Sights in Ribe
- Sort by:
- Popular
-
A
Ribe VikingeCenter
Embrace your inner Viking (well, leave aside the raping and pillaging part) at the Ribe VikingeCenter, a much more hands-on experience than the museum. It attempts to re-create a slice of life in Viking era Ribe using various reconstructions, including a 34m Fyrkat-style longhouse. The staff, dressed in period clothing, bake bread over open fires, demonstrate archery and Viking era crafts such as pottery and leatherwork, and offer falconry shows (at 1pm and 3pm in July and August, 12.30pm in May, June and September). All of which you can actively partake in (and you’ll no doubt learn more about Viking life than you could from a textbook). The centre is about 3km south of …
reviewed
-
B
old town hall
First-time visitors may be bemused to see passers-by stare inquisitively at the roof of the old town hall. Put simply, they’re bird-watching, and have been caught up in the ‘stork culture’ this town cherishes. This is the oldest rådhus (1496) in Denmark and was used as a courthouse until 2006 – these days it’s a popular spot for civil weddings. As well as ceremonial artefacts, there’s a collection of medieval weapons and the executioner’s axe.
reviewed
-
C
Museum of Ribe’s Vikings
To better come to grips with Ribe’s Viking and medieval history, head along to see the informative displays of the Museum of Ribe’s Vikings. Two rooms provide snapshots of the town in AD 800 and during medieval times in 1500. These portrayals are complemented by rare archaeological finds and good explanations, which add real substance to the tales. There’s also a thought-provoking 30-minute video of the legendary Viking era.
reviewed
-
D
Stormflodssøjlen
Where Fiskergade and Skibbroen meet is Stormflodssøjlen, a wooden flood column commemorating the numerous floods that have swept over Ribe. The ring at the top of the column indicates the water's depth during the record flood of 1634 (6m above normal!), which claimed hundreds of lives. Although these days a system of dikes affords low-lying Ribe somewhat more protection, residents are still subject to periodic flood evacuations.
reviewed
-
E
Ribe Kunstmuseum
Ribe Kunstmuseum has been able to acquire some of Denmark’s best works, including those by 19th-century ‘Golden Age’ painters. The singing birds outside present a glorious backdrop to collection pieces by big Danish names including Juel, Abildgaard, Eckersberg, Købke and Michael Ancher, and the garden area behind the museum (open to all) is just lovely.
reviewed
-
F
St Catharine’s Church
Founded by Spanish Black Friars in 1228, St Catharine’s Church was originally built on reclaimed marshland, but it eventually collapsed. The present structure dates from the 15th century. Of the 13 churches built during the pre-Reformation period in Ribe, Sankt Catharinæ Kirke and Ribe Domkirke are the only survivors.
reviewed
-
G
Ribe Cathedral
Dominating Ribe’s skyline is the impressive and historic Ribe Cathedral, which dates back to 948 – making it the oldest in Denmark. The cathedral was largely rebuilt in 1150 when Ribe was at the heart of royal and government money, which in turn paved the way for some fine architectural structures.
reviewed
-
Fiskergade
On Fiskergade you'll notice many alleys leading east to the riverfront. Take a look at the black-painted 'bumper' stones on the house corners; the alleys are so narrow that the original residents installed these stones to protect their houses from being scraped by the wheels of horse-drawn carriages.
reviewed
-
H
Johanne Dan
On the riverfront is the Johanne Dan, an old sailing ship designed with a flat bottom that allowed it to navigate through the shallow waters of the Ribe Å (river); an onboard visit is usually only possible in conjunction with a guided tour (enquire at the tourist office).
reviewed
-
I
Taarnborg
On Puggårdsgade you can't miss the 16th-century privately owned manor house, the charmingly skewwhiff Taarnborg, where no corner is 90 degrees. Next door at number 5 is a half-timbered house dating from 1550.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
J
Maren Spliid Memorial Tablet
On the corner of Bispegade and Sønderportsgade is a memorial tablet dedicated to Maren Spliid, who was burned at the stake on 9 November 1641, the last victim of Denmark's witch-hunt persecutions.
reviewed
