Silkeborg is a city in central
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
, located in
Silkeborg municipalitySilkeborg municipality is a municipality in Region Midtjylland on the Jutland peninsula in central Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 857 km², and has a total population of 87,371 . Its mayor is Jens Erik Jørgensen, a member of the Conservative People's Party political party...
in
JutlandJutland , historically also called Cimbria, forms the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish-German border to its south...
, with a population of 41 979 (1st January 2009) . The development of Silkeborg as a modern city may be traced to the foundation of the paper mill by Michael Drewsen on the Gudenaa in 1844. The city is divided north and south by the lake, the
Silkeborg Langsø, which at the eastern side of the city, resolves into the Guden River (
Gudenaa).
Silkeborg municipalitySilkeborg municipality is a municipality in Region Midtjylland on the Jutland peninsula in central Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 857 km², and has a total population of 87,371 . Its mayor is Jens Erik Jørgensen, a member of the Conservative People's Party political party...
has a population of 88,016 (2009).
The municipality is also a part of the
East Jutland metropolitan areaEast Jutland metropolitan area is a geographic term for an area in Jutland, Denmark.The term denotes a functional coherent urban area linked by both infrastructure and labour across municipal boundaries...
with 1.2 million inhabitants.
The city is notable for the large number of car dealerships located there, and the economically significant presence of the headquarters of
Jyske Bank A/SJyske Bank A/S is a major Danish bank.The headquarters are located in Silkeborg, and the Bank has offices, branches, or subsidiaries in Denmark, France, Germany, Gibraltar, The Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom....
, Denmark's third largest bank.
At the end of June each year, the city is home to the Riverboat Jazz festival.
The city is home of the
Tollund manThe Tollund Man is the naturally mummified corpse of a man who lived during the 4th century BC, during the time period characterised in Scandinavia as the Pre-Roman Iron Age. He was found in 1950 buried in a peat bog on the Jutland Peninsula in Denmark, which preserved his body. Such a find is...
which resides in the Silkeborg Museum.
In 1944, the priest and playwright
Kaj MunkKaj Harald Leininger Munk was a Danish playwright and Lutheran pastor, known for his cultural engagement and his martyrdom during World War II...
was shot by the
GestapoThe was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning in April 1934, it was under the overall administration of the Schutzstaffel under Heinrich Himmler in his position as leader of the SS and Chief of German Police...
nearby.
The Germans had their headquarters in Jutland during
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
at Silkeborg Bad, the city's former
sanatoriumA sanatorium is a medical facility for long-term illness, typically tuberculosis. A distinction is sometimes made between "sanitarium" and "sanatorium" .-History:The rationale for sanatoria was that before antibiotic treatments existed, a regimen of rest and good...
known for its curative spring waters.
Silkeborg is a city in central
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
, located in
Silkeborg municipalitySilkeborg municipality is a municipality in Region Midtjylland on the Jutland peninsula in central Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 857 km², and has a total population of 87,371 . Its mayor is Jens Erik Jørgensen, a member of the Conservative People's Party political party...
in
JutlandJutland , historically also called Cimbria, forms the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish-German border to its south...
, with a population of 41 979 (1st January 2009) . The development of Silkeborg as a modern city may be traced to the foundation of the paper mill by Michael Drewsen on the Gudenaa in 1844. The city is divided north and south by the lake, the
Silkeborg Langsø, which at the eastern side of the city, resolves into the Guden River (
Gudenaa).
Silkeborg municipalitySilkeborg municipality is a municipality in Region Midtjylland on the Jutland peninsula in central Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 857 km², and has a total population of 87,371 . Its mayor is Jens Erik Jørgensen, a member of the Conservative People's Party political party...
has a population of 88,016 (2009).
The municipality is also a part of the
East Jutland metropolitan areaEast Jutland metropolitan area is a geographic term for an area in Jutland, Denmark.The term denotes a functional coherent urban area linked by both infrastructure and labour across municipal boundaries...
with 1.2 million inhabitants.
The city is notable for the large number of car dealerships located there, and the economically significant presence of the headquarters of
Jyske Bank A/SJyske Bank A/S is a major Danish bank.The headquarters are located in Silkeborg, and the Bank has offices, branches, or subsidiaries in Denmark, France, Germany, Gibraltar, The Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom....
, Denmark's third largest bank.
At the end of June each year, the city is home to the Riverboat Jazz festival.
The city is home of the
Tollund manThe Tollund Man is the naturally mummified corpse of a man who lived during the 4th century BC, during the time period characterised in Scandinavia as the Pre-Roman Iron Age. He was found in 1950 buried in a peat bog on the Jutland Peninsula in Denmark, which preserved his body. Such a find is...
which resides in the Silkeborg Museum.
