Ribe
town in Denmark
Ribe is a small town in western South Jutland, bordering the Wadden Sea National Park, Denmark.
Map of Ribe
Understand
editRibe is centered around the Ribe River (Ribe Å), and all of the old town actually stands on 3 islands in the river. It is the oldest town of Denmark; there's archeological evidence that it was an important market place in the 8th century. The first christian church in Scandinavia was built here in 860, and construction of the current cathedral started in 1150. As the river and the harbor became inaccessible to ships during the 17th century, the importance of the town declined; today it sports around 100 old listed houses, far more than anywhere else in Denmark outside of Copenhagen.
Get in
editBy rail
edit- 1 Ribe railway station (on the eastern side of the town). Trains run to Ribe hourly from Esbjerg via Bramming, during daylight hours, and less frequently at night, until around midnight. Trains also run to Ribe from Tønder with similar frequencies.
- 2 Ribe Nørremark Station.
Get around
editThe streets in the old parts of the town are practically all pedestrianized, so the only really practical method for getting around is on foot.
See
edit- 1 Ribe Cathedral (Ribe Domkirke), Torvet 19 (visible from almost anywhere in town). 10:00-17:00. Is worth a visit alone for the view from the top of the church tower, overseeing the complete town of Ribe, surrounded by flat marshes as far as the eye stretches. The view from above, of the town and the river running through it, gives a good impression of the medieval town. DKK 20 for the tower, the church is free.
- 2 St. Catherine's Priory (Sct. Catharinæ Kirke), Sanct Catharinæ Plads 4. From 1228 until 1536 this was an important Dominican friary. The buildings are Denmark's most complete extant monastic building complex.
- 3 Riberhus (from the pedestrian street, follow the river towards the coast). Riberhus is the massive earthen ramparts and moats which remains of a royal castle which was built just outside town in the 11th century, suffered heavily during conflicts with Swedish troops in the 17th century and subsequently was demolished and used for road constructions. The ramparts are still good for a nice walk and good view of the surroundings.
- 4 Ribes Vikinger (The vikings of Ribe), Odins Plads 1 (across the roundabout from the railway station). Museum focused on the Viking era and the Middle Ages.
- 5 Ribe Art Museum (Ribe Kunstmuseum), Sanct Nicolaj Gade 10. Has paintings from Denmark’s Golden Age and the famous Skagen painters.
- 6 Jacob Riis Museum, Sortebrødregade 1 (100 m east of the cathedral), ☏ +45 76163980. 10:00-16:00 Sep-May, 10:00-17:00 rest of the year and week 42, week 7 and easter.. The life and legacy of social documentary photographer Jacob A. Riis 85 kr.
- 7 The old town hall (Ribe Gamle Rådhus), Von Støckens Plads 1 (just around the corner from the cathedral). Brick building from 1528, which from 1708 to 2007 served as Ribe's town hall. It's now used for various events and is occasionally open to tourists.
- 8 Kannikegården, Torvet 15 (next to the cathedral). Modern office building for the cathedral. Below it is an exhibition featuring the remaining ruins of an 11th century monastery and some early christian graves.
- 9 Skibbroen (the harbor) (the street along the river). The "Johanne Dan" is a 1972 reconstruction of a 1867 ewer, a type of flat bottomed ship specifically designed for the Wadden Sea, built in Ribe. It's stuck at the harbor, since it can't pass under the new road bridge. The harbor also sports a storm surge post, which features several iron rings marking historic water levels, notably the 1634 "Burchardi flood", which reached 1,7 m inside the cathedral.
- 10 The Old Cemetery (Ribe Gamle Kirkegård) (southern side of the old town). Opened in 1807, the old cemetery is gradually being transformed into a nice park. Several bishops and other notable folk are buried here.
