Editing Rudkøbing

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                            = Rudkøbing
| settlement_type                 = Town
| image_skyline                   = Rudkobing01.JPG
| imagesize                       = 
| image_caption                   = Market place in Rudkøbing
| image_map                       = 
| mapsize                         = 
| image_flag                      = 
| flag_size                       = 
| image_seal                      = 
| seal_size                       = 
| image_shield                    = Coat of arms of Rudkøbing.svg
| shield_size                     = 
| city_logo                       = 
| citylogo_size                   = 
| image_map1                      = 
| mapsize1                        = 
| map_caption1                    = 
| image_dot_map                   = 
| dot_mapsize                     = 
| dot_map_caption                 = 
| dot_x                           = 
| dot_y                           = 
| pushpin_map = Denmark Region of Southern Denmark
| map_caption = Location in the [[Region of Southern Denmark]]
| pushpin_label_position          = above
| pushpin_map_caption    =
| pushpin_mapsize                 = 
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = [[Denmark]]
| subdivision_type1 = Region
| subdivision_name1 = [[Region of Southern Denmark|Southern Denmark]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[Municipalities of Denmark|Municipality]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Langeland Municipality|Langeland]]
| government_footnotes            = 
| government_type                 = 
| leader_title                    = 
| leader_name                     = 
| leader_title1                   = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager -->
| leader_title2                   = 
| leader_name2                    = 
| established_title               =
| established_date                =
| established_title2              = 
| established_date2               =
| established_title3              = 1287
| established_date3               = 
| area_magnitude                  = 
| unit_pref                       = Metric
| area_footnotes                  = 
| area_total_km2                  = 
| area_land_km2                   = 
| area_water_km2                  = 
| area_total_sq_mi                = 
| area_land_sq_mi                 = 
| area_water_sq_mi                = 
| area_water_percent              = 
| area_urban_km2                  = 3.2
| area_urban_sq_mi                = 
| area_metro_km2                  = 
| area_metro_sq_mi                = 
| area_blank1_title               = 
| area_blank1_km2                 =
| area_blank1_sq_mi               = 
| population_as_of                = 2024
| population_footnotes            =<ref>[https://m.statbank.dk/TableInfo/BY3?lang=en BY3: Population 1st January by urban and rural areas, area and population density] The Mobile Statbank from [[Statistics Denmark]] (Retrieved 5 April 2021)</ref>
| population_note                 = 
| population_total                =
| population_density_total_km2          = 
| population_density_sq_mi        = 
| population_metro                = 
| population_density_metro_km2    = 
| population_density_metro_sq_mi  = 
| population_urban                = 4596
| population_density_urban_km2    = auto
| population_density_urban_sq_mi  = 
| population_density_blank1_sq_mi =
| population_blank1_title         = Gender <ref>[https://m.statbank.dk/TableInfo/BY1?lang=en BY1: Population 1st January by urban areas, age and sex] The Mobile Statbank from [[Statistics Denmark]]</ref>
| population_blank1      = 2220 males and 2376 females
| timezone1              = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset1            = +1
| timezone1_DST          = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset1_DST        = +2
| coordinates                     = {{coord|54.93685|N|10.70966|E|type:city_region:DK|display=title, inline}}
| elevation_footnotes             = <!-- for references: use tags -->
| elevation_m                     = 
| elevation_ft                    = 
| postal_code_type                = [[Postal codes in Denmark|Postal code]]
| postal_code                     = 5900
| area_code                       = 
| blank_name                      = 
| blank_info                      = 
| blank1_name                     = 
| blank1_info                     = 
| website                         =
| official_name                   = 
}}

'''Rudkøbing''' is a town in [[Denmark]], on the western coast of the island of [[Langeland]]. It is the seat of [[Langeland Municipality]], in the [[Region of Southern Denmark|Southern Denmark Region]]. The town is located {{convert|15|km|mi}} southeast of [[Svendborg]] and is connected to [[Siø]] through the [[Siøsund Bridge]].

