Vejle, Denmark
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Vejle () is a city in
Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
, in the southeast of the
Jutland Peninsula Jutland (; , ''Jyske Halvø'' or ''Cimbriske Halvø''; , ''Kimbrische Halbinsel'' or ''Jütische Halbinsel'') is a peninsula of Northern Europe that forms the continental portion of Denmark and part of northern Germany (Schleswig-Holstein). It ...
at the head of
Vejle Fjord Vejle Fjord is an East Jutland-type fjord in Denmark. It is approximately in length, and it stretches east from the town of Vejle at its head to the towns of Trelde Næs on the south side and Juelsminde on the north side at the mouth. The fjord ...
, where the
Vejle River Vejle River (, also called Sønderåen, "South River") is an approximately river in Vejle Municipality in Denmark. Its source is Engelsholm Lake near the village of Nørup. It first runs south to converge with the Egtved River near the village o ...
and
Grejs River Grejs River () is an approximately river in Vejle Municipality in Denmark. Its source is FÃ¥rup Lake, south of the village of Jelling. It starts by heading east through a tunnel valley, then turns south to run through Grejs Valley (), the large ...
and their valleys converge. It is the site of the councils of
Vejle Municipality Vejle Municipality () is a '' kommune'' in the Region of Southern Denmark on the Jutland peninsula in southeast Denmark. The municipality covers an area of (2013), and has a population of 122,433 (1. January 2025). Its mayor is Jens Ejner Christ ...
('' kommune'') and the
Region of Southern Denmark The Region of Southern Denmark (, ; , ; ) is an administrative region of Denmark established on Monday 1 January 2007 as part of the 2007 Danish Municipal Reform, which abolished the traditional counties ("amter") and set up five larger regions ...
. The city has a population of 62,011 (As of January 1. 2025), making it the ninth largest city in Denmark. Vejle Municipality has a population of 122,433 (), making it the fifth most populous municipality in Denmark. The city is part of the Triangle Region, which includes the neighbouring cities of
Kolding Kolding () is a Denmark, Danish seaport city located at the head of Kolding Fjord in the Region of Southern Denmark. It is the seat of Kolding Municipality. It is a transportation, commercial, and manufacturing centre and has numerous industria ...
and
Fredericia Fredericia () is a town located in Fredericia Municipality in the southeastern part of the Jutland peninsula in Denmark. The city is part of the Triangle Region Denmark, Triangle Region, which includes the neighbouring cities of Kolding and Vej ...
. Vejle is located 110 kilometres (68 miles) north of
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, 70 kilometres (43,5 miles) from
Aarhus Aarhus (, , ; officially spelled Ã…rhus from 1948 until 1 January 2011) is the second-largest city in Denmark and the seat of Aarhus municipality, Aarhus Municipality. It is located on the eastern shore of Jutland in the Kattegat sea and app ...
and 240 kilometres (149 miles) from the capital
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
. Vejle is most known for its forested hills, Vejle fjord, harbour, shopping, pedestrian mall, windmill and an astonishing architecture near the harbour.


Etymology

The name "Vejle" derives from the Old Danish word ''wæthel'', meaning "
ford Ford commonly refers to: * Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford * Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river Ford may also refer to: Ford Motor Company * Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company * Ford F ...
" or "wading place" due to its location at a busy crossing over the Vejle River.


Historical names

* Wæthel * Wedel * Vedel * Weile * Veile * Vejle (Today)


History


Origins

Vejle was originally built on a small
islet An islet ( ) is generally a small island. Definitions vary, and are not precise, but some suggest that an islet is a very small, often unnamed, island with little or no vegetation to support human habitation. It may be made of rock, sand and/ ...
that was surrounded by Omløbsåen to the west,
Mølleåen Mølleåen, also Mølleå, sometimes translated as the Millstream, is a small river in North Zealand, Denmark, which runs from the west of Bastrup Sø near Lynge to the Øresund between Taarbæk and Skodsborg. The valley contains several coun ...
to the east, and
Vejle River Vejle River (, also called Sønderåen, "South River") is an approximately river in Vejle Municipality in Denmark. Its source is Engelsholm Lake near the village of Nørup. It first runs south to converge with the Egtved River near the village o ...
to the south. It was only after the
Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution, sometimes divided into the First Industrial Revolution and Second Industrial Revolution, was a transitional period of the global economy toward more widespread, efficient and stable manufacturing processes, succee ...
, that the city expanded beyond the river borders. During
Viking Vikings were seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded, and settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9â ...
times, the wetlands around Vejle had to be crossed at the
Ravning Bridge The Ravning Bridge (Danish: ''Ravningbroen'') was a former 760 m long timber bridge, built in Denmark in the 10th century during the Viking Age. Located 10 km south of Jelling near the village of Ravning, it crossed the meadows of Ravning En ...
, a 760 meter long wooden boardwalk, built around 980 ad, located west of the current city. Archaeological digs near St. Nicolai Church in downtown Vejle have shown that there were residences in the area as far back as 1100. The first recorded mention of the town is from 1256, and the first known merchant town privileges were issued by King Valdemar III in 1327.


Middle ages

During the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
, Vejle was a prominent
market town 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 rura ...
. It developed slowly, only having small setbacks from the
Black Death The Black Death was a bubonic plague pandemic that occurred in Europe from 1346 to 1353. It was one of the list of epidemics, most fatal pandemics in human history; as many as people perished, perhaps 50% of Europe's 14th century population. ...
during the 14th century. Vejle traditionally traded with cities such as
Lübeck Lübeck (; or ; Latin: ), officially the Hanseatic League, Hanseatic City of Lübeck (), is a city in Northern Germany. With around 220,000 inhabitants, it is the second-largest city on the German Baltic Sea, Baltic coast and the second-larg ...
,
Aarhus Aarhus (, , ; officially spelled Ã…rhus from 1948 until 1 January 2011) is the second-largest city in Denmark and the seat of Aarhus municipality, Aarhus Municipality. It is located on the eastern shore of Jutland in the Kattegat sea and app ...
and
Flensburg Flensburg (; Danish language, Danish and ; ; ) is an independent city, independent town in the far north of the Germany, German state of Schleswig-Holstein. After Kiel and Lübeck, it is the third-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein. Flensburg's ...
, located in the old duchies of
Schleswig The Duchy of Schleswig (; ; ; ; ; ) was a duchy in Southern Jutland () covering the area between about 60 km (35 miles) north and 70 km (45 mi) south of the current border between Germany and Denmark. The territory has been di ...
and
Holstein Holstein (; ; ; ; ) is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider (river), Eider. It is the southern half of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost States of Germany, state of Germany. Holstein once existed as the German County of Holstein (; 8 ...
, and other cities on the Baltic coast. Vejle used to be protected by two castles: Castrum Wæthel (Vejleborg) (Vejle castle) The Vejle castle was constructed out of wood and lay just outside the city, where Vejle railway station is located today. It was constructed to protect the city and the
Vejle River Vejle River (, also called Sønderåen, "South River") is an approximately river in Vejle Municipality in Denmark. Its source is Engelsholm Lake near the village of Nørup. It first runs south to converge with the Egtved River near the village o ...
. The architecture of the castle indicates it was built in the 14th century, but by the year 1473 the castle had most likely been decommissioned. being turned into fields. The last remnants of the castle disappeared through the construction of the railway in the 19th century. Rosborg Rosborg was located in the
marshland In ecology, a marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous plants rather than by woody plants.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p More in general ...
s of the Vejle valley, located a couple hundred meters west of the city. It sat atop a manmade hill around 1.75 meters high, 40 meters long, and 25 meters wide. There had been multiple buildings in the castle, the oldest of these being seemingly made of wood and possibly burning down; later another was made of stone. During an excavation in 1912, there were found multiple sets of pottery from the
Rhine The Rhine ( ) is one of the List of rivers of Europe, major rivers in Europe. The river begins in the Swiss canton of Graubünden in the southeastern Swiss Alps. It forms part of the Swiss-Liechtenstein border, then part of the Austria–Swit ...
, one with a very distinctive face of a bearded man.