Out of town
edit- 11 Ribe VikingeCenter (2 km south of town; there's a nice cycleway with signs, running from south end of Hundegade). – a visit to Ribe Viking Centre will provide you with a unique experience and new knowledge about the Viking Age. You can wander round the reconstructed life-size Viking estate, peopled with Vikings with whom you can work and talk
- 12 Kammerslusen (5 km west from Ribe). Lock at the mouth of the Ribe River. There's a nice view of the Wadden Sea from here, a boat harbour and a small exhibition.
- 13 The Wadden Sea Centre (Vadehavscentret) (10 km SW of town at the coast across from the island Mandø). Visitor center for the Wadden Sea National Park. Multimedia-show about storm surges, build your own dike, or experience the Wadden Sea through the eyes of the migratory birds who depends on these vast tidal zones. Nature guides arrange public tours in the National Park. kr 140, kr 50 for kids.
Do
edit- The Night Watchman in Ribe. Every evening from 1st of May until 29th of October you may accompany the night watchman in Ribe on his route through the old, winding streets, while he is singing to alert citizens about bedtime approaching. Along the way he will tell you tales about witches, floods and fires.
- "Black Sun". In spring and autumn, huge numbers of starlings land in the marshes at the Wadden Sea, looking for food in the wet meadows. At such time you can observe a fascinating panorama called “Black Sun”.
- 1 Hovedengen (The head meadow) (just across the river from the harbor). This meadow is so named because of the old habit of putting the heads of criminals on stakes here. Today it's merely used for events such as fairs and circuses.
- 2 Riplay (next to the sports centre). Large playground created 2022. 1300 m northeast from the cathedral
Buy
editEat
edit- 1 Restaurant Sælhunden, Skibbroen 13 (at the harbour, next to "Johanne Dan"), ☏ +45 75420946. 17th century timber framed house. Decent prices.
- 2 Restaurant Dagmar, Torvet 1 (right next to the cathedral in the direction of the pedestrian street), ☏ +45 75420033. Restaurant Dagmar resides at the old Hotel Dagmar
- 3 [dead link] Restaurant Vægterkælderen (under Hotel Dagmar). Informal cellar restaurant, meals and beer in company with the locals.
- 4 Weis Stue, Torvet 2 (next to the cathedral). Cozy timber framed inn dating back to 1600
- 5 Postgården, Nederdammen 36. Listed building dating back to 1668. Has a cafe and a courtyard.
- 6 Quedens Gård, Overdammen 10 (100 m from the cathedral). Large timber framed building complex dating back to 1580. Has a nice cafe and a cozy court yard.
- 7 Kolvigs, Mellemdammen 13 (right at the river).
- 8 Terpager & Co, Mellemdammen 18. Cafe in a cozy old timber framed house with courtyard
- 9 Restaurant Backhaus, Grydergade 12.
- 10 Pompei, Saltgade 7. Last dedicated bakery left in town
Drink
edit- 1 Stenbohus, Stenbogade 1 (next to the cathedral). First registered in 1810 this is the second oldest bar in Denmark.
- 2 Strygejernet, Dagmarsgade 1 (across the square from the old town hall and shaped like an iron).
- 3 Cafe Valdemar, Sanct Nicolaj Gade 6A.
- 4 Klubben 1811, Skolegade 6 (just around the corner from the cathedral). Pub in the former hotel, opened 1811
- 5 Ribe Bryghus, Seminarievej 16B (just across the railway). Micro brewery in an old railway depot
Sleep
edit- 1 Danhostel Ribe, Sanct Peders Gade 16 (just across the river from the harbor). Ribe's hostel. Has a nice view of the harbor.
- 2 Hotel Ribe, Sønderportsgade 22.
- 3 Hotel Dagmar, Torvet 1 (next to the cathedral). Prominent brick building, part of which dates to 1581, named after king Valdemar the Victorious' queen who died in Ribe May 24 1213
- 4 Den Gamle Arrest (The Old Prison), Torvet 11 (next to the cathedral). The former prison is now a hotel and a cafe
- 5 Ribe Byferie Resort (just south of the old cemetery). Large modern apartment complex
- 6 Ribe Camping, Farupvej 2. Large camp site