History and architecture
Experience Vejle with an exciting city walk or bus tour, where we explore the town’s hidden gems, historic neighbourhoods, and iconic buildings. Along the way, the guide tells the story of Vejle’s development, architecture, and the people who have shaped the city over time.
Vejle throughout 1000 years
Vejle is one of Denmark’s younger market-towns. The town grew up in the Middle Ages near a ford and a disembarkation place and in 1327 was given market town privileges.
Vejle has an interesting history, including Polish mercenaries, whose heads the locals cut off and then placed them in a church wall and the beautiful Smidtske Estate from 1799. It is well kept and is today used as a café. Thus it is a fine example, how historical buildings with atmosphere can be used in the best way.
Vejle is also known as an industrial town a.o. with Hess Ironworks, spinning mills and Dandy chewing gum factory.
The tour ends in the harbor, where we today find an entirely new quarter of modern architecture such as apartment building “Bølgen” [the Wave] and the beautiful “Fjordenhus” designed by the icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson.
Duration
2 hrs
Transport
Walking tour
Monuments and Memorials in Vejle
In Denmark there are more than 1.200 memorials from the German occupation between 1940-45 and more than 580 monuments for the reunion between Denmark and Southern Jutland in 1920.
Apart from memorials from those events in Vejle we also have many other monuments worth seeing. Among our monuments are those commemorating the Schleswig wars 1848-50 and 1864 as well as our significant local events like the totally destructive fire in Nørregade in 1786 and local celebrities like e.g. Orla Lehmann, who was Chief Executive Officer for Vejle, but also national politician and member of Parliament around the middle of the 1800s.
Duration
2 hrs
Transport
Walking tour
Fjordbyen (The Fjord City) – The modern Vejle
Fjordbyen is Vejle’s newest district by the waterfront. It features original modern architecture, in which sustainability and well-being are important factors. One of the most striking buildings is Fjordenhus, which was created by the Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson and built by the investment company Kirkbi as its headquarters. The company is owned by a part of the family behind Lego. Construction of the building began in 2014 and was completed in 2018. It is characterized by its built-in artworks and unique appearance, which is an experience on its own.
Bølgen (“The Wave”) is another prominent building in Fjordbyen. Henning Larsen Architects designed it, and the building has received several prestigious awards for its architecture, including Residential Project of the Year in 2009. Today, Bølgen consists of five buildings that form a beautiful architectural whole in the city’s best location, right by the Vejle Fjord. Bølgen and Fjordenhus are now competing for the role of the city’s new landmark.
Duration
2 hrs (Or as you wish)
Transport
Walking tour
Tours of Churches and Cemeteries in and around Vejle
A city’s history is reflected in its churches and cemeteries. Churches were often built with financial support from the city’s leading families, and those families can frequently be found buried in the churches or cemeteries, alongside the city’s other former citizens. This is also the case in Vejle. As an old market town, Vejle also provided shelter as a military hospital during the Schleswig Wars of 1848-50 and 1864, during which the town was occupied by the Germans. The soldiers who died in these hospitals were buried in the local cemeteries.
There are several churches in Vejle, and some are located quite far apart, allowing for different tours, each of which can be completed in about 2 hours:
- Old Cemetery and Eastern Cemetery with Chapel:
Includes graves and monuments from the Schleswig Wars and, for example, the family grave of Hess the Iron Foundry Family.
- Northern Cemetery:
Includes war graves of foreign soldiers from World War II, 1939-45.
- Nicolai Church:
Includes holes in the church wall made for skulls of Polish mercenaries, and Mormonkirken
(The Mormon Church) in Vejle and/or St. Norbert’s Catholic Church.
- Nørup Church and Cemetery between Vejle and Billund
Includes, among other things, a rare onion shaped dome by Gerhard de Lichtenberg from the 1700s. This can be combined with other churches or attractions in the area, such as the nearby Engelsholm Castle Park (related to the de Lichtenberg family), or the museum and café at the old grocery shop from 1897 at Bindeballe, The Ravning Bridge, etc. This tour requires a bus or that participants drive their own cars to the sites. The duration can be adjusted to participants’ preferences.
Duration
As you wish
Transport
Bus or private cars
See also
Tours outside the city
These are Vejle Guides’ bus or self-drive tours outside Vejle. There are many exciting places to visit. These tours are just suggestions; we are always happy to tailor a tour just for you.
Food Tours
Experience exciting food tours in and around Vejle, where we visit specialty shops and local producers to taste innovative products. Along the way, the guide shares insights into the local food scene, nature, and history.
Public walking tours
Experience Vejle on foot with an exciting city walk, where we explore the town’s hidden gems, historic neighbourhoods, and iconic buildings. Along the way, the guide tells the story of Vejle’s development, architecture, and the people who have shaped the city over time.
Deluxe Tours
This new concept is created for those who would like to experiance something extra and don’t mind paying the extra cost.