Nyborg Municipality

Nyborg Municipality is a municipality (Danish: "kommune") in Region of Southern Denmark on the east coast of the island of Funen in central Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 278 km2, and has a total population of 32,009 (2020). It borders Kerteminde Municipality to the north-west, Faaborg-Midtfyn Municipality to the south-west, Svendborg Municipality to the south and is connected to Slagelse Municipality by the Great Belt Bridge. Its mayor is Kenneth Muhs, a member of the Venstre (Liberal Party) political party. The main town and the site of its municipal council is the city of Nyborg.
The island of Sprogø lies in the Great Belt c. 8.5 kilometers from the shores of the town of Nyborg. The Great Belt Bridge connects the municipality to the island, and then it continues to the island of Zealand at the town of Korsør.
Holckenhavn Fjord cuts into the municipality on its eastern shore, north of the castle of Holckenhavn. A road ("Svendborgvej") connects the municipality across the fjord.
History.
Nyborg Castle was built in 1170, and the city built up around the castle around that time. Nyborg Municipality as an administrative region has existed since the rule of Valdemar II of Denmark, who granted Nyborg the rights of a market town (Danish: "Købstad"). A royal charter from 1193 indicates that the city has been granted the status of a market town even earlier. Nyborg Castle became the seat of the Danish Court (Danish: "Danehof"), giving the town numerous unique privileges. Among those privileges was the fact that the merchants of Vindinge Hundred had to go to Nyborg to sell their wares. In 1410, the market town of Nyborg was given the same privileges as that of Odense, an even older market town. The privileges were expanded in 1446, where the merchants of Gudme Hundred also had to go to Nyborg with their wares. Harbours between Kerteminde, Svendborg and Slipshavn were also outlawed, and Nyborg was given permission to arrange a large yearly market. The year after the privileges of 1446, artisans from Vindinge Hundred were told to move to the market towns, expanding the importance of the market town of Nyborg. With the king visiting regularly, due to Nyborg's central location and the castle being the seat of the Danehof, Nyborg was given many additional privileges over the years.
In 1662, Denmark's administrative divisions were changed. Fiefs (Danish: "Len") were dissolved and the country split into several amts. Nyborg County was created, and besides the market town of Nyborg, it included the hundreds of Vindinge Hundred, Sunds Hundred, Gudme Hundred, Sallinge Hundred and the eastern part of Bjerge Hundred. It also included ten birks: Hindsholm, Holckenhavn, Ravnholt, Glorup, Hesselager, Brahetrolleborg, Holstenshuus, Vantinge, Avernakø and Strynø. In 1793, Nyborg County was dissolved and merged with Tranekær County to become a part of Svendborg County, with its seat in Svendborg. This changed again in the 1970 Danish Municipal Reform, where Svendborg Country and Odense County were merged to form Funen County.
The hundreds, market towns and birks were dissolved in the municipal reform of 1970 and split Denmark into 277 municipalities. Nyborg Municipality was formed of the market town of Nyborg, and its parishes, as well as the two parish municipalities of Avnslev-Bovense and Vindinge. Ørbæk Municipality was formed of 7 parish municipalities, and Ullerslev Municipality was formed of 3 parish municipalities. In the 2007 municipal reform, these three municipalities of Nyborg, Ørkæk and Ullerslev were merged to form the present Nyborg Municipality.
Honorary citizens.
Four people are honorary citizens of the municipality. All four were granted honorary citizenship while Nyborg was still a market town.
Mayors.
Since the 2007 municipal reform, the mayors of Nyborg Municipality have been:
Towns.
Below are all settlements in the municipality with populations of at least 200 people (populations as of 2020).
Nyborg.
Nyborg is connected to Sjælland through the Great Belt Bridge to the east, with motorway exits allowing to enter the city straight from the bridge. The city also has a railway station and a marina. The railway station was opened along with the Great Belt Bridge in 1997. 17,268 people live in the city of Nyborg (2020).