==History==
The first mention of Rudkøbing was in 1287, when it was given [[Town privileges|market town privileges]] by Duke [[Valdemar IV, Duke of Schleswig|Valdemar IV of Schleswig]], who held the title of ''rigsforstander'' ([[:da:Rigsforstander|da]]) under King [[Eric VI of Denmark|Eric VI Menved]]. The original [[Rudkøbing Church]] was most likely built in the late 12th century or early 13th century.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ny udgivelse om kirkerne i Rudkøbing|url=https://natmus.dk/nyhed/ny-udgivelse-om-kirkerne-i-rudkoebing/|access-date=2021-05-24|website=Nationalmuseet|language=da}}</ref> During the [[Count's Feud]] (1534–1536) and again during the [[Dano-Swedish War (1658–60)|Dano-Swedish War (1658–1660)]], Rudkøbing was under siege by Swedish troops. Both times, the town's [[fortification]]s prevented Rudkøbing from immediately falling, but the town eventually had to give in to the Swedes. The town was hit by the [[Black Death|Black Plague]] during the 16th and 17th centuries, and experienced fires in 1590 and 1610.

The [[Ørsted family]], which most notably includes the brothers [[Hans Christian Ørsted|Hans Christian]] and [[Anders Sandøe Ørsted]], has its origins in Rudkøbing. Their father was a [[pharmacist]], and the brothers were born in the old [[Pharmacy (shop)|pharmacy]] on Gåsetorvet. Across from their birth house is a statue of Hans Christian, and a statue of Anders is located at nearby Ørstedsparken, which is named in their honor. The old pharmacy remained in use until 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://academictree.org/physics/peopleinfo.php?pid=25746 |title = Hans Christian Ørsted |website= academictree.org |access-date=1 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://runeberg.org/dbl/19/0465.html|title = Ørsted, Anders Sandøe, 1778–1860|website= Dansk biografisk Lexikon|access-date=1 January 2020}}</ref>
 
Rudkøbing got its first proper harbor in 1826 (it had previously only had a [[pier]]). In 1898, in a town of about 3,500 people, there were 152 ships [[Home port|based]] in Rudkøbing. Every year, over 2,500 ships (carrying over 18,000 metric tons of cargo) came in and over 2,800 ships (carrying over 11,500 metric tons of cargo) went out, mostly to and from elsewhere in Denmark. The town was connected by steam ferry routes to [[Copenhagen]], [[Korsør]], [[Marstal]], and [[Svendborg]].

The town's population was stable during the [[interwar period]], hovering above 4,000, with the census in 1930 recording a population of 4,129. The population peaked at 4,541 in 1950, and by 1965, it had fallen to 4,204. Around this time a suburb developed in {{Interlanguage link|Skrøbelev Parish|da|Skrøbelev Sogn}}, which eventually grew together with Rudkøbing.

Each year between 1991 and 2022, the town hosted [[Langelandsfestivalen]], a music festival which targeted families.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://langelandsfestival.dk |title = Langelandsfestival|website= langelandsfestival.dk |access-date=1 January 2020}}</ref> Usually lasting 8 days, the festival had performances from both Danish and foreign musicians. The 2023 edition was canceled because of economic problems, and the company behind the festival filed for [[bankruptcy]] at the [[Maritime and Commercial Court (Denmark)|Maritime and Commercial Court]] on 13 June 2023, after owner Allan K. Pedersen had unsuccessfully tried to find a new owner.<ref>{{cite news|title=Selskabet bag Langelandsfestival begærer sig konkurs|url=https://nyheder.tv2.dk/samfund/2023-06-13-selskabet-bag-langelandsfestival-begaerer-sig-konkurs|newspaper=[[TV 2 (Denmark)|TV2]] via [[Ritzau]]|date=13 June 2023|access-date=8 February 2024}}</ref>