Early modern period

In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, Vejle's population was diminished as a consequence of plague and war. In 1796, though, Vejle was made the seat of the newly founded
Vejle County Vejle County () is a former county ( Danish: '' amt'') on the east coast of the Jutland peninsula in southern Denmark. The county was abolished effective January 1, 2007, when it was divided between Region Midtjylland (i.e. ''Region Central Jutlan ...
.


Industrialisation

Throughout the 19th century, the town benefited from improvements such as a new harbour on the fjord, a railway station, and modern utilities. From the mid-19th century into the 20th century, Vejle developed from a provincial market town into a busy industrial centre, eventually becoming known as the "
Manchester Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...
of Denmark" for its many
cotton mill A cotton mill is a building that houses spinning or weaving machinery for the production of yarn or cloth from cotton, an important product during the Industrial Revolution in the development of the factory system. Although some were driven ...
s.


Geography


Topography

Downtown Vejle was built on an island of
glacial till image:Geschiebemergel.JPG, Closeup of glacial till. Note that the larger grains (pebbles and gravel) in the till are completely surrounded by the matrix of finer material (silt and sand), and this characteristic, known as ''matrix support'', is d ...
in Vejle River remaining from a hill formed during the last
ice age An ice age is a long period of reduction in the temperature of Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental and polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. Earth's climate alternates between ice ages, and g ...
. In a country where the highest natural elevation is only about 170 m (558 ft) above sea level, Vejle is known for the forested hills that rise to the north and south of the town and
fjord In physical geography, a fjord (also spelled fiord in New Zealand English; ) is a long, narrow sea inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created by a glacier. Fjords exist on the coasts of Antarctica, the Arctic, and surrounding landmasses of the n ...
. The valleys of the two rivers that converge at Vejle are both unique in Denmark: Vejle River Valley (''Vejle Ã…dal'') is the longest
tunnel valley A tunnel is an underground or undersea passageway. It is dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, or laid under water, and is usually completely enclosed except for the two portals common at each end, though there may be access and ve ...
in Denmark, and the Grejs Valley (''Grejsdalen'') is the largest
ravine A ravine is a landform that is narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streambank erosion. Ravines are typically classified as larger in scale than gullies, although smaller than valleys. Ravines may also be called a cleuch, dell, ...
in Denmark. Both empty into
Vejle Fjord Vejle Fjord is an East Jutland-type fjord in Denmark. It is approximately in length, and it stretches east from the town of Vejle at its head to the towns of Trelde Næs on the south side and Juelsminde on the north side at the mouth. The fjord ...
, which connects Vejle by water through the
Little Belt The Little Belt (, ) is a strait between the island of Funen and the Jutland Peninsula in Denmark. It is one of the three Danish straits, Danish Straits that drain and connect the Baltic Sea to the Kattegat strait, which drains west to the Nor ...
strait to the
Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...
, and through the
Kattegat The Kattegat (; ; ) is a sea area bounded by the peninsula of Jutland in the west, the Danish straits islands of Denmark and the Baltic Sea to the south and the Swedish provinces of Bohuslän, Västergötland, Halland and Scania in Swede ...
and
Skagerrak The Skagerrak (; , , ) is a strait running between the North Jutlandic Island of Denmark, the east coast of Norway and the west coast of Sweden, connecting the North Sea and the Kattegat sea. The Skagerrak contains some of the busiest shipping ...
straits to the
Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...
.


Cityscape

Development of new architecture, art and alternative town spaces throughout the 1990s has made the city an attraction. Vejle was the first city in
Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
, which had its own official architecture policy to set high standards for the urban development. The fjord is also the site of the
modern Modern may refer to: History *Modern history ** Early Modern period ** Late Modern period *** 18th century *** 19th century *** 20th century ** Contemporary history * Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century Philosophy ...
wave-shaped apartment complex known as The Wave (''Bølgen'').


Neighbourhoods

Many of Vejle's neighbourhoods began as separate towns or villages that merged with the city as it grew. Søndermarken, Nørremarken, and Grejsdalen, however, were all founded as extensions of the city onto the surrounding hillsides. Vejle's neighbourhoods include: *Vejle centre *Bredballe - east of downtown and north of Vejle Fjord; considered an affluent neighbourhood *Grejsdalen - northernmost part of the city, located in the long, narrow valley of the same name *Hover - west of Grejsdalen *Lille Grundet - north of downtown in the northwest corner of Nørremarken, relatively new *Løget - southernmost part of the city *Store Grundet - established in 2000, north of Lille Grundet *Mølholm - southeast of the centre *Nørremarken - northeast of the centre, including the North Woods (''Nørreskoven'') and Vejle Stadium *Uhrhøj, Uhre, Petersminde *Vinding - southeast, next to Mølholm *Skibet, Knabberup - westernmost part of the city *Søndermarken - to the southwest, located on land belonging to the former Petersholm manor *Trædballe - north-west corner of centre


Economy

Vejle is the cultural and economic centre of Vejle Municipality and, as part of the unofficial Triangle Area (''Trekantområde''), is rich in industry, business, and the
service sector The tertiary sector of the economy, generally known as the service sector, is the third of the three economic sectors in the three-sector model (also known as the economic cycle). The others are the primary sector (raw materials) and the ...
. Historically speaking, industry has been very important for the city's development, while today more weight is placed on business and service, as well as high-tech firms.


