Ribe

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title: "Ribe" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["ribe", "700s-establishments", "populated-places-established-in-the-8th-century", "cities-and-towns-in-the-region-of-southern-denmark", "viking-age-populated-places", "esbjerg-municipality", "8th-century-establishments-in-europe"] topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ribe" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
official_nameRibe
settlement_typeTown
image_skylineRibeVue.jpg
image_captionRibe seen from Riberhus
image_shieldCoat of arms of Ribe.svg
pushpin_mapDenmark#Denmark Region of Southern Denmark
pushpin_label_positionbottom
pushpin_map_captionLocation in Denmark
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameDenmark
subdivision_type1Region
subdivision_name1Southern Denmark (Syddanmark)
subdivision_type2Municipality
subdivision_name2Esbjerg
area_urban_km27.4
population_as_of2025
population_urban8,367
population_density_urban_km2auto
Gender [https://m.statbank.dk/TableInfo/BY1?langen BY1: Population 1. January by urban areas, age and sex] The Mobile Statbank from Statistics Denmark
population_demonymRipenser
timezone1CET
utc_offset1+1
timezone1_DSTCEST
utc_offset1_DST+2
coordinates
postal_code_typePostal code
postal_codeDK-6760 Ribe
website
::

::callout[type=note] the Danish town ::

| official_name = Ribe | other_name = | native_name = | nickname = | settlement_type = Town | motto = | image_skyline = RibeVue.jpg | imagesize = | image_caption = Ribe seen from Riberhus | image_flag = | flag_size = | image_shield = Coat of arms of Ribe.svg | shield_alt = | image_seal = | seal_size = | image_map = | mapsize = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = Denmark#Denmark Region of Southern Denmark | pushpin_label_position = bottom | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Denmark | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Denmark | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = Southern Denmark (Syddanmark) | subdivision_type2 = Municipality | subdivision_name2 = Esbjerg | government_footnotes = | government_type = | leader_title = | leader_name = | established_title = | established_date = | area_magnitude = | unit_pref = | area_footnotes = | area_urban_km2 = 7.4 | area_land_km2 = | population_as_of = 2025 | population_footnotes = | population_note = | population_urban = 8,367 | population_density_urban_km2 = auto | population_blank1_title = Gender | population_blank1 = 3978 males and 4389 females | population_demonym = Ripenser | timezone1 = CET | utc_offset1 = +1 | timezone1_DST = CEST | utc_offset1_DST = +2 | coordinates = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = | elevation_ft = | postal_code_type = Postal code | postal_code = DK-6760 Ribe | area_code = | blank_name = | blank_info = | website = | footnotes =

Ribe () is a town in south-west Jutland, Denmark, with a population of 8,367 (2025). It is the seat of the Diocese of Ribe. Until 1 January 2007, Ribe was the seat of both a surrounding municipality and county. It is now part of the enlarged Esbjerg Municipality in the Region of Southern Denmark. It is the oldest town in Denmark.

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/Ribe,_the_Fiskergade.jpg" caption="Street in Ribe"] ::

The town was a center of commercial activity in the early 8th century, and this may have been where the riches in Denmark originated, including with royal influence. Coins may have been struck there in 720. Whichever king was involved in the digging of the Kanhave Canal may have been involved in the establishment of Ribe also. Trade contacts were mostly with Frisia and England. Of the over 300 sceatas found in Denmark, 216 come from in or around Ribe, most of them were of the Frisian Wodan type, and these were likely minted in Ribe in the early eighth century. The Ancient Diocese of Ribe was established in 948 with the consecration of Leofdag of Ribe as its first bishop.

Early in the ninth century a 2-meter wide ditch (a demarcation rather than a fortification) was dug around the town, enclosing a 12-hectare area. Later that century the ditch was replaced by a moat, 6 to 7 meters wide. Archeological evidence shows Ribe was "an active and impressive market place" in the eighth and ninth centuries, and again at the end of the eleventh century, but there is little evidence from the period in between; the town may have dwindled or even disappeared.

When archbishop Ansgar set out to christianize Scandinavia, he requested (in about 860) of King Horik II of Denmark that the first Scandinavian church be built in Ribe, which at the time was one of the most important trade cities in Scandinavia. However, the presence in Ribe of a bishop, and thus a cathedral, can only be confirmed from the year 948. Recent archaeological excavations in Ribe, however, have led to the discovery of between 2,000 and 3,000 Christian graves. They have been dated to the ninth century, indicating that a large Christian community was already living peacefully together with the Vikings at the time. Excavations conducted between 2008 and 2012 have also revealed more details of the original church built by Ansgar.