Rudkøbing was the seat of the former [[Rudkøbing Municipality]] in [[Funen County]], and is the seat of the current [[Langeland Municipality]] in the [[Region of Southern Denmark|Southern Denmark Region]]. When Rudkøbing was its own municipality, there were often negotiations with the two other Langelandic municipalities of [[Sydlangeland Municipality|Sydlangeland]] and [[Tranekær Municipality|Tranekær]] to merge. These plans were repeatedly abandoned due to a lack of public support. In the [[2007 Danish Municipal Reform]], the three were forced together, and Rudkøbing has since been the municipal seat.

==Transport==
Bridges connecting Rudkøbing and Svendborg were built throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s, finishing in 1966. The old ferry route between the two towns gradually lost popularity due to the bridges, and the route was eventually ended. The ferry route to Marstal, which had been active since 1866, was closed in 2013, so that the only ferry on this route could be moved to the busy route between Marstal and Svendborg. The ferry route between Rudkøbing and Marstal opened again in December 2019.

The [[Langeland Bridge]] was built between 1960 and 1962. It connects Rudkøbing and the rest of Langeland to the island of [[Siø]]. Siø is further linked by the [[Siøsund Bridge]] to [[Tåsinge]], and Tåsinge is linked by the [[Svendborgsund Bridge]] to [[Svendborg]] on the mainland of [[Funen]], making Rudkøbing accessible by road.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://structurae.net/en/structures/langeland-bridge|title =Langeland Bridge |website= Structurae Version |access-date=1 January 2020}}</ref>

From 1911 to 1962, Rudkøbing was the main station of the Langeland rail network ({{Interlanguage link|Langeland railway|lt=Langelandsbanen|da|Langelandsbanen}}). The network was connected to Svendborg in 1926, when a railway ferry route made it possible to move train wagons between Rudkøbing and the mainland of [[Funen]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.jernbanen.dk/pbaner.php?s=120 |title =Langelandsbanen|website= jernbanen.dk |access-date=1 January 2020}}</ref>

==Notable residents==
[[File:Nikolaj Coster-Waldau by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg|150px|thumb|Nikolaj Coster-Waldau]]

===Artists===
*[[Jens Christian Bay]] (1871–1962), Danish American writer, bibliographer and librarian, who emigrated to the US in 1892.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://denstoredanske.dk/Dansk_Biografisk_Leksikon/Medier/Bibliotekar/J._Christian_Bay|title =J. Christian Bay|website= Dansk Biografisk Leksikon, Gyldendal |author= Niels Alsted, Svend Dahl |access-date=1 January 2020}}</ref>
*[[Preben Lerdorff Rye]] (1917–1995), actor who appeared in 92 films<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0503499/ Preben Lerdorff Rye (1917–1995)] from [[IMDb]], retrieved 28 January 2019</ref>
*[[Bjørn Watt-Boolsen]] (1923–1998), actor who played several characters in the ''[[Olsen Gang|Olsen-banden]]'' films.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0915023/ Bjørn Watt-Boolsen (1923–1998)] from [[IMDb]], retrieved 28 January 2019</ref>
*[[Nikolaj Coster-Waldau]] (born 1970), actor who played [[Jaime Lannister]] in the TV series ''[[Game of Thrones]]''.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0182666/ Nikolaj Coster-Waldau] from [[IMDb]], retrieved 28 January 2019</ref>

===Athletes===
*[[Ingrid Larsen]] (1912–1997), diver who competed in the [[1932 Summer Olympics]].
*[[Hans Jørgen Boye]] (born 1942), retired rower who competed in the [[1964 Summer Olympics]].