Industry

During the
Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution, sometimes divided into the First Industrial Revolution and Second Industrial Revolution, was a transitional period of the global economy toward more widespread, efficient and stable manufacturing processes, succee ...
, Vejle was known as the "Manchester of Denmark" due to its extensive
textile mill Textile manufacturing or textile engineering is a major industry. It is largely based on the conversion of fibre into yarn, then yarn into fabric. These are then dyed or printed, fabricated into cloth which is then converted into useful good ...
s. The local rivers provided water power to mills, including the extensive facilities of De Danske Bomuldsspinderier (The Danish Cotton Mills). In the first half of the 20th century, Vejle was something of a behemoth within the Danish textile industry, with some 25% of the city's workers employed in the industry. Despite the decline in the industry in Denmark, the last cotton mill in Vejle remained open until 1993. Today, many of the old mill buildings are used for art studios, office space, and, more recently, apartments. In 1975 United Trailer Factories was founded by brothers Niels and Jens Buhl. The company, now known as ‘Variant’ like its products, has grown in strength to become one of the biggest quality trailer manufacturers in Europe. Later on, newer industries took root in Vejle. The city is home to one of the largest chewing gum factories in the world, producing
Stimorol Stimorol is a brand of chewing gum originally produced by the Danish company Dandy and since 2023 owned by the Italian-Dutch company Perfetti Van Melle. History The privately owned company was founded by Holger Sørensen in 1915 in Vejle, Den ...
brand chewing gum. The Tulip slaughterhouses were also an important employer in the city. Today, Tulip has closed its factory at the harbour, but still maintains production in northern Vejle. Today, Vejle's economy is shifting out of the industrial sector and into the high-tech sector, with a number of software companies operating out of the city.


Shopping

Vejle is known regionally as a vibrant shopping town with various chain and specialty shops primarily located along the city's central
pedestrian street Pedestrian zones (also known as auto-free zones and car-free zones, as pedestrian precincts in British English, and as pedestrian malls in the United States and Australia) are areas of a city or town restricted to use by people on foot or ...
. Recently, the town has invested in several public works projects to improve the city's appearance, including lengthening the pedestrian Street, developing new public art and architecture, and uncovering and beautifying Grejs River, which until recently ran in a culvert underneath downtown. In addition to the shopping experiences in the city, Vejle also has its own shopping centre, the Bryggen shopping centre, located in the center of the city. It contains 38 stores and two restaurants and lies within the pedestrian street. Street food concepts can also be experienced at the Paladspassagen Social Dining at the former Mary's Shoppingcenter.


Government and politics

Vejle is located in and is the seat of
Vejle Municipality Vejle Municipality () is a '' kommune'' in the Region of Southern Denmark on the Jutland peninsula in southeast Denmark. The municipality covers an area of (2013), and has a population of 122,433 (1. January 2025). Its mayor is Jens Ejner Christ ...
which in its current configuration was formed under the Municipal Reform of 2007. Vejle's municipal council consists of 31 members, elected every four years. Ever since
Social Democrat Social democracy is a Social philosophy, social, Economic ideology, economic, and political philosophy within socialism that supports Democracy, political and economic democracy and a gradualist, reformist, and democratic approach toward achi ...
Christian Jacobsen became Vejle's first elected mayor in 1919, the town has been a stronghold for the Social Democrats and trade unions. The longest serving Social Democratic mayor was Willy Sørensen, a union leader who joined the city council in 1937 and held the mayor's post for 31 years, from 1946 until his death in 1978. In 1993, the Social Democratic dynasty was broken, when a candidate from a coalition of opposition parties, Flemming Christiansen, became mayor. In 2009, the Social Democrats were out of power again when Liberal candidate Arne Sigtenbjerggaard won the elections. Several natives of Vejle have also made a career in national politics, including former Prime Minister
Lars Løkke Rasmussen Lars Løkke Rasmussen (; born 15 May 1964) is a Danish politician who has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2022. He previously served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 2009 to 2011 and again from 2015 to 2019. He was Leader of the Ve ...
(Liberal), the former Minister of the Treasury
Troels Lund Poulsen Troels Lund Poulsen (born 30 March 1976) is a Danish politician, who is the Deputy Prime Minister of Denmark and leader of . He also serves as Minister of Defence. He previously served as Minister for the Environment from 2007 to 2010, Minist ...
(Liberal), former Minister of Health
Torben Lund Torben Lund (born 6 November 1950 in Vejle) is a Denmark, Danish politician, who served in the Folketing from 1981 to 1998"Torben Lund har forladt Socialdemokratiet". dr.dk, August 22, 2009. and in the European Parliament from 1999 to 2004. He was ...
(Social Democrat), and former Minister of Transportation Flemming Hansen (
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
).


Transportation and Infrastructure

Historically speaking, Vejle's development has been guided by the city's central location in the country and its location on Vejle Fjord. Vejle's pedestrian street today runs along the same course as some of the earliest paths through town – glass panels set into Torvegade allow pedestrians to see the historical market road a few meters under the current street surface. The
European route E45 European route E45 connects Norway and Italy, through Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Austria. With a length of about , it is the longest north–south European route (some east–west routes are longer). The route passes through Alta ...
motorway passes close to downtown Vejle on the
Vejle Fjord Bridge Vejle Fjord Bridge () is a cantilever bridge that spans Vejle Fjord between Mølholm and Nørremarken near the town of Vejle in Denmark. The bridge is 1712 metres long, the longest span is 110 metres, and the maximum clearance to the sea is 40 ...
. Vejle is also known for motorway exit 59, also called Exxit 59, where few fast food chains such as KFC, McDonald's Enzo & C are located here, and the motorway exit is also known for carpooling. The Exit 59 is also known to be called Gateaway E45, because of its huge cargo- and transportation center, called Denmarks Transport Center, DTC. Vejle is also located on Primary Route 28, and the Mid-Jutland Highway (''Midjyske Motorvej'', Primary Route 18) from
Herning Herning () is a Denmark, Danish town in the Central Denmark Region of the Jutland peninsula. It is the main town and the administrative seat of Herning Municipality. Herning has a population of 51,782 (1 January 2025)
. () is the principal transport hub for public transport in Vejle, which provides nine
city bus A transit bus (also big bus, commuter bus, city bus, town bus, urban bus, stage bus, public bus, public transit bus, or simply bus) is a type of bus used in public transport bus services. Several configurations are used, including low-fl ...
lines to various neighbourhoods, as well as national and international coach and train services. Vejle railway station first opened in 1868, and is today a central station in the Danish train network. Vejle railway station is also a hub for merging two railway lines. The East Jutland railway, from
Aarhus Aarhus (, , ; officially spelled Ã…rhus from 1948 until 1 January 2011) is the second-largest city in Denmark and the seat of Aarhus municipality, Aarhus Municipality. It is located on the eastern shore of Jutland in the Kattegat sea and app ...
to Vejle, and The Central Jutland railway, from Struer to Vejle . From Vejle going south or east, the next main train station, is Fredericia station. Here the trains can depart to either
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
through Odense station, to
Esbjerg Esbjerg (, ) is a seaport city and seat of Esbjerg Municipality on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula in southwest Denmark. By road, it is west of Kolding and southwest of Aarhus. With an urban area, urban population of 71,554 (1 January ...
through Kolding railway station, or to
Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...
in Germany, also through Kolding railway station. However, the station is currently the subject of political debate, due to a desire on the part of some politicians to reduce train travel time between
Odense Odense ( , , ) is the third largest city in Denmark (after Copenhagen and Aarhus) and the largest city on the island of Funen. As of 1 January 2025, the city proper had a population of 185,480 while Odense Municipality had a population of 210, ...
and
Ã…rhus Aarhus (, , ; officially spelled Ã…rhus from 1948 until 1 January 2011) is the second-largest city in Denmark and the seat of Aarhus municipality, Aarhus Municipality. It is located on the eastern shore of Jutland in the Kattegat sea and app ...
to one hour. This may mean that a second bridge will be built over Vejle Fjord, bypassing Vejle Station. The Port of Vejle, in its current location, was inaugurated in 1827. In the years following
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, it grew to become the second largest port in
Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
after the
Port of Copenhagen The Port of Copenhagen () is the largest Denmark, Danish seaport and one of the largest ports in the Baltic Sea basin. It extends from Svanemølle Beach in the north to Hvidovre in the south. Along with Malmö harbour, Copenhagen Port is operate ...
. Up until 1932, the
steamboat A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. The term ''steamboat'' is used to refer to small steam-powered vessels worki ...
s Hvidbjerg (named after a local seaside community) and Jeppe Jensen (named after the harbour's founder) plied the waters between Vejle Harbour and Munkebjerg, Tirsbæk, Ulbækhus, and Fakkegrav. The harbour is currently profitable, although there are plans to convert the northern section of the harbour into a park and residential area, which would reconnect the town with the fjord. Vejle Municipality is part-owner of Denmark's second-largest airport,
Billund Airport Billund Airport () is an airport in Denmark. Located northeast of Billund, Denmark, Billund, it serves as one of the country's busiest Cargo airline, air cargo centres, as well as a charter airline destination. It is the List of the busiest a ...
, located near the
Lego Group Lego A/S, also known as the Lego Group, is a Danish construction toy production company based in Billund. It manufactures Lego-branded toys, consisting mostly of interlocking ABS plastic and rubber bricks. The Lego Group has also built several ...
's headquarters some from the centre of Vejle. Airport buses run regularly to Billund Airport from Vejle Transit Centre.


Environment

A central point of Vejle's environmental policy since 1985 has been the sorting of garbage into non-compostable and compostable waste, which is then composted in the city dump. To this end, residents must place all household trash into either black or green bags. Vejle Municipality has also begun a range of nature restoration projects. The most ambitious of these has been the restoration of the Kongens Kær
wetlands A wetland is a distinct semi-aquatic ecosystem whose groundcovers are flooded or saturated in water, either permanently, for years or decades, or only seasonally. Flooding results in oxygen-poor ( anoxic) processes taking place, especially ...
around the Vejle River just outside the city limits. The city has also undertaken a project to establish two new public beaches for swimming, Albuen and Tirsbæk Strand.


Education

Vejle is home to the headquarters of University College Lillebælt, which is a merger of several educational institutions in East Jutland and Funen. As Vejle is home to many international industrial companies and is also known to be called "the Silicon Valley of Denmark" due to a lot IT companies located in Vejle. The government, after a lot of negotiations back in 2021, came to an agreement in 2024 with
Vejle Municipality Vejle Municipality () is a '' kommune'' in the Region of Southern Denmark on the Jutland peninsula in southeast Denmark. The municipality covers an area of (2013), and has a population of 122,433 (1. January 2025). Its mayor is Jens Ejner Christ ...
,
University of Southern Denmark The University of Southern Denmark (, SDU) has campuses located in Southern Denmark and on Zealand. It offers a number of joint programmes in co-operation with the University of Flensburg and the University of Kiel. Contacts with regional indu ...
that Vejle from 2026 will become a university city. The
University of Southern Denmark The University of Southern Denmark (, SDU) has campuses located in Southern Denmark and on Zealand. It offers a number of joint programmes in co-operation with the University of Flensburg and the University of Kiel. Contacts with regional indu ...
,SDU, will establish a campus housing the faculty of IT and software.
The Lego Group Lego A/S, also known as the Lego Group, is a Danish construction toy production company based in Billund. It manufactures Lego-branded toys, consisting mostly of interlocking ABS plastic and rubber bricks. The Lego Group has also built severa ...
will also be one of among many companies to enter as cooperation partners with SDU, for the purpose of gaining a strong research and educational environment in Vejle. It is expected that in 2026 the faculty of IT and software in Vejle, will house 400 students, and by 2032 more than 1200 students and 90 academic employees. Adult and professional education is available in Vejle through the
Region of Southern Denmark The Region of Southern Denmark (, ; , ; ) is an administrative region of Denmark established on Monday 1 January 2007 as part of the 2007 Danish Municipal Reform, which abolished the traditional counties ("amter") and set up five larger regions ...
, the Folkeuniversitet (Adult Education Centre), the Vejle Idrætshøjskole (Athletics Professional College), and Skolen for Gastronomi, Musik & Design (School for Gastronomy, Music, and Design). On the
secondary education Secondary education is the education level following primary education and preceding tertiary education. Level 2 or ''lower secondary education'' (less commonly ''junior secondary education'') is considered the second and final phase of basic e ...
level, Vejle offers several options: Vejle Handelsskole (Vejle Business School) offers business and professional programs; Vejle Tekniske Gymnasium (Vejle Technical School) offers vocational and technical education; and Rødkilde Gymnasium (on the fjord) and Rosborg Gymnasium offer academic programs with concentrations in language and science. On the primary level, Vejle has 11 regular primary schools (''folkeskoler''), 2 independent schools (''friskoler''), and 5 private schools (''privatskoler'') – one secular, one
Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
, one
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
, one
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
ic and one Waldorf-Steiner method school – as well as 2 schools for special needs students. Unique to Vejle is a special program for athletically talented students starting in late primary school and continuing through Vejle Handelsskole.