Construction on the Ribe Cathedral started in 1150, on top of an earlier church, most probably Ansgar's church, built in 860. The Treaty of Ribe was proclaimed in 1460. Being located in a large region of low-lying marshland, Ribe has repeatedly been hit by storm floods, the most devastating being the Burchardi flood of 1634. The marks after this flood can still be seen on the cathedral's walls and is also marked as the top point on a flood pillar in the town.

The Catholic diocese was dissolved in 1536 during the Reformation; it was succeeded by the Diocese of Ribe, governed by the newly established protestant Church of Denmark.

On 1 January 2007, the Municipality of Ribe ceased to exist as it merged with the municipalities of Esbjerg and Bramming, now forming the new municipality of Esbjerg.

Demographics

The following table shows the population of Ribe. Data from before the 18th century are estimates, the rest are taken from the official census.

::data[format=table]

YearPopulation
1500~5,000
1591~4,500
1641~3,500
1672~2,000
::

| valign="top" | ::data[format=table]

YearPopulation
17691,827
18011,994
18502,984
19014,243
::

| valign="top" | ::data[format=table]

YearPopulation
19767,452
19817,646
19867,709
19907,636
::

| valign="top" | ::data[format=table]

YearPopulation
19968,105
20007,984
20018,031
20028,033
::

| valign="top" | ::data[format=table]

YearPopulation
20038,006
20047,990
20068,081
::

|}

Notable sites

Education

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Raadhuset_i_Ribe.jpg" caption="The old cityhall]]."] ::

The town of Ribe has a long history as a center of learning. The cathedral school (Ribe Katedralskole) has its roots in the Latin School of Ribe, dating back to at least 1145, when the bishop officially handed over the chapter's school.

Schools

  • Ribe Katedralskole
  • The State College of Education in Ribe (Teacher Training College), part of the University College of West Jutland
  • Ribe Business College
  • VUC (Adult Education Center)

Transport

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Dagmarsgade_16,_Ribe_2023_vest_1.jpg" caption="[[Ribe railway station]] in 2023"] ::

Ribe is served by Ribe railway station, located on the Bramming–Tønder railway line. The northern part of the town is also served by the railway halt Ribe Nørremark.

Ribe is located near the Wadden Sea coastline and within reach of the north sea port Esbjerg.

Notable people

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Anders_Bording.jpg" caption="Anders Bording, 1645"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Rued_Langgaard.gif" caption="Rued Langgaard, 1917"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Holger_Kirkholm_Nielsen.jpg" caption="HK Nielsen, 2012"] ::

The arts

Politicians, clergy, and officials

Science and business

Sport

Twin cities and towns

References

Sources

References

  1. [https://m.statbank.dk/TableInfo/BY1?lang=en BY1: Population 1. January by urban areas, age and sex] The Mobile Statbank from [[Statistics Denmark]]
  2. [https://m.statbank.dk/TableInfo/BY3?lang=en BY3: Population 1. January by urban areas, area and population density] The Mobile Statbank from [[Statistics Denmark]]
  3. "Statistikbanken". statbank.dk.
  4. "Ribe is the oldest town in the Nordic countries". visitnordic.com.
  5. (1995). "The New Cambridge Medieval History". Cambridge UP.
  6. Feveile, Claus. (2008). "Two Decades of Discovery". Boydell Press.
  7. Taylor, Arthur. (1914). "The Catholic Encyclopedia". The Encyclopedia Press.
  8. Lisbeth Quass. (24 July 2014). "Danskere var kristne længe før Harald Blåtand´". Berlingske.
  9. (23 July 2014). "Danskere var kristne længe før Harald Blåtand". Kristeligt Dagblad.
  10. Robinson, Charles H.. (1921). "Rimbert: Life of Anskar, the Apostle of the North, 801–865, translated from the Vita Anskarii by Bishop Rimbert his fellow missionary and successor". Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.
  11. "De 5 største stormfloder i Vadehavet". Naturstyrelsen (Denmark's Ministry of Environment).
  12. (3 July 2018). "Historiske stormfloder i Nordsøen og Danmark". Danish Meteorological Institute.
  13. "Ribe Katedralskole". The Danish National Archives.
  14. "Ribe Station". Arriva.
  15. "Ribe Nørremark Station". Arriva.
  16. (31 March 2025). "The Viking History Of Ribe, Denmark’s Oldest Town". Forbes.
  17. Vers, Per. (2016-01-13). "En brobygger-bromance".
  18. {{Cite EB1911. Bain. Robert Nisbet
  19. {{cite EB1911

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

ribe700s-establishmentspopulated-places-established-in-the-8th-centurycities-and-towns-in-the-region-of-southern-denmarkviking-age-populated-placesesbjerg-municipality8th-century-establishments-in-europe