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Vordingborg | |
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 View of the city from theGoose Tower. | |
 Coat of arms | |
  Vordingborg Location in Denmark | |
| Coordinates:55°00′29″N11°54′40″E / 55.008°N 11.911°E /55.008; 11.911 | |
| Country | Denmark |
| Region | Zealand (Sjælland) |
| Municipality | Vordingborg |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Henrik Holmer |
| Population (2024)[1] | |
• Total | 18,286 |
| • Urban area | 12,397 |
| • Municipality | 45,751 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (Central Europe Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 |
| Website | www |
Vordingborg (Danish pronunciation:[ˌvɒːte̝ŋˈpɒˀ]) is amarket town and old ferry town on the south coast of the island ofZealand inDenmark. Because of three large estates surrounding the town, a coherent urban development has not been possible, which is the reason why three satellite towns (former villages) have emerged around the town. Within the ring of estates, the town has a population of 12,397 (1 January 2024),[1] and a population of 18,286 when including the three satellite towns ofØrslev,Nyråd, andStensved, situated 1, 3 and 5 kilometres, respectively, from the town of Vordingborg. Vordingborg is located inVordingborg Municipality inRegion Zealand. Vordingborg Municipality (Kommune) has a population of 45,751.
Vordingborg is situated on the southern coast of the island of Zealand. It lies adjacent to theStorstrømmen, a strait separating the island of Zealand from the island ofFalster.
It is uncertain when the oldest castle was built on the castle hill in Vordingborg, but KingValdemar the Great built a castle on the site in 1157. From Valdemar the Great's founding of the castle until KingValdemar Atterdag's death in 1375, the kings often stayed at the castle and Vordingborg was at the center of Denmark's foreign policy. King Valdemar the Great died at his castle inWorthing in 1182.
The town of Vordingborg itself probably emerged at the beginning of the 12th century, but only gained significant importance with the construction of the castle. In 1415, during the reign ofEric of Pomerania, Vordingborg was given the status of amarket town.
Vordingborg is situated 37 km fromNykøbing Falster, roughly 50 km fromGedser, and roughly 100 km fromCopenhagen andOdense. The town is situated on the island ofZealand and is linked to the island ofFalster withFarø Bridges andStorstrøm Bridge.
Vordingborg Municipality is home to 9,500 jobs.[2] Companies headquartered in Vordingborg include Vordingborg Køkkener, a kitchen manufacturer.[3] Udbetaling Danmark, a public institution under ARP, has one of its five regional centres in the town.[4]
On 1 January 2007, the old Vordingborg municipality was, as the result ofKommunalreformen ("The Municipal Reform" of 2007), merged withLangebæk,Møn, andPræstø municipalities to form an enlarged Vordingborg municipality.
Vordingborg is served byVordingborg railway station which is located on theSouth Line which connectsCopenhagen with the islands ofFalster andLolland. It offers directregional rail services toCopenhagen andNykøbing Falster.[5] From the station there is also bus connection to the towns ofStege,Præstø,Næstved andMaribo, as well as city bus lines.
Vordingborg is located onEuropean route E47 connectingLübeck inGermany toHelsingborg inSweden viaCopenhagen.Danish national road 22 connects Vordingborg withKalundborg by way ofNæstved andSlagelse, andDanish national road 59 connects Vordingborg withStege on the island ofMøn.
The ruins ofVordingborg Castle, the old royal castle which was built around 1364, is the town's most famous attraction. The only fully remaining part of the castle, the 26 meter tall Goose Tower (Gåsetårnet), is the symbol of the city. It is the largest of KingValdemar Atterdag's nine main castle towers. The name comes from the golden goose perched on top of the tower's spire. Legend has it that Valdemar Atterdag used the symbol to taunt theHanseatic League. The current goose was put there in 1871. It is not certain what was on top of the tower before 1871 and maybe it was just aweather vane made of gold.[6] The tower was transferred into the national trust on 24 December 1808 and is thus the first protected historic monument in Denmark.
A historic garden is also located on the site of the ruin.
Vordingborg is the home of the South Zealand Museum (Sydsjællands Museum).
The city holds an annual festival, Vordingborg Fest Week (Vordingborg Festuge) in July.
TheVordingborg Transmitter is one of the tallest towers in Denmark.
TheDanish Army operates a barracks facility on the edge of town, known asVordingborg Kaserne.
Vordingborg istwinned with:
Media related toVordingborg at Wikimedia Commons
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55°00′00″N11°54′00″E / 55.00000°N 11.90000°E /55.00000; 11.90000