Sports

The city's traditional
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
club,
Vejle Boldklub Vejle Boldklub is a Danish professional football club based in Vejle in Jutland. Formed in 1891, the club is one of the most successful clubs in Danish football history, having won the Danish championship five times and the Danish cup title six ...
(Vejle Football Club), has won the
Danish Superliga The Danish Superliga (, ) is a professional association football league in Denmark and the highest level of the Danish football league system. The league is currently contested by 12 teams each year, with 2 teams relegated. It is the current ...
Championships five times and the
Danish Cup The Danish Cup (; often referred to as Pokalen) is the official "single-elimination tournament, knockout" cup competition in Danish football, run by the Danish Football Association. The cup has been contested annually since 1955. The winner will ...
six times. Vejle Boldklub has trained many talented football players, among others one of Danish football history's few international stars:
Allan Simonsen Allan Rodenkam Simonsen (born 15 December 1952) is a Danish former footballer and manager. He most prominently played as a striker for German Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach, winning the 1975 and 1979 UEFA Cups, as well as for Barcel ...
, who in 1977 became the first Danish player to win the
European Footballer of the Year The Ballon d'Or (; ) is an annual football award presented by French magazine ''France Football'' since 1956 to honour the player deemed to have performed the best over the previous season. Conceived by sports writers Gabriel Hanot and Jac ...
award. Today, Vejle Boldklub is in a ramping-up period, with the goal of bringing the club back to the top of Danish football. To this end, new
Vejle Stadium Vejle Stadium () is a fully enclosed, modern (built in 2008) football stadium in Vejle, Denmark and is home ground of Vejle Boldklub. The stadium has two towers for business and two VIP lounges. The stadium holds 11,060 spectators and the field ...
was opened in spring 2008. Vejle's largest indoor sports facilities are mostly housed in the DGI-Huset recreational centre in western Vejle. In the past, the facility has housed several high-profile events, including the
European Women's Handball Championship The European Women's Handball Championship is the official competition for senior women's national handball teams of Europe, and takes place every two years. In addition to crowning the European champions, the tournament also serves as a qualifyin ...
and the Danish Open in
badminton Badminton is a racquet sport played using racket (sports equipment), racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net (device), net. Although it may be played with larger teams, the most common forms of the game are "singles" (with one player per s ...
. Former
Swiss Swiss most commonly refers to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Swiss may also refer to: Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina * Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses * Swiss Café, an old café located ...
cyclist Cycling, also known as bicycling or biking, is the activity of riding a bicycle or other types of pedal-driven human-powered vehicles such as balance bikes, unicycles, tricycles, and quadricycles. Cycling is practised around the world fo ...
Tony Rominger Tony Rominger (born 27 March 1961) is a Swiss former professional road racing cyclist who won the Vuelta a España in 1992, 1993 and 1994 and the Giro d'Italia in 1995. Career He began cycling late, allegedly spurred by competition with his br ...
was born in Vejle, and cyclist
Bjarne Riis Bjarne Lykkegård Riis (; born 3 April 1964), nicknamed ''The Eagle from Herning'' (), is a Denmark, Danish former professional road bicycle racer who won the 1996 Tour de France. For many years he was the owner and later manager of the Oleg Tink ...
has a house in Vejle. Denmark's answer to the
Tour de France The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage cycle sport, bicycle race held primarily in France. It is the oldest and most prestigious of the three Grand Tour (cycling), Grand Tours, which include the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a ...
,
Danmark Rundt Danmark Rundt is a Danish multi-day professional road cycling race. It is currently sponsored by the Danish national postal agency, PostNord, and the race is therefore also known as PostNord Danmark Rundt. The race is sometimes called the Tou ...
, includes a stretch through Vejle which is known as the hardest stage in the race, including a loop that requires the riders to climb the hillsides of Vejle several times. The race's winner is usually determined in the Vejle stage. Stage 3 of the
2022 Tour de France The 2022 Tour de France was the 109th edition of the Tour de France. It started in Copenhagen, Denmark on 1 July 2022 and ended with the final stage on the Champs-Élysées, Paris on 24 July 2022. Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard () won the General clas ...
started in Vejle.


Arts and attractions

In the arts, the most well-known personality from Vejle is composer
Jacob Gade Jacob Thune Hansen Gade (29 November 1879 – 20 February 1963) was a Danish violinist and composer, mostly of orchestral popular music. He is remembered today for a single tune, ''Jalousie'' (also known as ''Jalousie "Tango Tzigane" '' and ''T ...
, who wrote the Tango Jalousie. Other artists include author Ulrik Gräs, priest and historial
Anders Sørensen Vedel Anders Sørensen Vedel (9 November 1542 – 13 February 1616) At 14 years old, he moved to study in Ribe, and after finishing his education he moved on to Copenhagen University in 1561. In 1562, he was the tutor of astronomer Tycho Brahe on Brahe' ...
, poet
Inger Christensen Inger Christensen (16 January 1935 – 2 January 2009) was a Danish poet, novelist, essayist and editor. She is considered the foremost Danish poetic experimentalist of her generation. Life and work Born in the town of Vejle, on the eastern ...
, artist
Albert Bertelsen Albert Bertelsen (17 November 1921 – 10 December 2019) was a Danish autodidact painter and graphic artist. Biography Bertelsen was born in Vejle. Bertelsen is primarily known for his landscape paintings and graphic works in green colours. His wo ...
, and actress
Bodil Jørgensen Bodil Jørgensen, a Danish Film actress was born on 3 March 1961 in Vejle, Denmark. She is known for her roles in The Idiots (1998), Nothing's All Bad (2010) and Klinkevals (1999). Apart from multiple movies, she has also acted in numerous TV s ...
. In the early and mid-20th century, Vejle had several popular cultural destinations such as Trædballehus in the western part of town and the Munkebjerg Casino south of the fjord. Trædballehus, an inn and music venue, which burned down in 1954, got its big breakthrough in the mid-1930s when it was featured on Danish National Radio in connection with the opening of the
old Little Belt Bridge The Little Belt Bridge (), also known as the Old Little Belt Bridge (), is a truss bridge over the Little Belt strait in Denmark. It spans from Snoghøj on the Jutland side to Middelfart on Funen. The bridge is owned by the Danish state, with ...
. 1933 Hotel Munkebjerg boasted
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
's longest wooden
escalator An escalator is a moving staircase which carries people between floors of a building or structure. It consists of a Electric motor, motor-driven chain of individually linked steps on a track which cycle on a pair of tracks which keep the st ...
, carrying guests from the fjord-side beach up to the hilltop
casino A casino is a facility for gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos also host live entertainment, such as stand-up comedy, conce ...
. Munkebjerg still exists as a hotel, casino and conference centre. Vejle Mill, located on top of the cliff at Søndermarken, is a well-known landmark because of its visibility, and is often used as a symbol of the city. The Old Jail House in Vejle, which is connected to the Town Hall, was rebuilt in 1984 and received a prize for beautification. Vejle's oldest extant building, St. Nicolai Church, was built in the mid-13th century. On display in the church is the Haraldskær bog woman, a body from the
Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...
that was preserved with its skin intact in a local
peat Peat is an accumulation of partially Decomposition, decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, Moorland, moors, or muskegs. ''Sphagnum'' moss, also called peat moss, is one of the most ...
bog A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and musk ...
. Another feature of the church are 23 spherical indentations on the north transept – legend says these are imprints of the skulls of executed robbers from the woods that surround Vejle. Among the city's cultural institutions is the renovated and expanded
Vejle Museum of Art Vejle Museum of Art () in the town centre of Vejle in southeastern Jutland, Denmark has Danish paintings and sculptures from classic modernism up until pre-COBRA on display. The museum is also home to a collection of Golden Age paintings from the ...
. The museum features the Wörzner collection with several
COBRA COBRA or Cobra, often stylized as CoBrA, was a European avant-garde art group active from 1948 to 1951. The name was coined in 1948 by Christian Dotremont from the initials of the members' home countries' capital cities: Copenhagen (Co), Brussels ...
works as well as works by
Rembrandt Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (; ; 15 July 1606 â€“ 4 October 1669), mononymously known as Rembrandt was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker, and Drawing, draughtsman. He is generally considered one of the greatest visual artists in ...
. Today, Vejle Town Museum is located in the renovated Spinning Mill. The Socialists' former stronghold in Vejle, The Building, is today placed under glass in what used to be the shopping center "Mary's", and houses restaurants, cafés and two venues for e.g. jazz concerts. Økolariet is a free
edutainment Educational entertainment, also referred to by the portmanteau edutainment, is media designed to education, educate through entertainment. The term has been used as early as 1933. Most often it includes content intended to teach but has inciden ...
center for both children and adults, focusing on technology, ecology, recycling, etc. Vejle is situated close to several
Jutland Jutland (; , ''Jyske Halvø'' or ''Cimbriske Halvø''; , ''Kimbrische Halbinsel'' or ''Jütische Halbinsel'') is a peninsula of Northern Europe that forms the continental portion of Denmark and part of northern Germany (Schleswig-Holstein). It ...
attractions such as the original Legoland and the
Viking Age The Viking Age (about ) was the period during the Middle Ages when Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonising, conquest, and trading throughout Europe and reached North America. The Viking Age applies not only to their ...
royal capital of
Jelling Jelling is a railway town in Denmark with a population of 4,038 (1 January 2025), located in Jelling Parish, approximately 10 km northwest of Vejle. The town lies 105 metres above sea level. Location Jelling is located in Vejle municipality ...
. Jelling's archaeological artifacts are considered a
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
, and include two 10th century
rune stone A runestone is typically a raised stone with a runic inscription, but the term can also be applied to inscriptions on boulders and on bedrock. The tradition of erecting runestones as a memorial to dead men began in the 4th century and lasted int ...
s and two
burial mound Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...
s, as well as a new exhibition centre.


Notable people


Public Service & public thinking

*
Ludvig Munk Ludvig Ludvigsen Munk (1537 in Vejle – 8 April 1602 at Nørlund castle, Funen) was a Danish official and Count. He was also referred to as Ludvig Ludvigsen Munk von Schleswig-Holstein and Ludvig Munk til Nørlund. Career He was a Junker at t ...
(1537 in Vejle - 1602) a
Junker Junker (, , , , , , ka, იუნკერი, ) is a noble honorific, derived from Middle High German , meaning 'young nobleman'Duden; Meaning of Junker, in German/ref> or otherwise 'young lord' (derivation of and ). The term is traditionally ...
at the royal court in 1561 and a Count *
Anders Sørensen Vedel Anders Sørensen Vedel (9 November 1542 – 13 February 1616) At 14 years old, he moved to study in Ribe, and after finishing his education he moved on to Copenhagen University in 1561. In 1562, he was the tutor of astronomer Tycho Brahe on Brahe' ...
(1542 in Vejle – 1616), priest and historian, translator of ''
Gesta Danorum ("Deeds of the Danes") is a patriotic work of Danish history, by the 12th-century author Saxo Grammaticus ("Saxo the Literate", literally "the Grammarian"). It is the most ambitious literary undertaking of medieval Denmark and is an essentia ...
'' * Johann Andreas Mühlensteth (1746 in Vejle - 1819) a pharmacist who experimented with hot air balloons *
Poul Martin Møller Poul Martin Møller (21 March 1794 – 13 March 1838) was a Danish academic, writer, and poet. During his lifetime, he gained renown in Denmark for his poetry. After his death, his posthumously published fiction and philosophical writings were we ...
(1794 in Uldum near Vejle – 1838) a Danish academic, writer, and poet *
Jens Jacob Asmussen Worsaae Jens Jacob Asmussen Worsaae (14 March 1821 – 15 August 1885) was a Danish archaeologist, historian and politician, who was the second director of the National Museum of Denmark (1865–1874). He played a key role in the foundation of scientifi ...
(1821 in Vejle – 1885), archeologist and the 2nd director
National Museum of Denmark The National Museum of Denmark (Nationalmuseet) in Copenhagen is Denmark, Denmark's largest museum of cultural history, comprising the histories of Danish and foreign cultures, alike. The museum's main building is located a short distance from S ...
* Nicholas Bjerring (1831 in Vejle - 1900) the first Orthodox Christian priest to establish an Orthodox church and community in the
northeastern United States The Northeastern United States (also referred to as the Northeast, the East Coast, or the American Northeast) is List of regions of the United States, census regions United States Census Bureau. Located on the East Coast of the United States, ...
* Holger Petersen (1843 in Vejle - 1917) a Danish textile manufacturer and philanthropist. *
Lili Elbe Lili Ilse Elvenes (28 December 1882 – 13 September 1931), better known as Lili Elbe, was a Danish painter, transgender woman, and one of the earliest recipients of gender-affirming surgery (then called sex reassignment surgery). Elbe was a p ...
(1882 in Vejle - 1931) transgender woman, early recipient of sex reassignment surgery *
Thorkil Kristensen Thorkil Kristensen (9 October 1899 – 26 June 1989) was a Danish politician, finance minister, professor in national economy, and futurist. Early years Kristensen was born a son of a farmer in Fløjstrup close to Vejle, Denmark. Between 1938†...
(1899 in Fløjstrup near Vejle – 1989) politician, finance minister and
futurist Futurists (also known as futurologists, prospectivists, foresight practitioners and horizon scanners) are people whose specialty or interest is futures studies or futurology or the attempt to systematically explore predictions and possibilities ...
*
Niels Ã…ge Nielsen Niels Aage Anton Nielsen (born in Vejle 25 June 1913, died 16 January 1986) was a Danish professor of Nordic languages at Aarhus University. He was also a leader in the Danish resistance movement. Life and career Nielsen was the son of master ...
(1913 in Vejle - 1986) professor of Nordic languages and leader in the
Danish resistance movement The Danish resistance movements () were an underground insurgency to resist the German occupation of Denmark during World War II. Due to the initially lenient arrangements, in which the Nazi occupation authority allowed the democratic govern ...
*
Torben Lund Torben Lund (born 6 November 1950 in Vejle) is a Denmark, Danish politician, who served in the Folketing from 1981 to 1998"Torben Lund har forladt Socialdemokratiet". dr.dk, August 22, 2009. and in the European Parliament from 1999 to 2004. He was ...
(born 1950 in Vejle) retired politician, MEP 1999–2004 *
Fritz Schur Fritz Henrik Schur Junior (born 27 November 1951) is a Danish businessman with ties to both royal, business and political circles in Denmark. Fritz Schur has since 1999 been honorary consul general of Finland to Denmark. Early life and education ...
(born 1951 in Vejle) a Danish businessman with connections * Lars-Henrik Schmidt (born 1953 in Vejle) a philosopher, developed Social Analytics *
Lene Hau Lene Vestergaard Hau (; born November 13, 1959) is a Danish physicist and educator. She is the Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics and of Applied Physics at Harvard University. In 1999, she led a Harvard University team who, by use of a Bose–E ...
(born 1959 in Vejle) a Danish physicist in Boston US *
Lars Løkke Rasmussen Lars Løkke Rasmussen (; born 15 May 1964) is a Danish politician who has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2022. He previously served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 2009 to 2011 and again from 2015 to 2019. He was Leader of the Ve ...
(born 1964 in Vejle) 25th
Prime Minister of Denmark The prime minister of Denmark (, , ) is the head of government in the Kingdom of Denmark comprising the three constituent countries: Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Before the creation of the modern office, the kingdom did not init ...
2009/2011 and 2015/2019


The Arts

*
Sophus Juncker-Jensen Sophus Juncker-Jensen (16 February 1859 – 16 October 1940) was an early Danish photographer. He operated a photographic studio in Copenhagen from 1888 to 1940. It was from 1894 situated at Strøget, Vimmelskaftet 39. He was a noted portrait pho ...
(1859 in Vejle – 1940) an early Danish photographer *
Harald Kidde Harald Henrik Sager Kidde (14 August 1878 in Vejle – 23 November 1918 in Copenhagen) was a Danish writer and brother of the politician Aage Kidde. He is best known for the novel ''Helten'' (The Hero), which is one of the key novels in Danish li ...
(1878 in Vejle– 1918) a Danish writer, wrote the novel ''
Helten Helten (The Hero) is a novel by the Danish author Harald Kidde (1878–1918) and is his most important work. It is also generally considered by experts to be among the most important works of 20th century Danish literature.Henrik Schovsbo: "Helten ...
(The Hero)'' *
Jacob Gade Jacob Thune Hansen Gade (29 November 1879 – 20 February 1963) was a Danish violinist and composer, mostly of orchestral popular music. He is remembered today for a single tune, ''Jalousie'' (also known as ''Jalousie "Tango Tzigane" '' and ''T ...
(1879 in Vejle – 1963) violinist and composer of ''
Jalousie A jalousie window (, ), louvred window (Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, United Kingdom), jalousie, or jalosy is a window composed of parallel glass, acrylic, or wooden louver, louvres set in a frame. The louvres are ...
'' *
Lili Elbe Lili Ilse Elvenes (28 December 1882 – 13 September 1931), better known as Lili Elbe, was a Danish painter, transgender woman, and one of the earliest recipients of gender-affirming surgery (then called sex reassignment surgery). Elbe was a p ...
(1882 in Vejle – 1931) Painter. * Lau Lauritzen Jr. (1910 in Vejle – 1977) a Danish actor, screenwriter and film director *
Lilly Brændgaard Lilly Brændgaard Hansen née Jacobsen (1918–2009) was a Danish fashion designer and businesswoman. In 1947, she opened a studio in Vejle where she designed various clothes for women but soon specialized in the more profitable business of wedding ...
(1918 in Vejle – 2009) a fashion designer, opened a studio in Vejle in 1947 *
Albert Bertelsen Albert Bertelsen (17 November 1921 – 10 December 2019) was a Danish autodidact painter and graphic artist. Biography Bertelsen was born in Vejle. Bertelsen is primarily known for his landscape paintings and graphic works in green colours. His wo ...
(1921 in Vejle – 2019) a Danish autodidact painter and graphic artist *
Inger Christensen Inger Christensen (16 January 1935 – 2 January 2009) was a Danish poet, novelist, essayist and editor. She is considered the foremost Danish poetic experimentalist of her generation. Life and work Born in the town of Vejle, on the eastern ...
(1935 in Vejle – 2009) a poetic experimentalist, novelist, essayist and editor *
Kirsten Dehlholm Kirsten Dehlholm (5 April 1945 – 10 July 2024) was a Danish artist and artistic theatre director. She created over 30 presentations combining scenography with performance art, employing a wide variety of techniques, media, and materials. Biogra ...
(born 1945 in Vejle) a Danish artist and artistic theatre director *
Bodil Jørgensen Bodil Jørgensen, a Danish Film actress was born on 3 March 1961 in Vejle, Denmark. She is known for her roles in The Idiots (1998), Nothing's All Bad (2010) and Klinkevals (1999). Apart from multiple movies, she has also acted in numerous TV s ...
(born 1961 in Vejle) a Danish film actress *
Nicolai Kielstrup Nicolai Kielstrup (born 4 October 1991) is a Danish singer who participated in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2005. Kielstrup was born in Vejle, Jutland. In 2003, he was present at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen C ...
(born 1991 in Vejle) a Danish singer * Lilian Weber Hansen (1911–1987), opera singer