To the east and south-east of the city is the Nyborg Fjord and Knudshoved Spit. The southern parts of the spit are protected areas, while the northern parts houses the former ferry docks, a golf club and restaurants. Plans have been made to turn the old ferry docks into a marina. The Holckenhavn Fjord is located south of the town, with the Holckenhavn Castle on the opposite side of the fjord. To the south-west, the neighbourhood of Pilshuse connects to the village of Vindinge and "Vindinge Forest". Further north, the city borders the forests of "Jagtenborg", "Telegrafskoven", "Juelsberg" and "Skemark". Due north the city borders the village of Skaboeshuse and the forest "Teglværkskoven". To the north-east, Nyborg borders the Great Belt Strait.
In the city of Nyborg are several attractions from its time as a fort city, including Nyborg Castle and its surrounding fortifications. A large project to renovate the castle is scheduled to be complete in 2021. Nyborg Voldspil, an acting group, perform their plays on the fortifications.
The area around Nyborg's main hall is a pedestrian zone, containing a big variety of shops and facilities. North of the center of Nyborg, is Nyborg Cemetery. Further north are a series of larger shops and supermarkets, as well as Nyborg Hospital. A series of industries, including larger companies such as Trioplast, are located in Pilshuse. Nyborg's recycling center is also located here. In Nyborg Marina are a variety of sailing cooperations. By Nyborg's train station and the motor way exit is a series of fast-food restaurants, gas stations and grocery stores, as well as industries, including Daloon. At the motorway exit is also an indoor public swimming pool and a sports- and recreation center. A series of hotels are located along the north-eastern shore of the city, facing the Great Belt Strait. Nyborg Prison is located on "Vindingevej".
Nyborg Cemetery has been used as a cemetery since 1537, where it was used for victims of the black plague. A chapel was built on the cemetery in 1605, but torn down again sixty years later in 1665 when the fortifications of Nyborg city were being expanded. Parts of these fortifications eventually became a part of the cemetery, with cemetery expansions in 1816, 1833 and 1855. A new chapel was built in 1870 and in 1900 a residence for the gravedigger was built on the grounds. In 1950, permissions to expand the cemetery further was approved, another part of the fortifications becoming part of the cemetery. These fortifications were not to be removed, however. The expansion was finished in 1957, with the fortifications used as burial sites and the ground below for urns. The cemetery today covers 30,673 m2. A book about the cemetery was written in 2013. It was named after a piece from a newspaper from 1886, naming Nyborg Cemetery as the most beautiful cemetery on Fyn.
Nyborg Prison.
Nyborg Prison is a closed state prison, located on "Vindingevej" in the outskirts of the city of Nyborg. Construction was approved by the city council in 1911, and the prison was finished in 1913. Among the locations suggested as the location of the prison was Nyborg Castle, though Minister of Justice Frits Bülow did not find the castle suitable for a prison. The prison was built by Victor Nyebølle, and intended to house young prisoners of both genders. To make this work, the prison was built as two separate buildings. Many new methods were tested during the prison's early years, including mandatory sport and education. It has been a closed state prison since 1973. Today it employs around 225 people, with around two-thirds being correctional officers. The prison offers many different jobs for the inmates, as well as a variety of educations.
Ullerslev.
Ullerslev is located 10 kilometers to the north-west of Nyborg. It has a population of 2,706 people (2020). Before the 2007 Municipal Reform, this was the seat of Ullerslev Municipality. The forests of "Kirsebærhaven", "Bondemose Skov" and "Skovmærket" are located in Ullerslev.
In the town of Ullerslev are several shops, as well as industries, including a dairy factory. Ullerslev Church is located here.
Ørbæk.
Ørbæk is located 14 kilometers south-west of Nyborg. It has a population of 1,691 people (2020). Before the 2007 Municipal Reform, this was the seat of Ørbæk Municipality.
Ørbæk has many shops and facilities, including sports facilities and a library. Ørbæk Brewery is located in the town, and the manor of Ørbæklunde is located near the town. There are also dolmen and passage graves located near the town. Ørbæk hosts a large yearly market known as 'Ørbæk Marked'.
Villages.
Aunslev, north-west of Nyborg, has been the location of several significant Viking-related archeological discoveries, including a piece of jewellery in gold, in the shape of Jesus. This figure is the oldest of its kind found in Denmark. In the village are also Aunslev Church and Aunslev Hospital, which is under the care of the church.
Hjulby is located north-west of Nyborg. Hjulby Church and Hjulby Lake are located here.
Vindinge is located west of Pilshuse in Nyborg. It has sports-facilities and is also home to Vindinge Church.
Refsvindinge is located south-west of Nyborg. In addition to Refsvindinge Church, Refsvindinge Brewery is also located in this village.
In addition to these villages, there are a number of smaller settlements in the municipality. These are all the settlements with populations of less than 200 people:
Nature.
The municipality is home to many nature areas, namely forests, bogs, meadows and coast. Much of the municipality's nature is protected.
There are three small protected nature areas within the city of Nyborg, including a series of old linden trees and an open meadow. Inside the city is also "Slotssøen" - the lake and moat surrounded Nyborg Castle. The fortifications around Nyborg Castle is home to the purseweb spider, a rare spider in Denmark. It was previously thought to be extinct in Denmark, but was in 1994 rediscovered.
East of Refsvindinge is a water mill called Lillemølle, located by Ørbæk River. It was established in the start of the 1600s, and was until 1899 part of Holckenhavn Castle. It is privately owned today. The river and the tree-covered slopes have been protected since 1964. 10 acres around Lillemølle are protected.
Some of the manors in the municipality have parts of their territory protected. These include Ørbæklunde where 42 acres were protected in 1971, and Hindemae where 110 acres were protected in 1974.
Holckenhavn Fjord was protected in the 1970s and 1980s and covers an area of 150 acres. It acts as the southern border of the city of Nyborg, where it cuts into Nyborg Fjord.
Three areas in the municipality has been protected through the European Union's Natura 2000 project. These are "Østerø Lake" on Knudshoved, "Kajbjerg Forest" south of the city of Nyborg, and 5 lakes in Tårup Strand.
Knudshoved.
Knudshoved, along with Slipshavn, make up a peninsula that creates a natural harbour in Nyborg Fjord. It is the easternmost point of Funen. It was protected in 2004, and the protection covers 210 acres. It consists of forests, beach meadows, reed beds, water holes and the lake of Østerø Sø. The Naval Home Guard of Denmark has a station on the Slipshavn peninsula. A sconce from the Second Northern War is also located on Slipshavn. There is also a lighthouse on Knudshoved.
In the Stone Age, the area of Knudshoved was shallow ocean, but has over time been transformed into the modern-day peninsula with beach meadows and lakes. The area has been transformed dramatically throughout history. It has been the location of ferry slips for the Great Belt ferries, piers, a golf course and the Great Belt Bridge. Much of the nature is still untouched, however. Parts of Knudshoved was protected in 1952 and the entire area in 2004.
Knudshoved's varied ecosystems allow a varied flora and fauna. The rare "Bassia hirsuta" (Danish: "tangurt") and "Inula britannica" (Danish: "soløjealant") can be found here.
It is also a breeding place for many ducks and shorebirds. In the autumn, the area is also a resting place for flocks of greylag goose. Kestrels hunts on the beach meadows. Knudshoved is also home to the natterjack toads, threatened in Denmark. There used to be a large colony of black-headed gulls on Knudshoved, but with the increased traffic on Knudshoved and Slipshavn over time, the population has decreased and they are no longer present in the area.
Politics.
On January 1, 2007, Nyborg municipality was, as the result of "Kommunalreformen" ("The Municipal Reform" of 2007), merged with Ørbæk and Ullerslev municipalities to form a new Nyborg municipality.
Municipal council.
Nyborg's municipal council consists of 25 members, elected every four years. The municipal council has nine political committees.
Below are the municipal councils elected since the Municipal Reform of 2007.
Economy.
The largest industries by number of employees in Nyborg Municipality are social institutions, retail and education. The 7 hotels in the municipality also employ a large number of people.
Large companies with their headquarters set in Nyborg include Daloon, a company producing spring rolls and similar food products. Another company with their headquarter in the municipality is Tenax Sild, a company producing herring and fish products. Koppers has a refinery in the outskirts of Nyborg.
Demographics.
