, Nakskov station File:Nordic-sugar-Nakskov-1.JPG, Entrance of the sugar factory in Nakskov File:NakskovCirka1657.JPG, Nakskov and surrounding area (up = south) as depicted by the Swedish king's cartographer during the siege of Nakskov in 165

File:MedievalNakskov.JPG, 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. File:NakskovFjordAlbuenFromLangoeJuly2006.jpg, View from Langø in Nakskov Fjord toward the peninsula of Albuen and the island of Langeland in the west File:Nakskov - U-359 Ubådsmuseum.jpg, The formerly Soviet submarine U-359, Soviet submarine S-174/U-359 in Nakskov harbor.

References

External links

Lolland municipality's official website (Danish only)
*Municipal statistics
NetBorger Kommunefakta
delivered fro
KMD aka Kommunedata (Municipal Data)
* Municipal mergers and neighbors
Eniro new municipalities map
{{Authority control Nakskov Former municipalities of Denmark Cities and towns in Region Zealand Viking Age populated places Lolland Lolland Municipality