Videbæk

Videbæk is a town and a former municipality (Danish, "kommune") in Ringkøbing-Skjern municipality in Region Midtjylland close to Ringkøbing Fjord on the Jutland peninsula in west Denmark. The former Videbæk municipality covered an area of 289 km², and had a total population of 12,140 (2005). Its last mayor was Torben Nørregaard, a member of the Venstre (Liberal Party) political party.

The town of Videbæk

The town of Videbæk is known for Per Arnoldi's large corten steel sculpture in the shape of a V, known as "The V", which is found at a roundabout at the entrance to the town. The sculpture was dedicated on August 15, 1996.

Constructions

The Videbæk Transmitter is one of the tallest masts in Denmark.

Attractions

The town has a local area museum ("Videbæk Egnsmuseum") which was opened in 2002 on an old family farm with stables, barn and machine house. The collection features farm and handicrafts machinery and tools, as well as household daily items that are typical of the daily life in the area. It also has a collection of Danish elf ("nisser") dolls that were donated by Ellen Bredahl, formerly Guinness Record-holder for the largest collection of these popular Danish elf dolls.

Videbæk municipality

Creation

The formermunicipality was created in 1970 due to a "kommunalreform" ("Municipality Reform") that combined a number of existing parishes:
* Brejning Parish
* Brejning Parish
* Nørre Vium Parish
* Troldhede Parish
* Videbæk Parish
* Vorgod Parish

Cessation

On January 1, 2007 Videbæk municipality ceased to exist due to "Kommunalreformen" ("The Municipality Reform" of 2007). It was merged with Egvad, Holmsland, Ringkøbing, and Skjern municipalities to form the new Ringkøbing-Skjern municipality. This created a municipality with an area of 1,485 km² and a total population of 57,818 (2005).

Facts

There is much agriculture in the former municipality, as well as some large industry. Denmark's largest dairy company, Arla Foods (North Vium facility) is located in the former municipality.

Videbæk municipality was recognised as the Year's Environment Municipality ("Årets Miljøkommunne") in 1991, the Year's Entrepreneurial Municipality ("Årets Iværksætterkommune") in 1992, and one of four Green City Municipalities in 1993-1994.

External links

* [http://www.ringkobing-skjern.dk/ Ringkøbing-Skjern municipality's official website]

References

* Municipal statistics: [http://www2.netborger.dk/Kommunefakta/ NetBorger Kommunefakta] , delivered from [http://www.kmd.dk/ KMD] aka Kommunedata (Municipal Data)
* Municipal mergers and neighbors: [http://kommune.eniro.dk/region/media/nyekommuner.shtml Eniro new municipalities map]