Ærøskøbing

Facts

The town that stood still

By Søren Bitsch Christensen, Stadsarkivar (21 stories)

Ærøskøbing's history was shaped by its maritime influences. The town was founded in the Middle Ages and was from then on the centre of the island's trade. But it was shipping in the 1700s that really put the town on the map. At that time, the island of Ærø belonged to the duchy of Schleswig, which gave the town a distinct import tax advantage in Denmark. The town's merchant fleet consisted of many small vessels which conveyed goods between the provinces and Copenhagen. But the town was unable to make the transition to steamer shipping in the second half of the 1800s, while the neighbouring town of Marstal succeeded by switching to long-haul shipping. Through the 1800s, Ærøskøbing was just one of many Danish towns that came to a standstill.

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Story written by Søren Bitsch Christensen

Time / Periode 1750 1900

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In 2003, Ærøskøbing received the Europa Nostra award for its outstanding state of preservation. Other heritage towns in Denmark are, like Ærøskøbing, small and remote from larger towns. The sad explanation is that these towns came to a complete standstill at some time in the 1800s. The small, low houses in Ærøskøbing are still standing because they were not replaced by modern brick houses. The harmonious street grid with a square and church has survived because supermarkets and factories did not arrive to steal the space. The well on the town square is preserved, since public water supply was not introduced until 1952. Take a walk around town and ask yourself: is this a museum or a living town?