Ringkøbing (older spelling ''Ringkjøbing'') is a town in

Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality Ringkøbing-Skjern municipality is the largest municipality (Danish, '' kommune'') in Denmark. It was formed on 1 January 2007 as part of the 2007 administrative reform from the former municipalities of Egvad, Holmsland, Ringkøbing, Skjern, an ...

Region Midtjylland The Central Denmark Region ( da, Region Midtjylland), or more directly translated as the Central Jutland Region and sometimes simply Mid Jutland, is an administrative region of Denmark established on 1 January 2007 as part of the 2007 Danish muni ...

on the west coast of the

Jutland Jutland ( da, Jylland ; german: Jütland ; ang, Ēota land ), known anciently as the Cimbric or Cimbrian Peninsula ( la, Cimbricus Chersonesus; da, den Kimbriske Halvø, links=no or ; german: Kimbrische Halbinsel, links=no), is a peninsula of ...

peninsula in west Denmark. It has a population of 9,894 (1 January 2022).BY3: Population 1. January by rural and urban areas, area and population density
The Mobile Statbank from

Statistics Denmark Statistics Denmark ( da, Danmarks Statistik) is a Danish governmental organization under the Ministry of the Interior and Housing and which reports to the Minister of Economic and Internal Affairs. The organization is responsible for creating st ...

History

Archeological finds suggest that the town was founded in the 13th century. At that time it was the only real harbour town along the Danish west coast, being sheltered from the

North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian S ...

by the wall of

Holmsland Dunes Until January 1, 2007 Holmsland was a municipality (Danish, '' kommune'') in Ringkjøbing County on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula in west Denmark. The municipality covered an area of 95 km2 on a narrow strip of land, Holmsland Dunes ...

(''Holmsland Klit''). In the 17th century, the strait connecting

Ringkøbing Fjord Ringkøbing Fjord, despite its name, is in fact a shallow lagoon on the west coast of Jutland. Skjern River terminates in Ringkøbing Fjord with a large river delta system to the east, and the lagoon is shielded from the North Sea by a long isth ...

to the North Sea began to move south under the influence of wind and tide; soon it was no longer navigable. Ringkøbing was cut off from the sea until the beginning of the 20th century, when a new channel was built at the town of

Hvide Sande Hvide Sande is a small town in the middle of the Holmsland Dunes and placed around the artificial canal which connects Ringkøbing Fjord to the North Sea, in the western part of Central Denmark Region, formerly (until 1 January 2007) Ringkjøbing ...

, in nearby Holmsland municipality. The name Ringkøbing means "The market town near Rindum". By the 11th century, a church had been built in the small village of Rindum. The village is probably even older. Evidence of settlements dating back as far as the 6th century has been found. On the 27th of January in 1443, the towns' privilege of "

købstad A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rural ...

" (Danish for market town) was cemented by 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 ...

king King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...

Christopher of Bavaria Christopher of Bavaria (26 February 1416 – 5/6 January 1448) was King of Denmark (1440–48, as Christopher III), Sweden (1441–48) and Norway (1442–48) during the era of the Kalmar Union. Biography Coming to power He was the son of John, ...

by royal charter. The royal privilege is most likely older, dating back to

Valdemar IV Atterdag Valdemar IV Atterdag (the epithet meaning "Return of the Day"), or Waldemar (132024 October 1375) was King of Denmark from 1340 to 1375. He is mostly known for his reunion of Denmark after the bankruptcy and mortgaging of the country to finance ...

, as the document cementing the royal privilege of the town mentions the original privilege originating from the reign of "King Valdemar". At the end of World War II, Ringkøbing was involved in the British testing of captured German

V-weapons V-weapons, known in original German as (, German: "retaliatory weapons", "reprisal weapons"), were a particular set of long-range artillery weapons designed for strategic bombing during World War II, particularly strategic bombing and/or aer ...

