“When we start at the center… we discover something worthwhile extending toward the periphery…” — Anne Morrow Lindbergh

The town of Sønderborg is situated on an island on the southern periphery of the Danish Kingdom. Yet, the city and surrounding area have played significant roles throughout the region’s, and the country’s, history from its early days to the loss and recovery of territory through bloody and peaceful means. So, it is a worthwhile 30 km (18-mile) detour from the motorway through rolling countryside along the Flensburg Fjord and over a bridge to the island of Als.

Sønderborg Castle was begun by Valdemar the Great in 1169 as protection against repeated attacks by the Wends, who raided from the eastern Baltic. By the 1300s, outer and inner fortifications made the building a solid fortress that encased an enormous 3-story square brick castle, which in turn protected the innermost courtyard and living space. Though it has changed over the centuries, large portions of the interior remain in original condition, including the 34-meter (112-foot) long knight’s hall, a remarkable Renaissance chapel, and the dungeon that imprisoned King Christian II in the 1500s. The castle has seen royal weddings, sieges, and also numerous changes in ownership between the Danish Kings and the Dukes of Schleswig.

An annual 4-day town festival still takes place at the castle each July involving hundreds of riders in the medieval tradition of “ring riding” that traces its origins to a regional knights’ tournament. At full gallop, the rider aims a long lance through a moving ring that hangs suspended on a rope from the gallows. It’s quite a spectacle! The nearby waterfront hosts a beach party complete with live bands, DJs, and barbeque.

The medieval town grew just up the hill from the castle, at the outset to provide the Royals with numerous trades and services. Positioned where the Als Strait empties into Flensburg Fjord and the Baltic Sea, the deep-water port was vital to trade. As shipbuilding took hold, and larger ships from the Hanseatic League called into port, these maritime activities combined with farming the fertile soil, allowing Sønderborg to earn early market rights. Some of the colorful, aged homes with broad eaves, carved woodwork, and ornate doors remain well-maintained to this day. The essential “Hen Spring”, now represented by a modern fountain at the source, was known for its pure water in the Middle Ages. It was also the source of several legends involving either good or bad fortune for young maidens, depending on the teller.

Modern Sønderborg includes the hilly mainland on the opposite Strait banks where bloody battles were fought. First in 1848-53 between Denmark and the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, and again in 1867 when Danes met Prussian troops at Danevirke but fell back to Dybbøl. At nearby Broager Church, a wooden walkway erected between the two towers, unique among Danish churches, served as a lookout and signaling post during the bombing. Dybbøl windmill has become a national symbol of resistance, the loss of three provinces to Germany, and, after a 1920 referendum, the “reunification” of the land with the Danish Kingdom. The Danish flag was hoisted in July 1920, an event still celebrated annually. The windmill’s platform offers a scenic view of pastoral countryside and over the fjord to Germany, as does a hike along the coast on a portion of the 84 km (52 miles) long Gendarmstien, or soldiers’ path.

Don’t Miss:

A visit to the castle and grounds.

Serendipity:

Finding the unexpected- Coming upon the “Hen Spring” source in the cliff and the modern fountain at the bottom of a long stairway from town down to the sea.

Lunch Tip:

Traditional Danish lunch meets French at harborside Bistro Grand Mére.

Bedtime:

Hotel Sønderborg Strand, a modern hotel with very good food overlooking the beach, and just steps away from the castle and town.

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*All photographs are mine, taken with my Nikon D3100 or iPhone 12 Pro.*