===Politicians and public thinkers===
*[[Erik Bredal (bishop)|Erik Bredal]] (1608–1672), Danish-born Norwegian [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] bishop.<ref name=nbl>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Erik Bredal |editor=Helle, Knut |editor-link=Knut Helle |website=Norsk biografisk leksikon|url=http://nbl.snl.no/Erik_Bredal/utdypning |access-date=1 January 2020}}</ref>
*[[Otto Fabricius]] (1744–1822), [[missionary]], naturalist, [[Ethnography|ethnographer]], and [[Exploration|explorer]] of Greenland.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://snl.no/Otto_Fabricius|title =Otto Fabricius|website= Store norske leksikon |author= Tarald Rasmussen |date =26 February 2019|access-date=1 January 2020}}</ref>
*[[Anders Sandøe Ørsted]] (1778–1860), politician and jurist, who served as [[Prime Minister of Denmark]] 1853–1854.<ref>{{Cite Americana|wstitle= Oersted, Anders Sandöe |volume= XX |short=1 }}</ref>
*[[Mads Johansen Lange]] (1807–1856), nicknamed the ''King of Bali'', Danish trader, entrepreneur, and [[Peace makers|peace maker]] on Bali. Several of his descendants visited Rudkøbing in 2011, including [[Tunku Abu Bakar]], first cousin of sultan [[Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor|Ibrahim Iskandar]] of [[Johor]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fyens.dk/langeland/Kongelige-besoegte-i-Rudkoebing/artikel/1883378|title=Kongelige besøgte i Rudkøbing|date=6 July 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.tourguidesbali.com/tours/mads-lange-bali-kuta-danish.php |title = Mads Johansen Lange From Denmark to Bali, Indonesia |website= tourguidesbali.com/|access-date=1 January 2020}}</ref>

===Scientists===
*[[Hans Christian Ørsted]] (1777–1851), physicist and chemist who discovered that [[Electromagnetism#History of the theory|electric currents create magnetic fields]], known for [[Oersted's law]]<ref>{{Cite Americana|wstitle= Oersted, Hans Christian |volume= XX |short=1 }}</ref>
*[[Anders Sandøe Ørsted (botanist)|Anders Sandøe Ørsted]] (1816–1872), botanist, [[Mycology|mycologist]], zoologist and [[Marine biology|marine biologist]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://runeberg.org/dbl/19/0480.html|title = Ørsted, Anders Sandøe, 1816–72, Botaniker |website= Dansk biografisk Lexikon |access-date=1 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Appletons'|wstitle= Oersted, Anders Sandöe |volume = IV |page = 559 |short= 1}}</ref>
*[[Marianne Schroll]] (born 1942), specialist in [[Geriatrics|geriatric medicine]]

==Gallery==
<gallery mode=packed>
Image:Rudkøbing - Gåsetorvet ved Brogade.JPG|Statue of [[Hans Christian Ørsted]] on Gåsetorvet.
File:H.C. Ørsted - Rudkøbing.jpg|Closeup of the Ørsted statue on Gåsetorvet.
File:Rudkoebing 1900.jpg|Map of Rudkøbing in 1900. Note the archaic spelling of the town's name.
File:Rudkøbing - Langelandsbroen.JPG|The [[Langeland Bridge]], as seen from Rudkøbing.
File:RudkøbingBanegårdVejside.JPG|The old railway station in Rudkøbing.
File:Rudkøbing Kirke 2007.jpg|[[Rudkøbing Church]].
</gallery>

==External links==
* [http://danmarkshistorien.dk/leksikon-og-kilder/vis/materiale/rudkoebing/ Rudkøbing on danmarkshistorien.dk] (in Danish)
* [http://www.byhistorie.dk/koebstaeder/by.aspx?KoebstadID=45/ Dansk Center for Byhistorie – Rudkøbing]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Langeland Municipality}}
{{Municipal seats of Denmark}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rudkobing}}
[[Category:Municipal seats of the Region of Southern Denmark]]
[[Category:Municipal seats of Denmark]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in the Region of Southern Denmark]]
[[Category:Langeland Municipality]]