Gørlev
Encyclopedia
Gørlev is a town with a population of 2,482 (1 January 2011) on the west coast of the island of Zealand (Sjælland) in Denmark
, belonging to Kalundborg Municipality
in Region Sjælland
. To the west are Musholm (Mosses Island) Bay (Musholm Bugt), the Great Belt
(Storebælt)— the strait which separates Zealand from the island of Funen
), and Jammerland Bay (Jammerland Bugt).
passage grave
s (Rævehøj Passage Grave near the town of Dalby) and Bronze Age
mound
s.
In Gørlev Church's entryway are two Viking Age
runestones, the Gørlev Stones (Gørlevstenene), that show the entire rune alphabet, the younger futhark
. The first runestone is dated to the early 800s, and was found on the spot in May 1921 by a bricklayer working at the church. The second runestone is dated to ca. 1000, and was found in 1965 unter the church tower. The only runestones in Denmark more significant than these are the Jelling stones
, erected by King Harold Bluetooth ca. 965 in the town of Jelling
, the old Viking capital of Scandinavia
.
Nearby Magle Marsh (Maglemose), also known as Mullerup Marsh (Mullerup Mose) is a large waterlands area, which includes Tis Lake (Tissø). This is the site of the Mullerup or Magle Marsh Culture, the summer site of Stone Age hunters and fisher. Evidence of their residence here was excavated in 1900 and 1902. These were the oldest sites of this type in the Nordic countries, and helped contribute to a better understanding of Denmark's early history. Two memorials commemorate the discovery site.
Other attractions include Svella's Mill (Svellas Mølle), a restored windmill built in 1870 and one of Denmark's smallest mills; the agriculture museum Fløjgården; Reersø Museum; and the Old Movie House (Den Gamle Biograf), the municipality's culture center.
, kommune) in West Zealand County
. The municipality covered an area of 92,06 km², and had a total population of 6,556 (2005). Its last mayor was Jørgen Arnam-Olsen, a member of the Venstre
(Liberal Party) political party
.
Gørlev municipality ceased to exist as the result of Kommunalreformen ("The Municipality Reform" of 2007). It was merged with existing Bjergsted
, Hvidebæk
, Høng
, and Kalundborg
municipalities to form the new Kalundborg municipality. This created a municipality with an area of 598 km² and a total population of 48,697 (2005).
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, belonging to Kalundborg Municipality
Kalundborg municipality
Kalundborg municipality is a municipality in Region Sjælland on the west coast of the island of Zealand in Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 598 km², and has a total population of 49,743 . Its mayor is Martin Damm, a member of Venstre...
in Region Sjælland
Region Sjælland
Region Zealand is an administrative region of Denmark established on January 1, 2007 as part of the 2007 Danish Municipal Reform, which replaced the traditional counties with five larger regions. At the same time, smaller municipalities were merged into larger units, cutting the number of...
. To the west are Musholm (Mosses Island) Bay (Musholm Bugt), the Great Belt
Great Belt
The Great Belt is a strait between the main Danish islands of Zealand and Funen . Effectively dividing Denmark in two, the Belt was served by the Great Belt ferries from the late 19th century until the islands were connected by the Great Belt Fixed Link in 1997–98.-Geography:The Great Belt is the...
(Storebælt)— the strait which separates Zealand from the island of Funen
Funen
Funen , with a size of 2,984 km² , is the third-largest island of Denmark following Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy, and the 163rd largest island of the world. Funen is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 454,358 inhabitants . The main city is Odense, connected to the...
), and Jammerland Bay (Jammerland Bugt).
Attractions
The municipality is home to a number of interesting sites, including Stone AgeStone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
passage grave
Passage grave
thumb|250px|right|A simple passage tomb in [[Carrowmore]] near [[Sligo]] in IrelandA passage grave or passage tomb consists of a narrow passage made of large stones and one or multiple burial chambers covered in earth or stone. Megaliths are usually used in the construction of passage tombs, which...
s (Rævehøj Passage Grave near the town of Dalby) and Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
mound
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
s.
In Gørlev Church's entryway are two Viking Age
Viking Age
Viking Age is the term for the period in European history, especially Northern European and Scandinavian history, spanning the late 8th to 11th centuries. Scandinavian Vikings explored Europe by its oceans and rivers through trade and warfare. The Vikings also reached Iceland, Greenland,...
runestones, the Gørlev Stones (Gørlevstenene), that show the entire rune alphabet, the younger futhark
Younger Futhark
The Younger Futhark, also called Scandinavian runes, is a runic alphabet, a reduced form of the Elder Futhark, consisting of only 16 characters, in use from ca. 800 CE...
. The first runestone is dated to the early 800s, and was found on the spot in May 1921 by a bricklayer working at the church. The second runestone is dated to ca. 1000, and was found in 1965 unter the church tower. The only runestones in Denmark more significant than these are the Jelling stones
Jelling stones
The Jelling stones are massive carved runestones from the 10th century, found at the town of Jelling in Denmark. The older of the two Jelling stones was raised by King Gorm the Old in memory of his wife Thyra...
, erected by King Harold Bluetooth ca. 965 in the town of Jelling
Jelling
Jelling is a village in Denmark with a population of 3,248 , located in Jelling Parish approx. 10 km northwest of Vejle. The city lies 105 metres above sea level.-Location:...
, the old Viking capital of Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
.
Nearby Magle Marsh (Maglemose), also known as Mullerup Marsh (Mullerup Mose) is a large waterlands area, which includes Tis Lake (Tissø). This is the site of the Mullerup or Magle Marsh Culture, the summer site of Stone Age hunters and fisher. Evidence of their residence here was excavated in 1900 and 1902. These were the oldest sites of this type in the Nordic countries, and helped contribute to a better understanding of Denmark's early history. Two memorials commemorate the discovery site.
Other attractions include Svella's Mill (Svellas Mølle), a restored windmill built in 1870 and one of Denmark's smallest mills; the agriculture museum Fløjgården; Reersø Museum; and the Old Movie House (Den Gamle Biograf), the municipality's culture center.
Gørlev municipality
Until 1 January 2007 Gørlev was also a municipality (DanishDanish language
Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
, kommune) in West Zealand County
West Zealand County
Vestsjællands Amt is a former county in the west-central part of the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. The county was abolished effective January 1, 2007, when it merged into Region Sjælland Vestsjællands Amt is a former county (Danish: amt) in the west-central part of the island of Zealand...
. The municipality covered an area of 92,06 km², and had a total population of 6,556 (2005). Its last mayor was Jørgen Arnam-Olsen, a member of the Venstre
Venstre (Denmark)
VenstreThe party name is officially not translated into any other language, but is in English often referred to as the Liberal Party. Similar rules apply for the name of the party's youth wing Venstres Ungdom. , full name Venstre, Danmarks Liberale Parti , is the largest political party in Denmark...
(Liberal Party) political party
Politics of Denmark
The Politics of Denmark takes place in a framework of a parliamentary, representative democratic, constitutional monarchy, in which the Prime Minister is the head of government, and of a multi-party system...
.
Gørlev municipality ceased to exist as the result of Kommunalreformen ("The Municipality Reform" of 2007). It was merged with existing Bjergsted
Bjergsted
Until 1 January 2007, Bjergsted was a municipality in West Zealand County on the west coast of the island of Zealand in Denmark. The municipality included the islands of Sejrø and Nekselø, and covered an area of 138.62 km². It had a total population of 8,047...
, Hvidebæk
Hvidebæk
Until 1 January 2007 Hvidebæk was a municipality in West Zealand County on the west coast of the island of Zealand in Denmark. The municipality covered an area of 98,26 km², and had a total population of 5,492 . Its last mayor was Henning Fougt, a member of the Venstre political party...
, Høng
Høng
Høng is a town with a population of 4,357 and a former municipality in Region Sjælland near the west coast of the island of Zealand in Denmark. The municipality covered an area of 145 km², and had a total population of 8.411...
, and Kalundborg
Kalundborg
Kalundborg is a city with a population of 16,434 in Kalundborg municipality in Denmark and the site of its municipal council. Kalundborg is on the main island Zealand, with Copenhagen, but opposite on the far western edge....
municipalities to form the new Kalundborg municipality. This created a municipality with an area of 598 km² and a total population of 48,697 (2005).