Editing Ringkøbing

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2014}}
{{expand Danish|date=January 2023|topic=geo}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                    = Ringkøbing
| settlement_type         = Town
| image_skyline           = Ringkøbing Torv.jpg
| image_caption           = The town square, Ringkøbing
| image_shield            = Coat of arms of Ringkøbing.svg
| image_map               = 
| map_caption             = 
| pushpin_map             = Denmark#Denmark Central Denmark Region
| pushpin_relief          = 
| pushpin_map_caption     = Location in Denmark
| coordinates             = {{coord|56|5|23|N|8|14|18|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type        = Country
| subdivision_name        = Denmark
| subdivision_type1       = Region
| subdivision_name1       = [[Central Denmark Region|Region Midtjylland]]
| subdivision_type2       = Municipality
| subdivision_name2       = [[Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality|Ringkøbing-Skjern]]
| area_urban_km2          = 7.1
| population_as_of        = 2024
| population_footnotes    = <ref name="BY3"/>
| population_urban        = 9932
| population_density_urban_km2 = auto
| population_blank1_title = Gender <ref>[https://m.statbank.dk/TableInfo/BY1?lang=en BY1: Population 1. January by urban areas, age and sex] The Mobile Statbank from [[Statistics Denmark]]</ref>
| population_blank1       = 4743 males and 5189 females
| timezone1               = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset1             = +1
| timezone1_DST           = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset1_DST         = +2
| postal_code_type        = Postal code
| postal_code             = DK-6950 Ringkøbing
}}

'''Ringkøbing''' (older spelling ''Ringkjøbing'') is a town in [[Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality]] in [[Central Denmark Region|Region Midtjylland]] on the west coast of the [[Jutland]] peninsula in west Denmark. It has a population of 9,932 (1 January 2024).<ref name="BY3">[https://m.statbank.dk/TableInfo/BY3?lang=en BY3: Population 1. January by rural and urban areas, area and population density] The Mobile Statbank from [[Statistics Denmark]]</ref>

==History==

Archeological finds suggest that the town was founded in the 13th century. At that time it was the only real harbour town along the Danish west coast, being sheltered from the [[North Sea]] by the wall of [[Holmsland Dunes]] (''Holmsland Klit'').

In the 17th century, the strait connecting [[Ringkøbing Fjord]] to the North Sea began to move south under the influence of wind and tide; soon it was no longer navigable. Ringkøbing was cut off from the sea until the beginning of the 20th century, when a new channel was built at the town of [[Hvide Sande]], in nearby Holmsland municipality.

The name Ringkøbing means "The market town near Rindum". By the 11th century, a church had been built in the small village of Rindum. The village is probably even older. Evidence of settlements dating back as far as the 6th century has been found.

On the 27th of January in 1443, the towns' privilege of "[[købstad]]" (Danish for market town) was cemented by the [[Danes|Danish]] [[king]] [[Christopher of Bavaria]] by royal charter. The royal privilege is most likely older, dating back to [[king]] [[Valdemar IV Atterdag]], as the document cementing the royal privilege of the town mentions the original privilege originating from the reign of "King Valdemar".

At the end of World War II, Ringkøbing was involved in the British testing of captured German [[V-weapons]]. British soldiers, including radar experts from the British Artillery Regiment, were stationed there in October 1945 to monitor the accuracy of weapons fired from a base in [[Cuxhaven]], Lower Saxony, Germany. The tests were part of the post-World War II justice process, to establish whether the use of V-weapons constituted indiscriminate killing of civilians. In fact, they proved to be very accurate, and the Nazis escaped this charge.

==Main sights==
Today the centre of Ringkøbing has some quaint old streets, most of which lead towards the water of the fjord.

Ringkøbing Church was built in the early 15th century, and its tower, which is wider on top than on the bottom, was erected ca. 1550.  The church houses two [[organ (music)|organ]]s: the oldest in the west pulpit was built by Demant & Son in 1861 with a [[baroque]] facade from 1633; the other from 1974 is by [[Frobenius & Sons]]. As the result of a restoration in 1995–1996, the church has a number of modern features, including an [[altarpiece]] by [[Arne Haugen Sørensen]] and a glass [[baptismal font]].

== Economy==
[[Ringkøbing Landbobank|Ringkjøbing Landbobank]] is headquartered in Ringkøbing.