. British soldiers, including radar experts from the British Artillery Regiment, were stationed there in October 1945 to monitor the accuracy of weapons fired from a base in

Cuxhaven Cuxhaven (; ) is an independent town and seat of the Cuxhaven district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. The town includes the northernmost point of Lower Saxony. It is situated on the shore of the North Sea at the mouth of the Elbe River. Cuxhaven has ...

, Lower Saxony, Germany. The tests were part of the post-WWII justice process, to establish whether the use of V-weapons constituted indiscriminate killing of civilians. In fact, they proved to be very accurate, and the Nazis escaped this charge.

Main sights

Today the centre of Ringkøbing has some quaint old streets, most of which lead towards the water of the fjord. Ringkøbing Church was built in the early 15th century, and its tower, which is wider on top than on the bottom, was erected ca. 1550. The church houses two

organ Organ may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a part of an organism Musical instruments * Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone ** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument ** Hammond ...

s: the oldest in the west pulpit was built by Demant & Son in 1861 with a

baroque 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 ...

facade from 1633; the other from 1974 is by Frobenius & Sons. As the result of a restoration in 1995–1996, the church has a number of modern features, including an

altarpiece An altarpiece is an artwork such as a painting, sculpture or relief representing a religious subject made for placing at the back of or behind the altar of a Christian church. Though most commonly used for a single work of art such as a painting o ...

Arne Haugen Sørensen Arne Haugen Sørensen (born 27 April 1932) is a Danish painter and illustrator. Since the 1980s, he has become one of Denmark's most productive religious artists, decorating over 25 churches. Biography Born in Copenhagen, Haugen Sørensen had li ...

and a glass

baptismal font A baptismal font is an article of church furniture used for baptism. Aspersion and affusion fonts The fonts of many Christian denominations are for baptisms using a non-immersive method, such as aspersion (sprinkling) or affusion (pouring). ...

Economy

Ringkjøbing Landbobank is headquartered in Ringkøbing.

Notable people

Niels Trolle Niels Trolle til Trollesholm og Gavnø (20 December 1599 – 20 September 1667) was a Danish nobleman who served as vice admiral under Christian IV and later as Steward of Norway from 1656 to 1661. He played a central administrative role d ...

(1599 in Ringkøbing –1667) a nobleman, vice admiral and Steward of Norway * Stephen Hansen (1701 in Skodsbøl – 1770) an industrialist, businessman and

General War Commissioner General War Commissioner (from German ''Generalkriegskommissarius'') was a military office in various German states as well as in Denmark-Norway. It was the military officer in charge of national conscription, collection of war contributions, equi ...

Wilhelm Sponneck Wilhelm Carl Eppingen Sponneck (16 February 1815 – 29 February 1888) was a Danish nobleman ('' rigsgreve'') and Minister of Finance. He was influential in Danish customs affairs for several years. Biography Wilhelm Carl Eppingen Sponneck wa ...

(1815 in Ringkøbing – 1888) a nobleman (

rigsgreve Imperial Count (german: Reichsgraf) was a title in the Holy Roman Empire. In the medieval era, it was used exclusively to designate the holder of an imperial county, that is, a fief held directly ( immediately) from the emperor, rather than from ...

) and Minister of Finance *

Janus la Cour Janus Andreas Bartholin la Cour (5 September 1837 – 13 October 1909) was a Danish painter who is remembered for his landscapes painted in the classical style of the Eckersberg school. Biography Born near Ringkøbing, he spent much of his earl ...

(1837 near Ringkøbing – 1909) a painter of the classical

Eckersberg Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg (2 January 1783 – 22 July 1853) was a Danish painter. He was born in Blåkrog in the Southern Jutland region of Denmark. He went on to lay the foundation for the period of art known as the Golden Age of Dani ...

school *

Ludvig Mylius-Erichsen Ludvig Mylius-Erichsen (15 January 1872 – 25 November 1907) was a Danish author, ethnologist, and explorer, from Ringkøbing. He was most notably an explorer of Greenland. Literary expedition With Count Harald Moltke and Knud Rasmussen Mylius-E ...