Sport

* Bent Sørensen (1926 in Vejle – 2011) a footballer for
Vejle Boldklub Vejle Boldklub is a Danish professional football club based in Vejle in Jutland. Formed in 1891, the club is one of the most successful clubs in Danish football history, having won the Danish championship five times and the Danish cup title six ...
, 157 goals in 200 matches *
Poul Mejer Poul Mejer (2 November 1931 – 9 January 2000) was a Danish footballer who played as a winger. Career Mejer played his entire career for Vejle Boldklub, where he got 307 caps for the club's first team. He was known for his fantastic pace, whic ...
(1931 in Vejle – 2000) a footballer for
Vejle Boldklub Vejle Boldklub is a Danish professional football club based in Vejle in Jutland. Formed in 1891, the club is one of the most successful clubs in Danish football history, having won the Danish championship five times and the Danish cup title six ...
, 307 club caps * Johnny Hansen (born 1943 in Vejle) a former footballer, 433 club caps and 45 for
Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
*
Ulrik le Fevre Ulrik le Fevre (25 June 1946 – 24 February 2024) was a Danish professional football player, manager and FIFA-licensed player agent. A right-footed left winger, he played for Danish club Vejle Boldklub, German club Borussia Mönchengladbach and ...
(born 1946 in Vejle) former footballer, over 400 club caps and 37 for
Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
*
Allan Simonsen Allan Rodenkam Simonsen (born 15 December 1952) is a Danish former footballer and manager. He most prominently played as a striker for German Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach, winning the 1975 and 1979 UEFA Cups, as well as for Barcel ...
(born 1952 in Vejle) a former footballer and manager, 500 club caps and 55 for
Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
*
Ole Mortensen Ole Henrik Mortensen (born 29 January 1958) is a Danish first-class cricketer, probably the best his country has produced. A fast-medium right-arm bowler, he took 434 wickets at an average of 23.88, in a first-class career with Derbyshire that ...
(born 1958 in Vejle) a Danish first-class cricketer *
John Sivebæk John Sivebæk (born 25 October 1961) is a Danish former professional footballer who played as a right-back. He won the 1984 Danish championship with Vejle Boldklub and played for English club Manchester United. He scored one goal in 87 appeara ...
(born 1961 in Vejle) a former footballer, over 600 club caps, 300 for
Vejle Boldklub Vejle Boldklub is a Danish professional football club based in Vejle in Jutland. Formed in 1891, the club is one of the most successful clubs in Danish football history, having won the Danish championship five times and the Danish cup title six ...
and 87 for
Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
*
Tony Rominger Tony Rominger (born 27 March 1961) is a Swiss former professional road racing cyclist who won the Vuelta a España in 1992, 1993 and 1994 and the Giro d'Italia in 1995. Career He began cycling late, allegedly spurred by competition with his br ...
(born 1961 in Vejle) a Swiss former professional road racing cyclist *
Brian Steen Nielsen Brian Steen Nielsen (born 28 December 1968) is a Danish former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. During his 16-year professional career, he had three stints at Odense Boldklub, and also played abroad for football clu ...
(born 1968 in Vejle) footballer, 440 club caps and 66 matches for
Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
*
Jacob Laursen Jacob Thaysen-Laursen (born 6 October 1971) is a Danish former professional footballer who played as a defender. Laursen most notably played for English club Derby County and won the Danish Superliga championship with Silkesborg and Copenhage ...
(born 1971 in Vejle) retired footballer, 439 club caps and 25 for
Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
*
Todi Jónsson Todi Adam Jónsson (born 2 February 1972) is a Faroe Islands, Faroese former professional association football, footballer who played as a striker (association football), striker for Danish premier league clubs Lyngby FC and FC Copenhagen, Norwe ...
(born 1972 in Vejle) a retired Faroese footballer, 338 club caps and 45 for the Faroes *
Thomas Gravesen Thomas Gravesen (; born 11 March 1976) is a Danish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Gravesen played as a professional in Denmark, Germany, England, Spain and Scotland for Vejle Boldklub, Hamburger SV, Everton, Real Mad ...
(born 1976 in Vejle) a former footballer, 314 club caps and 66 for
Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
*
Jacob Barsøe Jacob Jepsen Barsøe (born 21 September 1988) is a Danes, Danish rowing (sport), rower who won a silver medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics and bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics, both in the men's lightweight sculls. Personal life Barsø ...
(born 1988 in Vejle) rower, bronze and silver medallist at the
2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...
and
2016 Summer Olympics The 2016 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad () and officially branded as Rio 2016, were an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with preliminary events i ...
* Peter Lang (born 1989 in Vejle) a sailor, team bronze medallist at the
2012 Summer Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012, were an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...
*
Daniel Jørgensen Daniel Wagner Jørgensen (born 3 June 1993), who also competes as Daniel Wagner, is a leg amputee Danish Paralympic sportsman who has competed in both track and field athletics and snowboarding. As an athlete he specialises in the long jump, bu ...
(born 1993 in Vejle) a Danish Paralympic sportsman and Olympic medallist *
Nicolai Reedtz Nicolai Hvilshøj Reedtz (born 8 September 1995), better known as dev1ce (pronounced and sometimes spelled as device), is a Danish professional ''Counter-Strike 2'' player for Astralis. On his first stint in Astralis, he became the first (alon ...
(born 1995 in Vejle), a Danish successful ''
Counter-Strike ''Counter-Strike'' (''CS'') is a series of multiplayer tactical first-person shooter video games, in which opposing teams attempt to complete various objectives. The series began on Windows in 1999 with the release of the first game, '' Counte ...
'' esports player * Mikkel Grundtvig (born 2002 in Veijle), a Danish racing driver


Twin towns – sister cities

Vejle is twinned with: *
Borås Borås ( , , ) is a city (officially, a locality) and the seat of Borås Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 114,556 inhabitants in 2024. It is widely known for being a textile city, home to worldwide brands and companie ...
, Sweden *
Jelgava Jelgava () is a state city in central Latvia. It is located about southwest of Riga. It is the largest town in the Semigallia region of Latvia. Jelgava was the capital of the united Duchy of Courland and Semigallia (1578–1795) and was the ad ...
, Latvia *
Mikkeli Mikkeli (; ; ; ) is a List of cities and towns in Finland, city in, and the regional capital of, South Savo, Finland, located in the Finnish Lakeland. The population is approximately , while the Mikkeli sub-region of Southern Savonia has a populat ...
, Finland *
Molde Molde () is a List of towns and cities in Norway, town and the seat of Molde Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located in the Traditional districts of Norway, traditional district of Romsdal. It is located on the Romsdal Pen ...
, Norway *
Schleswig The Duchy of Schleswig (; ; ; ; ; ) was a duchy in Southern Jutland () covering the area between about 60 km (35 miles) north and 70 km (45 mi) south of the current border between Germany and Denmark. The territory has been di ...
, Germany Vejle also cooperates with: * Jablanica, Bosnia and Herzegovina *
Mostar Mostar () is a city and the administrative centre of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the historical capital of Herzegovina. Mostar is situated on the Neretva Riv ...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina *
Nantong Nantong is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Jiangsu province, China. Located on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, near the river mouth. Nantong is a vital river port bordering Yancheng to the north; Taizhou to the west; Suzhou, Wux ...
, China * Pervomaisk, Ukraine


Notes

;Also referenced: *Asbjørn Hellum.
History of Vejle
.
Vejle Byhistoriske Arkiv & Stadsarkiv
'. Retrieved 31 March 2005. (In English) *C.M.Hogan, ''History of Sct. Nicolai Kirche, Vejle, Denmark'', Lumina Technologies, Santa Rosa Ca. July 23, 2006 (in English)


External links

* *
Vejle municipality
(In Danish)
Vejle Kommuneatlas (Municipal Atlas)
(In Danish)
Vejle-Egnens Touristbureau (Vejle Area Tourist Bureau)
(In English)
Vejle Byhistoriske Arkiv & Stadsarkiv (City Historical Archive)
(In Danish, some English)
Vejle Amts Folkeblad (regional newspaper)
(In Danish)
Vejle Idrætshøjskole
(In Danish) {{Authority control Municipal seats of the Region of Southern Denmark Municipal seats of Denmark Cities and towns in the Region of Southern Denmark Vejle Municipality