Vestermarie

Vestermarie is a village midway between Rønne and Aakirkeby on the Danish island of Bornholm. As of 2023, it has a population of 241.[1]

Vestermarie
Village
Vestermarie Church, Bornholm
Vestermarie Church, Bornholm
Vestermarie is located in Bornholm
Vestermarie
Vestermarie
Location on Bornholm
Coordinates: 55°06′28″N 14°49′24″E
CountryDenmark
RegionCapital (Hovedstaden)
MunicipalityBornholm
Population
 (2023)
 • Total241
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)

History

The village takes its name from the original Vestermarie Church which was dedicated to the Virgin Mary in 1335. The prefix "vester" (west) distinguishes it from Østermarie, "øster" meaning "east". Today's church was completed in 1835 in the Neo-Romanesque style. The churchyard contains a number of runestones.[2]

The village today

The village is essentially a residential area for those working in Rønne, only 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) away. Since the 1950s, it has grown gradually to the west and northwest of the church. There is a school (1964) and a food store but no other businesses. The community hall (forsamlingshuset) is of interest to the local heritage.[3]

Prehistoric sites

An impressive group of menhirs stands on Bjergebakken (102 m) some 2 km north of the village.[4] The grave site on Store Bjergegårdsbakken was investigated in the 1890s and listed in 1894. In addition to burnt bones, there were fibulae, a sword, beads, iron keys and small pots indicating that the graves date from the end of the Iron Age, i.e. 500–400 BC.[5]

References
  1. BY3: Population 1. January, by urban areas The Mobile Statbank from Statistics Denmark
  2. "Vestermarie", Den Store Danske. (in Danish) Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  3. "309 - Vestermarie", Bornholms Regionskpmmune. (in Danish) Retrieved 8 November 2012.
  4. "Oldtidsminder på Bornholm" Archived September 30, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Bornholms Historiske Samfund. (in Danish) Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  5. "Kongstubbe - Hakkeled - Bjergebakke", På 367 ture i Bornholms natur. (in Danish) Retrieved 9 November 2012.

55°06′28″N 14°49′24″E

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.