(1872 in Ringkøbing – 1907) an author and explorer of Greenland *

Mikkel Frandsen Mikkel Frandsen (1892–1981) was a Danish American physical chemist noted for experiments involving chemical thermodynamics, oil, and heavy water. Also known as deuterium oxide (D2O), heavy water is used to produce nuclear power and is used in ...

(1892 in Sønder Lem – 1981) a Danish American physical chemist noted for experiments involving

chemical thermodynamics Chemical thermodynamics is the study of the interrelation of heat and work with chemical reactions or with physical changes of state within the confines of the laws of thermodynamics. Chemical thermodynamics involves not only laboratory measurement ...

and heavy water * Poul Andersen (1922 in Ringkøbing – 2006) a printer, served in the Danish resistance movement during WWII and later published one of the remaining two Danish-language newspapers in the USA *

Vibeke Hastrup Vibeke Hastrup (born 7 April 1958 in Denmark) is a Danish actress who has worked in theatre, television and film. She performed in the films ''Babette's Feast'' and ''Dance of the Polar Bears'', and has done numerous voice-overs for animated fea ...

(1958 in Vedersø) an actress who has worked in theatre, television and film IMDb Database
retrieved 20 May 2020 * Cornelia von Levetzow (1836–1921), successful novelist *

Mette Lykke Mette Lykke (born 1981 in Ringkøbing, Denmark) is a Danish businesswoman, entrepreneur and investor. Mette Lykke is the CEO of food-tech startup Too Good To Go. She was formerly co-founder and CEO of Endomondo, later acquired by Under Armour. E ...

(born 1981 in Ringkøbing) a Danish businesswoman, entrepreneur and investor

Sport

Claus Møller Jakobsen Claus Møller Jakobsen (born 24 September 1976) is a Retired Danish former professional team handball, handballer and current sports commentator for TV2 (Denmark), TV2. Career Møller Jakobsen began his professional handball career in Skjern Hå ...

(born 1976 in Ringkøbing) a Danish former professional handballer, sports commentator for TV2 * Jacob Larsen (1979 in Egvad) a Danish cricketer *

Hans Henrik Andreasen Hans Henrik Andreasen also known as HH (born 10 January 1979) is a Danish former professional footballer and current working as an youth coach at Esbjerg fB. Club career Esbjerg fB & Greuther Fürth He played for German side SpVgg Greuther Fü ...

(born 1979 in Ringkøbing) a retired Danish footballer with over 500 club caps * Niels Lodberg (born 1980 in Ringkøbing) is a former Danish footballer with over 350 club caps *

Jonas Borring Jonas Skov Borring (born 4 January 1985) is a Danish former professional footballer who played as a left winger. Club career OB Borring started his career in Glamsbjerg IF and has later played for Årslev Boldklub, Dalum IF and B 1913 before joi ...

(born 1985 in Ringkøbing) is a retired Danish footballer with over 350 club caps

Gallery

File:Ringkøbing, Denmark, Church 8213.JPG, Ringkøbing Church (Ringkøbing Kirke) File:Ringkøbing Kirkegård, Ringkøbing, Danmark.jpg, Avenue with linden in the cemetery by Ringkøbing File:Ringkøbing - Train Station1.jpg, Ringkøbing railway station File:Ringkøbing 02.jpg, Typical street in Ringkøbing File:Dockworker in the harbour Ringkøbing, Jutland, Denmark.jpg, Dockworker in the harbour of Ringkøbing

References

External links

The Official Tourist page for Ringkøbing

West Jutland tourism information, covering Ringkøbing area
* Municipal statistics
NetBorger Kommunefakta
delivered fro
KMD
aka Kommunedata (Municipal Data) * Municipal mergers and neighbors
Eniro new municipalities map

Weather forecast Ringkøbing, Denmark
weather-atlas.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Ringkobing Municipal seats of the Central Denmark Region Municipal seats of Denmark Cities and towns in the Central Denmark Region Former municipalities of Denmark Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality