Skive Municipality

Skive municipality is a municipality (Danish, "kommune") in Region Midtjylland at the base of Salling Peninsula, a part of the larger Jutland peninsula in northwest Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 682 km², and has a total population of 48,356 (2008). Its mayor is Flemming Eskildsen, a member of the Venstre political party.

The main town and the site of its municipal council is the city of Skive.

Neighboring municipalities with land connection are Sundsøre and Spøttrup to the northwest, Vinderup to the southwest, Fjends to the south, and Viborg to the southeast. Neighboring municipality Møldrup to the east is separated from the municipality by the waters of "Lovns Bredning" and Hjarbæk Fjord, parts of the larger Limfjord which separates the main part of the Jutland peninsula from the island of Vendsyssel-Thy to the north, and which define the municipality's eastern border. To the north is "Lovns Bredning", and to the west around Skive peninsula are the waters of Skive Fjord and Bådsgård Cove ("Bådsgård Vig").

The Virksund Bridge ("Virksundbroen") connects the municipality at the town of Virksund to the town of Sundstrup in Møldrup municipality.

As of January 1, 2007 the original Skive municipality ceased to exist, as the result of "Kommunalreformen" ("The Municipal Reform" of 2007). It was merged with the existing Sallingsund, Spøttrup, and Sundsøre municipalities to form the new Skive municipality. The old municipality had an area of 230 km² and a total population of 27,919 (2005). Before the reform the municipality was part of Viborg County.

The town of Skive

The town of Skive is a coastal tourist resort, and is situated at the mouth of the Karup River ("Karup Å") and the Skive Fjord. As of 1992, the population was 19,711.

Attractions

* 14th century Spøttrup Castle underwent extensive repairs in the 1940s, and opened as a museum and medicinal herb garden.
* Skive Art Museum ("Skive Kunstmuseum") is housed in a building designed by Danish architect Leopold Teschl, who also designed the Skive Historical Museum. The art museum houses a broad collection of modern Danish art with special interest in expressive landscapes and New Realism painting. Additionally the collection includes works by local artists, including Christen Dalsgaard, national romantic painter associated with the Golden Age of Danish Painting.
* The Fur Museum is on the island of Fur, part of the Skive municipality. It features exhibits relating to the island of Fur, particularly fossils.
* The Mønsted Limestone Caves south-west of the town of Skive are run by Denmark's nature-preservation group, "Skov- og Naturstyrelse". As well as being a tourist attraction, the caves are used as a place to age cheese, which is then exported to Germany as "cavecheese". In winter the caves are home to 10,000 bats.

External links

* [http://www.skivekommune.dk Municipality's official website]
* [http://www.skivekommune.dk/sw31845.asp The new Skive municipality's official website (Danish only)]
* [http://www.skivefolkeblad.dk/ Skive Skive Folkeblad - City Local Newspaper]
* [http://www.visitskive.dk/sw52291.asp Skive tourism bureau]
* [http://www.ses.dk/14f000c Spøttrup Castle]
* [http://www.skivekunstmuseum.dk/ Skive Art Museum]
* [http://www.monsted-kalkgruber.dk/uk/menu.htm Mønsted Limestone Caves]

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/danmarkskort/ Eniro new municipalities map]