There are 32,009 people living in Nyborg Municipality (2020). 50.63% are women and 49.37% are men. 81.46% of the municipality are members of the Church of Denmark.
Below is the age distribution of the municipality.
Education.
There are 4 ground schools, 1 efterskole and 5 independent schools in the municipality, as well as 1 youth school and 2 special schools. There is also 1 gymnasium, 1 folk high school, 1 vocational school and 1 music school.
There are 3 libraries in the municipality, with Nyborg Library acting as the municipality's main library. Nyborg Library is located next to Nyborg Castle, with the castle's moats on two sides and open green areas on the other two sides. It was built in 1935 by Flemming Lassen and Erik Møller and the interior design was done by furniture designer Hans J. Wegner and architect Arne Jacobsen.
Sights.
The city of Nyborg is heavily characterised by its history as a garrison city and a former royal residence. In addition to the sights listed below, there are also a series of statues and sculptures found in the city. The most well-known of these is known as "Den med Fisken" (English: The One with the Fish) by Harvey Martin, located next to the moat on Østerhavn.
Castles and manors.
There is a large amount of castles and manors on the island of Funen. Many parks and forests owned by the manors are open to the public, or used for private hunting. Many castles are used for events and hotels.
Nyborg Castle.
Nyborg Castle is located near the center of Nyborg city, and is surrounded by fortifications, the 'castle lake' and a moat that runs along the center of the city. The castle was first mentioned in 1193, when Canute VI held a meeting in it. Before then, the king was housed in Hjulby, outside Nyborg, and the castle was established in that period. A curtain wall was built, and there has likely been several wooden buildings within the walls. In the first half of the 1200s, a building was constructed in two floors, much of which still remains today. The king likely held his meetings in the upper floor of this construction. During the 1300s and 1400s, the castle was improved upon, with a new floor and several new buildings. In 1282, Eric V completed the constitution of Denmark in Nyborg Castle. In 1287, Eric V's alleged murderers were sentenced on the castle. In the 1520s, Frederick I planned to make Nyborg his official residence, but that never happened. Signs of his plans were obvious, however, with major projects on the castle planned.
The castle was captured by Swedish troops during the Dano-Swedish War, following the Battle of Nyborg. The Swedish troops sent all valuables home to Sweden, while they burned much of the furniture. Following this, the king was no longer interested in living in the castle, and it was handed over to the military. Nyborg worked as a garrison, with the castle now being used for military purposes. Much of the castle was no longer needed as was taken apart, and the materials used to build fortifications. The castle was used as armoury and storage.
After the garrison was disestablished in 1913, the castle was turned into a museum, which it has been since then. In 2017, a large project to renovate and expand the museum was begun, with plans to finish in 2021.
The fortifications, ramparts and moats surrounding Nyborg Castle stretch out along the center of the city. The moats appear as they did in the Middle Ages, with the same water regulation systems still in use. Three of the original bulwarks still exist, with the remaining having been torn down during city expansions. Two of those bulwarks are located around Nyborg Castle, and are known as "the Queen's Bulwark" (Danish: "Dronningens Bastion") and "the Crown Prince's Bulwark" (Danish: "Kronprinsens Bastion"). Those are surrounded by the original ramparts, which today act as park areas. On the Queen's Bulwark is a water tower from 1899, built by Emil Swanenflügel. The water tower was protected in 1997. The third bulwark is called "Prince Carl's Bulwark" (Danish: "Prins Carls Bastion"), and is slightly smaller. It also acts as a park area.
Holckenhavn Castle.
Bordering the city of Nyborg to the south is the Holckenhavn Castle. The castle owns 900 acres, and perform forestry, farming, hunting and renting out of residential houses. The castle itself can be rented for weddings and similar events, and also have hotel-services. 
