Holbæk

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**Holbæk, Denmark**
City Seal
Location in Denmark
Population (2004) - City - Municipality - Density (Municipality)	24,349 34,672 217/km²
Time zone	Central European: UTC+1
Latitude Longitude	55°43" N 11°43' E

Holbæk is a Danish city and seat of Holbæk municipality in the north-east of West Zealand County, Denmark. Danish Municipal Reform of 2007 will merge seven surrounding municipalities into a new and larger Holbæk municipality. At the same time, West Zealand County will be merged with two other counties into Region Sjælland. The redistricting will eliminate counties and make regions the largest type of administrative subdivision of the Government of Denmark.

Holbæk is situated on Zealand on the banks of Holbæk Fjord, an inlet of the larger Isefjord. Holbæk is a commercial and industrial center for the surrounding area. By rail Holbæk is serviced by Danish State Railways' line from Roskilde to Kalundborg which runs through the city. The city serves as a major hub for the Vestsjællands Trafikselskab bus routes. Holbæk has an active commercial seaport, that serves as the harbor for the ferry to Orø (island). Near the harbor there is a substantial marina.

1 History
2 Culture
3 Sources
4 External links

[edit] History

Holbæk is first mentioned in official documents in Absalon's letter of June 8, 1199, in which he grants the majority of his estates to Sorø Klosterkirke in Sorø. It is called Holbækgaard, a larger farm a belonging to a nobleman, around which the city would eventually evolve.

Next it appears in Valdemar the Victorious' book of properties (see Kong Valdemars Jordebog on the Danish Wikipedia) in 1231. Valdmar breaks ground for Holbæk Slot (Holbæk Castle) in 1236.

City Seal ca. 1400

Holbæk clearly grows from then on but is not mentioned again until around 1400 when Margaret I shows up for a court proceeding granting her territories in Jutland. The event may have triggered the creation of the first city seal which shows the three trees by the water which are the prominent features of the current seal.

[edit] Culture

Culturally, Holbæk can be noted for Musikhus Elværket, a converted electrical plant that serves as a concert house for modern music.

The city is home to Holbæk B&I the local football club.

[edit] Sources

City History (In Danish)
NetBorger.dk Statistics (In Danish)
Statistikbanken Statistics (In Danish)

[edit] External links

Official website of old Holbæk municipality (In Danish)
Official website of new Holbæk municipality (In Danish)
Topographical Map
Holbæk area tourism website (In Danish)

v • d • e

25 biggest cities of Denmark (with number of inhabitants according to Statistics Denmark [1])

Copenhagen (1,084,900) · Århus (228,700) · Odense (152,100) · Aalborg (121,500) · Esbjerg (71,900) · Randers (55,900) · Kolding (55,000) · Horsens (51,000) · Vejle (49,900) · Roskilde (45,800) · Herning (44,400) · Silkeborg (41,300) · Næstved (41,200) · Greve Strand (41,100) · Hørsholm 37,100 · Fredericia (37,100) · Elsinore (35,100) · Køge (34,500) · Viborg (34,100) · Holstebro (32,000) · Slagelse (31,800) · Taastrup (31,100) · Hillerød (28,900) · Svendborg (27,200) · Sønderborg (27,000)