Ribe

Ribe is the oldest town of Denmark, situated in southwest Jutland. Until 1 January 2007, it was the seat of both the surrounding Municipality, and County. Ribe is now part of the enlarged Esbjerg Municipality newly created Region Syddanmark.

Established in the first decade of the 8th century and first mentioned in a document dating from 854, Ribe is the oldest town in Denmark.

When Ansgar the Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen, set out on the “Mission to bring Christianity to the North”, he made a request in 860 to the King of Denmark, that the first Scandinavian church be built in Ribe. This was not coincidental, since Ribe already at that point, was the most important trade city of Scandinavia.

However we can only confirm the presence of a bishop and thus a cathedral in Ribe from the year 948. The town has many well-preserved old buildings. 110 houses are recognized under Danish Heritage Protection laws. Denmark’s oldest town hall is found on the town’s Von Støckens Plads. The building was erected in 1496, and was purchased by the city for use as a town hall in 1709.

Here is something more fun for the kids as you take them on your family holiday in Ribe, Denmark. The local toy museum, known as the Legetojmuseum, is a great destination where playthings and memorabilia dating back to more than 150 years are displayed. Get a chance to see the evolution of toys as you journey through the doll collections, robots, model cars, bears, and more. Other museums you might want to check out while in Ribe are: the Ribe Kunstmuseet or Art Museum, and the Det Gamle Radhus, or Town Hall Museum.

The central market square of Ribe in Torvet has kept is age-old charm, which is why a lot of visitors like to gather here. You can take a ride on a horse-drawn carriage along the rustic cobblestone streets in Torvet, as well as enjoy the shops and food stores in the square.