The manor originates from around the late 1300s, where it was owned by Anders Jacobsen Ulfeldt. The manor was kept in the Ulfeldt family, and in 1534-1536 during the Count's Feud, the manor was owned by Knud Ebbesen Ulfeldt, who defended the castle of Gjorslev on Sjælland against the peasants. He supported Christian III after the war. Knud Ebbesen Ulfeldt died in 1540, and the manor was given to his son, Corfitz Ulfeldt. He, however, was secretary at the Danish chancery, and the day-to-day management of the manor was instead performed by his mother, Anne Eriksdatter Hardenberg. Jacob Ulfeldt gained the manor after Anne Eriksdatter Hardenberg's death in 1564. Jacob Ulfeldt fought under both Herluf Trolle and Daniel Rantzau in the Seven Years' War. After performing well in the war, he was sent to Russia as a delegation, but failed to improve Denmark's relationship with Russia. This upset the king, and Jacob Ulfedt spent the rest of his days taking care of Holcekhavn Castle. He made large improvements, and expanded the manor significantly during this time. In 1616, the manor was sold to Ellen Marsvin, who made big changes to the interior of the castle. During the Dano-Swedish War, the manor was owned by Leonora Christine and Corfitz Ulfeldt. Holckenhavn Castle was largely ignored by the Swedes, due to Corfitz Ulfedt's relationship with the Swedish king, and he later joined the Swedish army. After the war, Corfitz Ulfeldt escaped to Germany to avoid the charges for treason, while Leonora Christine was imprisoned. In 1672, Holckenhavn was awarded to Eiler Holck, after his success in the Dano-Swedish War. The war had taken its economical toll on the manor though, and it wasn't until 1760 that the owner Erik Rosenkrantz Holck managed to turn this around. The manor has been owned by the Holck family since then.
Lykkesholm Castle.
Lykkesholm Castle is located near Ørbæk, where it is used for events and hunting. The manor owns 299 acres. The castle was temporarily owned by Margaret I, who gave it away to Henneke Olufsen Bjørn a few days after acquiring it. Christen Thomesen Sehested acquired the castle in 1640, and began significant plans to expand the manor. He bought a large amount of surrounding farms, and even a church in a nearby village. He was given another series of farms after lending money to the king. He eventually became so rich that he was able to donate grain to poor children in Odense. After Sehested's death and the abolishment of absolute monarchy in Denmark, the manor ran into debt and were in financial trouble until 1730 when it was bought by Theodor Adeler, who turned things around. Anne Cathrine Bendtz got control of the manor in 1778, and she made significant changes to it, selling the parts they didn't need while also establishing new plantations and constructing new buildings. In 1914, Lykkesholm was bought by Christian Ove Sehestedt Juul from neighbouring manor Ravnholt, who still own Lykkesholm today.
Churches.
See List of churches in Nyborg Municipality
Events.
The yearly Ørbæk Market (Danish: "Ørbæk Marked") began around year 1900, where it was mentioned as a market for livestock. The market was helt the 2nd Saturday in July in Ørbæk every year until 1957, where the industrialization meant that horses were no longer necessary. The yearly tradition stopped in 1957, but was brought back in 1980. The market was no longer solely for livestock, but now mainly a kræmmermarked - a type of flea market. The market has been held annually since 1980, and is the largest market on Funen.
The Danehof Market is a yearly renaissance fair held in Nyborg. It takes place the first weekend in July. It takes place around Nyborg Castle and the plaza outside the town hall. The market has its roots from the 1200s, where a yearly market was also held in the start of July.
Parishes.
There are 19 parishes in Nyborg Municipality. Shown in the table below are the populations of each parish, as well as the percentage of that population that are members of the Church of Denmark. All numbers are from 1 January 2020.
Symbols.
The coat of arms and logo of Nyborg Municipality is a modern iteration of Nyborg's original coat of arms, which originates from the 14th century. The star and moon's origins are unknown, though believed to originate from Nyborg Church, which is dedicated to Virgin Mary. They are also symbols of eternity. The castle in the modern coat of arms is a simplified version of the castle on the old coat of arms. It represents Nyborg Castle. The king's head was originally a man's head, without the king's crown. The head began appearing in the 15th century and its origins are unknown. The king's head represents Erik Klipping, who signed the first Danish constitution at the Danehof in Nyborg Castle. The blue lines under the castle was not part of the old coat of arms. They illustrate the municipality's and the castle's adjacency to water. The gate is open, to illustrate hospitality.