==Transportation==

===Rail===
[[File:Ringkøbing_-_Train_Station1.jpg|thumb|Front facade of [[Ringkøbing railway station]].]]
Ringkøbing is served by [[Ringkøbing railway station]]. It is located on the [[Esbjerg-Struer railway line]] and offers [[regional train]] services to {{rws|Skjern}} and {{rws|Holstebro}} with onward connections to the rest of Denmark.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dsb.dk/kundeservice/stationer/ringkobing/|title=Ringkøbing Station|publisher=DSB|language=da|accessdate=23 July 2023}}</ref>

== Notable people ==
[[File:Porträtt av Niels Trolle till Trolholm, 1650-tal - Skoklosters slott - 99573.jpg|140px|thumb|Niels Trolle, 1650]]
* [[Niels Trolle]] (1599 in Ringkøbing –1667) a nobleman, vice admiral and [[List of heads of government of Norway#Stewards of Norway (1536–1814)|Steward of Norway]]
* [[Stephen Hansen]] (1701 in Skodsbøl – 1770) an industrialist, businessman and [[General War Commissioner]]
* [[Wilhelm Sponneck]] (1815 in Ringkøbing – 1888) a nobleman ([[rigsgreve]]) and Minister of Finance
* [[Janus la Cour]] (1837 near Ringkøbing – 1909) a painter of the classical [[Eckersberg]] school
* [[Ludvig Mylius-Erichsen]] (1872 in Ringkøbing – 1907) an author and explorer of Greenland 
* [[Mikkel Frandsen]] (1892 in Sønder Lem – 1981) a Danish American physical chemist noted for experiments involving [[chemical thermodynamics]] and [[heavy water]]
* [[Poul Andersen (resistance member)|Poul Andersen]] (1922 in Ringkøbing – 2006) a printer, served in the Danish resistance movement during WWII and later published one of the remaining two Danish-language newspapers in the USA
* [[Vibeke Hastrup]] (1958 in Vedersø) an actress who has worked in theatre, television and film <ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0368646/   IMDb Database] retrieved 20 May 2020</ref>
* [[Cornelia von Levetzow]] (1836–1921), successful novelist
* [[Mette Lykke]] (born 1981 in Ringkøbing) a Danish businesswoman, entrepreneur and investor

=== Sport ===
* [[Claus Møller Jakobsen]] (born 1976 in Ringkøbing) a Danish former professional handballer, sports commentator for [[TV 2 (Denmark)|TV2]]
* [[Jacob Larsen (cricketer)|Jacob Larsen]] (1979 in Egvad) a Danish cricketer  
* [[Hans Henrik Andreasen]] (born 1979 in Ringkøbing) a retired Danish footballer with over 500 club caps
* [[Niels Lodberg]] (born 1980 in Ringkøbing) is a former Danish footballer with over 350 club caps
* [[Jonas Borring]] (born 1985 in Ringkøbing) is a retired Danish footballer with over 350 club caps

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Ringkøbing, Denmark, Church 8213.JPG|Ringkøbing Church (Ringkøbing Kirke)
File:Ringkøbing Kirkegård, Ringkøbing, Danmark.jpg|Avenue with [[Tilia|linden]] in the cemetery by Ringkøbing
File:Ringkøbing - Train Station1.jpg|Ringkøbing railway station
File:Ringkøbing 02.jpg|Typical street in Ringkøbing
File:Dockworker in the harbour Ringkøbing, Jutland, Denmark.jpg|Dockworker in the harbour of Ringkøbing
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.visitringkoebing.dk/dk The Official Tourist page for Ringkøbing]
* [http://www.tgv.dk/ West Jutland tourism information, covering Ringkøbing area]
* Municipal statistics: [https://web.archive.org/web/20070812152043/http://www2.netborger.dk/Kommunefakta/ NetBorger Kommunefakta], delivered from [http://www.kmd.dk/ KMD] aka Kommunedata (Municipal Data)
* Municipal mergers and neighbors: [https://web.archive.org/web/20061208085744/http://kommune.eniro.dk/region/media/nyekommuner.shtml Eniro new municipalities map]
* [https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/Denmark/Ringkobing Weather forecast Ringkøbing, Denmark] weather-atlas.com

{{Commons category|Ringkøbing}}
{{Municipal seats of Denmark}}
{{Authority control}}

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[[Category:Ringkøbing| ]]
[[Category:Municipal seats of the Central Denmark Region]]
[[Category:Municipal seats of Denmark]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in the Central Denmark Region]]
[[Category:Former municipalities of Denmark]]
[[Category:Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality]]