If you are a fan of the song “Memories” by Maroon 5 then Ribe is one city that surely don’t disappoint in bringing memories of early Denmark. If anything, Ribe is a heritage city tucked in the Southern part of Denmark within the larger Esbjerg Kommune.
Ribe in Brief
When you come o Ribe, the past surely begets the present. The historic wooden buildings well mixed with modern architecture in the town makes a newcomer appreciate what progression can become. Come one, come all to Ribe – a beautiful, nostalgic city with lots of historic buildings
Ribe Cathedral is a magnificent building with a variety of colors and styles that testify to the several periods of construction, which the church was built under. The church, begun in the 1100s, is the oldest cathedral in Denmark, and it is considered the best preserved.
Ribe is Denmark’s oldest town, and played a prominent role during the Viking era, as one of the major trading cities in Scandinavia. Ribe Viking Center is a reconstruction of the old bazaar and the village to the Vikings, and the center’s goal is to give visitors an insight into how they lived in Ribe at the time. Here you can sample everything from archery, and flat bread baking, to look at the horse and falcon show.
Ribe City in History
There are also duel, a traditional game that was arranged between two Vikings on an islet if they disagreed about something. The vikings used swords and fight ended when one gave up or were killed. The fight is fortunately not as dramatic at Ribe Viking Center, where the weapons today are replaced with pillows, and the islet with a trunk.
You are taken back in time when you walk through Ribe’s medieval town center with its narrow cobbled streets that have names like Shoemaker Slip, Narrow-slip and Fiskergade. It was here, prostitutes and pickpockets used to keep to. Ribe is the oldest city – and indeed a historical city where the future of many layers is to open spectacle of the city’s visitors.
The old buildings and half-timbered houses remain today, because in his time could not afford to tear them down – lucky for Ribe, where tourism is one of the most important professions.
See also: This small Danish town is Europe’s most beautiful
The buildings have been restored, but not with a spirit level to help, for here are the walls and floors namely win and quirky.
The old buildings and half-timbered houses have been restored, but not with a spirit level. Photo: Martjin Munneke / flickr The old buildings and half-timbered houses have been restored, but not with a spirit level. Photo: Martjin Munneke / flickr
In the town square the huge Ribe Cathedral, and a small stone’s throw from the church is a reason, which has been the archaeological excavations. Here was found a few years ago the early Christians in Denmark, which was laid in the ground in the Viking Age – Ribes heyday. And it moves a little by Harald Bluetooth’s inscription on the Jelling Stone in 965, where he wrote that it was he who made the Danes Christians. It turns out that the cemetery that was dug out, are from 100 years before.
Archaeological paradise
In terms of size makes Ribe not that big fuss, but this has not always been. In the Viking Age Ribe was an important city not only in Denmark but throughout Western Europe.
Archaeological studies show that the city emerged in the first decade of 700. The past is buried in a thick cultural layers beneath the city. In total there are excavated more than 10,000 square meters, but it represents less than five percent of the oldest Ribe.
And the soil during Denmark’s oldest town stores potentially many more secrets:
The many archaeological finds made in Ribe and the immediate area, can be seen at the Museum Ribe’s Vikings. Here is a closer look at the city’s history from the beginning of the 700s and up through the Viking and Middle Ages to circa 1700th.
Some Interesting Facts about Ribe
RibePass
With a RibePass you get a 20 percent discount on the admission to various attractions in Ribe.
By accommodation at one of Ribes accommodations, you pass free, otherwise it can be purchased at Ribe Tourist Office for 20 kr. For adults and 10 kr. For children. Read more about visitribe.dk.
18 attractions in Ribe
For those who are considering taking a trip to the southwest of the country, Destination Southwest Jutland made a manageable booklet of 18 main attractions ranging from Blåvand to Tonder.
Four of the attractions located in Ribe, where the Vikings, cathedral, art museum and the old part of the monastery from 1228 predict good experiences during your visit.
The west coast is dotted with cottages, which can form the base for an eventful holiday or weekend in beautiful surroundings by Vester and mudflats.
Heavy hammer, wrangle women and the smell of crisp bread being cooked on a griddle helps time travel.
50,000 visitors attending every year. A more relevant place to put a Viking center are probably not. Here, on the west coast of Jutland, Vikings established a marketplace already in year 700. From here they drove trading throughout Europe and built huge ramparts. In the year 825 was the city finished. It makes Ribe to Scandinavia’s oldest city.
On a hill located bazaar. Here you will find artisans and merchants from Scandinavia, England and Gotland, someone has come entirely from Spain and Byzantium. Shoppers rents a small plot of one of the royal officer, where they can produce and sell products. In return, they are guaranteed the king’s protection.
Ribe Viking Centre
• Located at Scandinavia’s oldest town, Ribe, Western Jutland.
• Established in 1992 as reconstruction of Viking Ribe.
• Done in collaboration with The Antiquarian Collection, Ribe.
• Open from May to late October, at 11 to 17 every day in high season.
• Admission: Adults, 100 Danish kroner, children NOK 50 activity pass 35 million.
• All season: working Vikings, falcon shows, archery, Icelandic horses and try-yourself activities.
• Activities during summer and autumn can be found here
Viking Holiday in Ribe
Ribe is Denmark ældste købstad and that partake of medieval atmosphere, commanding Vikingecenteret on activities for children and adults
Experiences with action and oplevelser easy. Forget the dry historiebøger and get a fresh outlook on the Viking Age in Denmark ældste købstad – Ribe.
Here breathe Vikingecenter life in Viking times, so you and Ungern’ll want to be part of the authentic oplevelser with everything all of bueskydning and hæsblæsende rideopvisning to the thrill with Falconeres falke, where controlled diving after prey in the form af one kødluns.
Viking Environment Erne is authentic rekonstruktioner from Denmark ældste city and here sums up life throughout efterårsferien.
Horse and hønsekød
I may skyde with a rigtig Longbow and get gander af Viking carpentry that intersecting knive average house, where children and adults arbejder side by side.
Neighing and sound af horseshoe hænger in the air, when the Vikings demonstrate their horses special gait, tölt, where the rider with a mug of mead in hand uden that play a dråbe.
Måske get you and your family on the days (Tuesday and Wednesday), where large farmer Slagter chickens, præcis as they did for more end 1,000 years ago. There are those days where Gryda Šimr af the delightful hønsekødsuppe. It is not to be wasted opportunity to cut af.
Viking facts
– There is åbent Monday to Friday from 10 to 15:30 in efterårsferien. The program starts 11:00, where one can discount filtbold, lerkop, viking beads and more. Until. 15.00 is where the exhibition before the riding, bueskydning and Falconeres and vikingesange. There is also a guided tour for children with the prince.
– Ribe Viking Center, which has 4 stars, has reconstructed three distinct Viking environments, Market Square year 720, Storgården year 980 and Ribe city year 825.
– You finder Vikings two kilometers south of Ribe, on Lustrupvej 4. But you can finde much more about efterårsferien among Vikings and kørselsretning by clicking ind on ribevikingecenter.dk