Take the Long Way to Ribe
Ribe Cathedral and town viewed from alongside the castle moat
“I’ve always found my way somehow, by taking the long way around.” — The Chicks
The small town of Ribe, located on the west coast on the other side of Denmark from Copenhagen, is considered the country’s oldest town. Founded between 704 and 710 as a Viking trading post and dated through a wooden well surround, it precedes all other Danish towns by a couple of hundred years. The name derives from “ripa” meaning riverbank because the Viking marketplace was based on the north bank of Ribe Stream, 7km (4.3 miles) from the North Sea on high, dry heathland surrounded by fresh and saltwater marshes. Though the land was plagued by flooding throughout history, Ribe Stream was silted up by the late 1600s, after which the town lost its status among Denmark’s medieval cities.
In its heyday, Ribe played an important role in religious, commercial, and royal life, starting in 948 when the town became the bishop’s residence. Work began on the enormous brick Romanesque cathedral in the mid-1100s, which remains today as then, prominently situated in the central square and visible from everywhere in town and beyond. Ribe’s highest point is up 248 steps inside the four-sided Commoner’s Tower and past the Storm Bell, originally the city’s warning bell. On top, a spectacular panorama view of the surrounding flat land and towards the ocean awaits. Set dramatically between town and marshland, Riberhus castle was begun simultaneously with the cathedral. Though not documented until 1320, the four-sided royal residence with spires and towers set on a mound, surrounded by a moat, and accessible via a drawbridge, now lies in complete ruin.
More than many old Danish market towns, Ribe retains a magical medieval character and atmosphere, probably because of its lost prominence in the Middle Ages. Now, the ancient merchants’ homes have become restaurants serving delicious brunch and lunch, while specialty shops sell locally produced delicacies in centuries-old general stores, and the old jail has become a hotel. Near the cathedral in a half-timbered building, the Jacob Riis Museum recounts the life of the Ribe native who emigrated to New York in 1870. There, he became a journalist for the NY Tribune and a social reformer through his photo-journalistic book, “How the Other Half Lives” which helped improve living conditions for immigrants. Upstairs, the witch museum “HEX!” tells of Maren Splids, Denmark’s most famous “witch” who was burned at the stake. Of course, Ribe also has a Viking Museum located on the spot of the original market.
In places, Ribe Stream resembles a lake, crossed by wooden walkways that connect various parts of town. Elsewhere, it passes a waterwheel on its way to the Meadow of Heads, where decapitated heads of convicts were empaled so medieval passersby could witness punishment first-hand. Just beyond the Meadow lie the marshlands that flooded regularly, as when the water rose 6 meters (20 feet) in the 1624 “Second Great Drowning of Men” that engulfed Denmak’s entire west coast. Today, a dike and lock protect the town from the sea.
Eight kilometers (5 miles) from Ribe, The Wadden Sea Center serves as the gateway to Denmark’s largest national park, UNESCO-listed for its vast biodiversity. It’s a feeding spot for 15 million migratory birds on the East Atlantic Flyway and a breeding ground for seals. The Center is constructed entirely of reeds, the building material of the marshland for centuries.
Don’t Miss:
The panorama view from the top of the Ribe Cathedral.
Serendipity:
Locals along the way- While photographing a statue, a friendly man approaches to explain who it depicts and who created it.
Lunch Tip:
The Watchmen Cellar for fish and chips.
Bedtime:
Hotel Dagmar, located right on Cathedral Square, Denmark’s oldest hotel with an enchanting atmosphere.
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*All photographs are mine, taken with my Nikon D3100 or iPhone 12 Pro.*