Holstebro

Holstebro is the main town in Holstebro Municipality, Denmark. The town, bisected by Storåen ("The Large Creek"), has a population of 36,643 (1 January 2020).[1]

Holstebro
Skyline
Coat of arms
Holstebro
Coordinates: 56°21′26″N 08°36′55″E
CountryDenmark
RegionMid Jutland (Midtjylland)
MunicipalityHolstebro
Government
 • MayorH.C. Østerby (A)
Area
 • Urban
23.2 km2 (9.0 sq mi)
Elevation
14 m (46 ft)
Population
 (2020)
 • Urban
36,643
 • Urban density1,600/km2 (4,100/sq mi)
 • Municipality
58,418
Demonym(s)Holstebroer
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
7500
Area code(s)(+45) 96
Websiteholstebro.dk

History

The town arose at a ford by the creek, and later a bridge was erected. The name probably derives from holdested ved broen (lit, "a resting place by the bridge").

Holstebro was first mentioned in a letter from Bishop Thyge of Ribe in 1274. A large fire in 1552 destroyed many of the town's old buildings.

Modern Holstebro

The town is a trading, industrial and cultural center in western Jutland. Industries include the manufacture of processed food, iron and machinery, wood and furniture, textiles and chemicals.

Holstebro has a large network of pedestrian walkways (gågader) in the town centre either side of the River Storå. This area has a varied shopping environment, enhanced by outdoor sculptures and picturesque buildings, including the town church and the Town Hall. The first sculpture purchased by Holstebro Municipality was Alberto Giacometti's sculpture "Maren on vehicle" purchased in 1966.

Holstebro has a rich and varied cultural life. Between 1997 and 2009 it hosted the internationally recognized ballet company Peter Schaufuss Ballet and the town still hosts the performance art theatre Odin Teatret. Several museums, including the Holstebro Art Museum with its collection of Danish and international contemporary art, and the Holstebro Museum can be found in the town.

The town holds an annual culture festival, the Holstebro Festive Week, in late summer. The Holstebro Hall, rebuilt in 1966, houses a music theatre, the Holstebro Convention and Culture Center (1991) and provides space for theatre presentations, concerts, exhibitions and conventions. More than 100 cultural events occur here every year, and the hall is visited by more than 100,000 people annually.

The Jutland Dragoon Regiment (Jydske Dragonregiment), which can trace its history back to 1679 in the times of King Christian V, has made Holstebro its home since 1953. The regiment is Holstebro's largest place of work with more than 1,800 employees.

Transport
Front façade of Holstebro station.

Holstebro is served by Holstebro railway station. It is located on the Vejle-Holstebro and Esbjerg-Struer railway lines and offers direct InterCity services to Copenhagen and Struer and regional train services to Fredericia and Skjern.

Sport and leisure

Team Tvis Holstebro was founded in 2000 and play handball, representing Holstebro in the men's Danish Handball League and the Danish Women's Handball League. The women's team has won the Women's European Handball Federation cup twice, in 2012–2013 and 2014–2015 and were runner's up in 2010–2011. The team's best placing in the domestic league was 2nd in 2012–13 and, as a result, they competed in the qualification rounds of the 2013–14 EHF Women's Champions League, the highest level competition in Europe.

The men's handball team won the Danish Handball Cup in 2008 and have finished third in the domestic league three times, most recently in 2008. They achieved third place in the men's 2012–13 EHF Cup. Both teams play at Gråkjær Arena, a 3,250 capacity hall which can also be used for concerts. The arena is located to the north of the town center.[2]

Holstebro Idrætspark, located to the north-east of the town centre, is a multi-use sports complex. A stadium on the site is home to Holstebro BK, the town's football club who play in the 4th tier of Danish football, the Denmark Series. The site also features playing fields, beach volleyball courts and a sports hall. A tennis centre, including an indoor hall and seven outdoor courts, adjoins the site and is the home of Holstebro Tennis Club.[3] Holstebro RK play rugby union in the town.

Canoeing and kayaking on the nearly 100 km (62 miles) long Storåen is popular during the summer and early autumn. It is allowed between 15 June and 31 October.[4]

Jamboree Denmark 2012

A Danish national Scouting Jamboree took place near Holstebro in July 2012. Over 37,000 Scouts and Guides attended the event.[5][6]

Notable people
Karl Georg Jensen, 1876
Sahl-Madsen, 2010
Peter Heine Nielsen, 2010

The Arts
  • Karl Jensen (1851 in Holstebro – 1933) a painter of landscapes of northern Zealand
  • Knud Agger (1895 in Holstebro – 1973) a self-taught painter, visionary and strongly existentialist
  • Knud Hvidberg (1927 in Holstebro – 1986) a Danish painter and sculptor
  • Henning Stærk (born 1949 in Holstebro) a Danish singer and musical-performer
  • Thomas Søndergård (born 1969 in Holstebro) a Danish conductor
  • Anne Fortier (born in 1971 in Holstebro) a Danish / Canadian writer, lives in Quebec
  • Mikael Simpson (born 1974 in Holstebro) a songwriter, singer and film composer
  • Iben Dorner (born 1978 in Holstebro) a Danish actress and voice artist [7]
  • Simon Lynge (born 1980 in Holstebro) a singer-songwriter, raised in Greenland
  • Elias Ehlers (born 1985 in Holstebro) a Danish stand-up comedian [8]

Public thinking & Public Service

Sport

International relations
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Denmark

Holstebro is a founding member of the Douzelage, a unique town twinning association of towns across the European Union. This active town twinning began in 1991 and there are regular events, such as a produce market from each of the other countries and festivals.[9][10]

References
Notes
  1. BY4: Population 1 January, by urban areas The Mobile Statbank from Statistics Denmark
  2. Guidet tour i Gråkjær Arena, Gråkjær Arena, Holstebro Kommune. Retrieved 2015-12-06.
  3. Holstebro idrætspark go stadionhal, Holstebro Kommune. Retrieved 2015-12-06.
  4. Canoe, Visit Holstebro. Retrieved 2015-12-06.
  5. Fakta om Spejdernes Lejr 2012, SN.dk, 2012-07-29. Retrieved 2015-12-06.
  6. "About Denmark Jamboree 2012 (English)". Archived from the original on 27 July 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  7. IMDb Database retrieved 21 May 2020
  8. IMDb Database retrieved 21 May 2020
  9. "Douzelage.org: Home". www.douzelage.org. Archived from the original on 17 February 2010. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  10. "Douzelage.org: Member Towns". www.douzelage.org. Archived from the original on 6 April 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
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