Nakskov

Nakskov
Town
Nakskov town centre

Seal
Coat of arms
Nakskov
Location on Lolland
Nakskov
Nakskov (Denmark)
Coordinates: 54°50′00″N 11°09′00″E / 54.83333°N 11.15000°E / 54.83333; 11.15000
Country Denmark
Region Zealand (Sjælland)
Municipality Lolland
Population (2015)
 • Total 12,665
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)

Nakskov is a town in south Denmark. It is in Lolland municipality in Region Sjælland on the western coast of the island of Lolland. The town has a population of 12,665 (1 January 2015).[1] To the west is Nakskov Fjord, an inlet from the Langeland Belt (Langelandsbælt) that runs between the islands of Lolland and Langeland. Nakskov Fjord is a wildlife reserve, known for its bird life .

History

Nakskov Church

Nakskov is in the inner part of the Western inlet of Lolland, one of the agriculturally richest of the Danish islands. The area was settled during the neolithic period and has been continuously inhabited since. The town received trade privileges in 1266, during the reign of king Erik V Glipping. Once the export center of western Lolland, Nakskov thrived on trade, commerce and industry. This changed gradually as overland traffic was enabled by a railway to the neighboring island of Falster in 1875,. The connection to Sjælland and Copenhagen over the Storstrømsbroen bridge in 1937 shifted goods from the port of Nakskov. Traditionally a center of manufacturing and industry, Nakskov has turned to commerce and trade, after the industrial boom in shipbuilding ended when Denmark joined the EEC and subsidies were dismantled.

Nakskov is one of the most environmentally conscious and cleanest towns of Denmark. Technological and environmental enterprises replace heavy industries. In recent years, local government has restored the town.

Transport

Nakskov is connected to Nykøbing Falster and the rail network by the Lollandsbanen line.

Boats run from Nakskov to the islands of Nakskov Fjord (Slotø, Vejlø, Enehøje, and Albuen. A ferry connects the Nakskov over the Langeland Belt to Spodsbjerg on the island of Langeland. Bus run within the town and to neighbouring areas. Bike routes follow the dykes encompassing of Lolland.

Economy

Denmark's largest sugar factory is in Nakskov. It processes about 12,000 tons of sugar beet per day and belongs to the German group Nordzucker.[2]

Nakskov municipality

Until January 1, 2007, "Nakskov" was also the name of a municipality (Danish, kommune) covering an area of 33 km², and with a total population of 14,745 (2006). Nowadays Nakskov is integrated into, and encompassed by, Lolland municipality. The last mayor of Nakskov was Flemming Bonne Hansen, a member of the Socialist People's Party (Socialistisk Folkeparti) political party. Nakskov municipality ceased to exist as the result of Kommunalreformen ("The Municipality Reform" of 2007). It was merged with Holeby, Højreby, Maribo, Ravnsborg, Rudbjerg and Rødby municipalities to form the new Lolland municipality. This new municipality consists of an area of 892 km² and a total population of 48,634 (2007).

Attractions

Nakskov Church, dating to the early 13th century, has carved works from the Baroque period including the pulpit (1630) by Jørgen Ringnis and the altarpiece (1656) by Anders Mortensen.[3]

Large parts of the wetlands around Nakskov were drained in the 19th century. The dyke along the southern shore of the fjord allows walking or biking to Langø. The Danish sugar museum (sukkermuseum) is in Nakskov.

Notable people

Johannes Wilhjelm, 1937
Helle Helle, 2012
  • Jørgen Ringnis (birth date unknown, died 1652 in Nakskov) a Danish woodcarver of altarpieces and pulpits
  • Martin Severin From (1828–1895) a Danish chess master
  • Hans Niels Andersen (1852–1937) a Danish shipping magnate, businessman and founder of the East Asiatic Company
  • Ludovica Levy (1856–1922) a Danish actress, theatre director and theatre critic
  • Johan Jensen (1859–1925) a Danish mathematician and engineer
  • Johannes Wilhjelm (1868–1938) a Danish painter of bright, colourful landscapes
  • Paul Hagen (1920 – 2003 in Nakskov) a Danish film and television actor, appearing in over 100 films
  • Per Mollerup (born 1942) a Danish designer, academic, and author
  • Stefan Wenzel (born 1962) a German politician for the Alliance '90/The Greens
  • Helle Helle (born 1965) a widely translated Danish short story writer and novelist
  • Mette Jacobsen (born 1973) a Danish freestyle and butterfly swimmer, competed in five consecutive Summer Olympics from 1988
  • Blak (born in Nakskov) a Danish rapper and songwriter. He started writing and rapping in 2002.
  • Lee Rochester Sørensen (born 1994) a Danish footballer who currently plays for HB Køge

See also

References

  1. ↑ "BEF44: Population 1st January, by urban areas" database from Statistics Denmark
  2. ↑ Nordic "Sugar Nakskov", NordicSugar. (in Danish) Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  3. ↑ Kirsten Weber-Andersen, Otto Norn, Aage Roussell, Gertrud Købke Knudsen, "Nakskov Kirke", Danmarks kirker: Maribo amt, Volume 8, 1951, Nationalmuseet, pages 89-126. (in Danish) Retrieved 14 July 2013.


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