In 1944, the priest and playwright
Kaj MunkKaj Harald Leininger Munk was a Danish playwright and Lutheran pastor, known for his cultural engagement and his martyrdom during World War II...
was shot by the
GestapoThe was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning in April 1934, it was under the overall administration of the Schutzstaffel under Heinrich Himmler in his position as leader of the SS and Chief of German Police...
nearby.
The Germans had their headquarters in Jutland during
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
at Silkeborg Bad, the city's former
sanatoriumA sanatorium is a medical facility for long-term illness, typically tuberculosis. A distinction is sometimes made between "sanitarium" and "sanatorium" .-History:The rationale for sanatoria was that before antibiotic treatments existed, a regimen of rest and good...
known for its curative spring waters. It is now a municipal art centre, where it is possible to visit the wartime bunkers in the grounds.
Silkeborg was the home city of
COBRACOBRA was a European avant-garde movement active from 1949 to 1952. The name was coined in 1948 by Christian Dotremont from the initials of the members' home cities: Copenhagen , Brussels , Amsterdam .-History:...
painter
Asger JornAsger Oluf Jorn was a founding member of the Situationist International, and a prolific artist and essayist. He was born in Vejrum, in the northwest corner of Jutland, Denmark and baptized Asger Oluf Jørgensen....
, and has in addition to the above mentioned Silkeborg Bad art centre another art museum, the Silkeborg Kunst Museum with its large
Asger JornAsger Oluf Jorn was a founding member of the Situationist International, and a prolific artist and essayist. He was born in Vejrum, in the northwest corner of Jutland, Denmark and baptized Asger Oluf Jørgensen....
collection.
Inspired by an Asger Jorn print in a band member's home in Dublin, Ireland, Silkeborg is now also the name of an Irish band
http://www.myspace.com/silkeborg
Silkeborg has a
ski resortA ski area is a developed recreational facility, usually on a mountain or large hill, containing ski trails and vital supporting services. It is common for a ski area to have food, rental equipment, parking facilities and a ski lift system catering to the sports of skiing and snowboarding...
, with a nylon track so that one can enjoy going down the slopes all year round, and there is natural snow in winter.
Fireworks
Since 1899 Silkeborg has been hosting an event called "Ildfestregatta", which means "fire party
regattaA regatta is a term used to describe either a boat race, or series of boat races. Although the term typically describes racing events of unpowered water craft, some powerboat race series are also called regattas. Most commonly, a regatta is either a series of rowing, sailing, gondola races or...
". Currently this event is held every third year, where the last event was held on August 13-16, 2008.
At this event the streets are closed at night during the 4 days it lasts in mid-august. There is then held live music along with laser shows, an
amusement parkAmusement park or theme park is the generic term for a collection of rides and other entertainment attractions assembled for the purpose of entertaining a large group of people. An amusement park is more elaborate than a simple city park or playground, usually providing attractions meant to cater...
and more...
Every night at 11:15 p.m. there will be held an amazing show of fireworks. Every night the fireworks are sponsored by a different fireworks manufacturer, which is then competing against the other companies to have the prettiest show. This show is what the event "Ildfestregatta" is about.
The event's homepage (in Danish):
ildefestregatta.dk
Location
Silkeborg is located in mid-eastern Jutland. The surrounding locations of Silkeborg are regarded among the most beautiful places in Denmark. The landscape is dominated by big lakes, forests and some of the highest points in Denmark, including
HimmelbjergetHimmelbjerget is a hill located in Ry municipality, Denmark. With a height of 147 meters it is one of the highest points of elevation, and commonly celebrated as the highest point, in Denmark, which it was believed to be until 1847...
. It is also one of the most expensive areas to live in, and the neighbouring towns Sejs is known for its mansions and villas at the lakeside.
Celebrities from Silkeborg
- Alphabeat
Alphabeat is a Danish pop band from Silkeborg, signed to Polydor label. Their single, "Fascination", was a major hit in Denmark during the summer of 2007 and a significant hit in the UK in 2008...
(Pop band)
- Asger Jorn
Asger Oluf Jorn was a founding member of the Situationist International, and a prolific artist and essayist. He was born in Vejrum, in the northwest corner of Jutland, Denmark and baptized Asger Oluf Jørgensen....
(Artist)
- Dawn Of Demise (Metal band)
- Simon Kvamm
Simon Kvamm , is a Danish-Faroese actor and singer.He is most well known as member of the Danish rock band Nephew, where he is the lead vocalist and keyboard player. The band has had several hits in Denmark such as Igen & Igen &, Superliga, En Wannabe Darth Vader and Movie Klip, which have won them...
(Singer)
- Thomas Bjørn
Thomas Bjørn is Denmark's most successful professional golfer who plays on the European Tour.Bjørn played on the Challenge Tour from 1993 to 1995. He then made an immediate impact on the European Tour in his first season, finishing tenth on the 1996 Order of Merit...
(Golfplayer)
- Jesper Asholt (Actor)
- Lars Ytting Bak (Cyclist)
- Crematoria (Metal band)
Friendship cities
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External links