Skjern | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 Skjern railway station | |
  Skjern Location in Denmark Show map of Denmark Skjern Skjern (Denmark Central Denmark Region) Show map of Denmark Central Denmark Region | |
| Coordinates:55°56′52″N08°29′48″E / 55.94778°N 8.49667°E /55.94778; 8.49667 | |
| Country | Denmark |
| Region | Region Midtjylland |
| Municipality | Ringkøbing-Skjern |
| Area | |
| • Urban | 6.9 km2 (2.7 sq mi) |
| Population (2024)[1] | |
| • Urban | 7,839 |
| • Urban density | 1,100/km2 (2,900/sq mi) |
| • Gender[2] | 3,856 males and 3,983 females |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | DK-6900 Skjern |
Skjern is arailway town just north of theSkjern river in westernJutland,Denmark with a population of 7,839 (1 January 2024).[1] The town was the seat of the formerSkjern Municipality, though since 2007 it has been the joint administrative seat ofRingkøbing-Skjern Municipality.
The town's expansion in the 19th century was the result of the newly createdSkjern railway station. Today, it is connected to theEsbjerg–Struer line and theSkanderborg–Skjern line.[3] It is also served by theStauning Vestjylland Airport, which also containsDanmarks Flymuseum, displaying historic aircraft.
According to legend,King John was thrown from his horse in the ford crossingSkjern river in 1513. He died on 20 February of that year, most likely from pneumonia as a result of the lake's cold water.
In 1875, the a station on theEsbjerg–Struer railway line opened in Skjern. The town then became the site of arailway junction in 1881 when theSkanderborg–Skjern line opened. The town grew rapidly as a result of the railway traffic. In 1879 it consisted of a church and parsonage, school, inn, general store, and a smattering of farms and houses.[4] By 1904, the town had more than 1120 inhabitants, as well as several schools, mission houses, banks, hotels, and industrial works.[5] In the mid 20th century, the town's economy was primarily based upon industrial work. According to the 1930 census, of Skjern's 2,985 residents, 94 worked in agriculture, 1146 in industry, 424 in trade, 496 in transportation, and 298 in housework.[6]
For a short period around 1940, Skern was the common spelling used for the town.[7] In 1958, the town was designated as amarket town (Danish:købstad), though the designation lost its official significance in the1970 municipal reforms. Through the reforms, Skjern became the seat of the newly formedSkjern Municipality which included the parishes of Bølling, Dejbjerg, Faster, Hanning, Skjern, Stauning, Sædding, and Sønder Borris. The municipality has since been merged to form Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality.
A statue ofHolger Danske byHans Peder Pedersen-Dan was moved to Skjern in 2013 from theHotel Marienlyst inHelsingør after it was sold on an auction site.[8][9] The statue is now a tourist attraction in Skjern.
Skjern is the home town of the player character in the computer roleplaying gameExpeditions: Viking.
Authority control databases: Geographic |
|---|