Ribe | |
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Town | |
 Ribe seen from Riberhus | |
 Coat of arms | |
  Ribe Location in Denmark Show map of Denmark.svg) Ribe Ribe (Region of Southern Denmark) Show map of Region of Southern Denmark | |
| Coordinates:55°19′42″N08°45′44″E / 55.32833°N 8.76222°E /55.32833; 8.76222 | |
| Country | Denmark |
| Region | Southern Denmark (Syddanmark) |
| Municipality | Esbjerg |
| Area | |
| • Urban | 7.4 km2 (2.9 sq mi) |
| Population (2025) | |
| • Urban | 8,367 |
| • Urban density | 1,100/km2 (2,900/sq mi) |
| • Gender[1] | 3,978 males and 4,389 females |
| Demonym | Ripenser |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | DK-6760 Ribe |
| Website | www |
Ribe (Danish pronunciation:[ˈʁiːpə]) is a town in south-westJutland, Denmark, with a population of 8,367 (2025).[2][3] It is the seat of theDiocese of Ribe. Until 1 January 2007, Ribe was the seat of both a surroundingmunicipality andcounty. It is now part of the enlargedEsbjerg Municipality in theRegion of Southern Denmark. It is the oldest town in Denmark.[4]
The town was a center of commercial activity in the early 8th century, and this may have been where the riches in Denmark originated, including with royal influence. Coins may have been struck there in 720. Whichever king was involved in the digging of theKanhave Canal may have been involved in the establishment of Ribe also. Trade contacts were mostly withFrisia and England.[5] Of the over 300sceatas found in Denmark, 216 come from in or around Ribe, most of them were of the Frisian Wodan type, and these were likely minted in Ribe in the early eighth century.[6] TheAncient Diocese of Ribe was established in 948 with the consecration ofLeofdag of Ribe as its first bishop.[7]
Early in the ninth century a 2-meter wide ditch (a demarcation rather than a fortification) was dug around the town, enclosing a 12-hectare area. Later that century the ditch was replaced by a moat, 6 to 7 meters wide. Archeological evidence shows Ribe was "an active and impressive market place" in the eighth and ninth centuries, and again at the end of the eleventh century, but there is little evidence from the period in between; the town may have dwindled or even disappeared.[6]
When archbishopAnsgar set out to christianize Scandinavia, he requested (in about 860) of KingHorik II of Denmark that the first Scandinavian church be built in Ribe, which at the time was one of the most important trade cities in Scandinavia. However, the presence in Ribe of a bishop, and thus a cathedral, can only be confirmed from the year 948. Recent archaeological excavations in Ribe, however, have led to the discovery of between 2,000 and 3,000 Christian graves. They have been dated to the ninth century, indicating that a large Christian community was already living peacefully together with the Vikings at the time.[8] Excavations conducted between 2008 and 2012 have also revealed more details of the original church built by Ansgar.[9]
Construction on theRibe Cathedral started in 1150, on top of an earlier church, most probablyAnsgar's church, built in 860.[10] TheTreaty of Ribe was proclaimed in 1460. Being located in a large region of low-lying marshland, Ribe has repeatedly been hit by storm floods, the most devastating being theBurchardi flood of 1634. The marks after this flood can still be seen on the cathedral's walls and is also marked as the top point on a flood pillar in the town.[11][12]
The Catholic diocese was dissolved in 1536 during theReformation; it was succeeded by theDiocese of Ribe, governed by the newly established protestantChurch of Denmark.
On 1 January 2007, theMunicipality of Ribe ceased to exist as it merged with the municipalities ofEsbjerg andBramming, now forming the new municipality of Esbjerg.
The following table shows the population of Ribe. Data from before the 18th century are estimates, the rest are taken from the official census.
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The town of Ribe has a long history as a center of learning. Thecathedral school (Ribe Katedralskole) has its roots in the Latin School of Ribe, dating back to at least 1145, when the bishop officially handed over thechapter's school.[13]
Ribe is served byRibe railway station, located on theBramming–Tønder railway line.[14] The northern part of the town is also served by therailway haltRibe Nørremark.[15]
Ribe is located near theWadden Sea coastline and within reach of the north sea portEsbjerg.[16]
Balleroy,Normandy, France.
Ely, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom.
Güstrow,Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
Krems,Lower Austria, Austria.
Leikanger,Sogn og Fjordane, Norway.Ratzeburg,Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
Strängnäs,Södermanland, Sweden.
Tainan, Taiwan.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Ancient See of Ribe".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.s:Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Ancient See of Ribe in Denmark (Jutland)
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