Svendborg

Geobox City
name = Svendborg
native_name =
category = City


image_size = 290px
image_caption = Svendborg harbour

| flag_size=
symbol = Svendborgs våben.png symbol_size = 75px
country = Denmark | state=
region = Region Syddanmark
district = Svendborg municipality
district_type = Municipality | district_label=
part_type = | part_count =
part = | part1 =
area = 418
area_round = 0
location =
lat_d = 55 | lat_m = 3 | lat_s = 34.93 | lat_NS= N
long_d= 10 | long_m= 36 | long_s= 30.29 | long_EW= E
elevation =
population_as_of = 2008
population = 27318 | population_density=
established_type = Founded
established = 1253
established1_type =
mayor =
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST= +2
postal_code = | postal_code_type = Postal codes
area_code = | area_code_type=
free_type = | free=
free1_type = | free1=

map_size=
map_caption = Svendborg (lower center) in Denmark
map_locator =
map_locator_x = 35.2
map_locator_y = 82.1
website =

Svendborg is a city in central Denmark, located in Svendborg municipality (population 59,040 in 2008) on the island of Funen. Svendborg is the second-largest city on Funen and has a population of 27,318 (2008).

Svendborg celebrated its 750th anniversary as a market town in 2003.

In 2000 Svendborg was declared "Town of the year" in Denmark.Svendborg is the official home of the SIMAC education, which has set new standards for training seagoing officers. The new concept is based on the dual purpose, of both being able to go watch in the engine and on the bridge. Svendborg also houses nursing-, teacher education- and business schools.

The largest container ship company in the world, A.P. Møller-Mærsk has its origins in Svendborg, in the "Villa Anna", and it remains in the hands of Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller.

Svendborg also houses the museum “Naturama” which is very popular among children. The museum have exhibitions of all kinds of stuffed animals e.g. birds and bears.

History

The first recorded mentioning of Svendborg occurred in 1229 in a letter by Valdemar the Victorious, where he refers to the fortification, known as Svinæburgh. The explanations for this early form of the name varies from, that it should be related to the excessive numbers of pigs (Danish: svin) in the area, that there was large numbers of Harbour Porpoises (Danish: marsvin), or simply that the name just implies that it is a fortress located by the sound.

In 1236, the Greyfriars monastery in Svendborg was established. The Greyfriars would be part of the city for the next 300 years, until the Protestant reformation in 1536. The remainders of the monastery, was partly excavated in 2007.

In 1253, the city was granted market town privileges by King Christopher I.

During Medieval times the city was fortified with walls and moats. The defence system also included a small number of fortresses. The locations, and, actually, most historical facts about the medieval defence system, are disputed, as little archaeological evidence has been generated. In spite of this it is a popular theory that the three towers in the coat of arms are the three fortifications("Skattertårnet", "Kyseborg" and a third unnamed one).

During the time of the Protestant reformation and the Count's Feud in the 1530s, the citizens of Svendborg joined forces with the King. Ørkild Castle, located just east of Svendborg, was property of the bishop of Odense, who was less than popular among the citizens of the city. The tension resulted in the castle being seized and burned down by an angry mob in collaboration with the King's forces. The King's forces would later, after ending their north-going campaign on Funen, return to pillage and plunder Svendborg.

After 1536, Svendborg went through a brief period of progress, but it would not last for long. In the following 250 years, the city would have to face various set-backs in its development, such as plague, hostile occupations and one major fire.

It was not until the end of the war with England and the Industrial Revolution in the early 19^th century that the city started progressing fast. Population would grow from a mere 1.942 people in 1801 to a population of more than 11.500 in 1901. This development followed along with the improvement of the infrastructure, such as railway connections being established to Odense, Faaborg and Nyborg, improvement of the local roads and the establishment of a real harbour suited for extensive trading, with the goods that could now easily be transported there. In the middle of the 19^th century an explosion of industrialization happened, and all kinds of factories, from engineering factories to breweries were established. Modern gas and water supplies were made.

In the late 19^th century, with the industry established, there was a necessity to accommodate the growing population. This led to numerous new schools being established. Furthermore a hospital was established in 1871 and more was added on in 1891.