Gudhjem is a small town and fishing port on the northern coast of the Baltic island of

Bornholm Bornholm () is a Danish island in the Baltic Sea, to the east of the rest of Denmark, south of Sweden, northeast of Germany and north of Poland. Strategically located, Bornholm has been fought over for centuries. It has usually been ruled by ...

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establishe ...

. Its population is 736 (1 January 2022). Gudhjem is a popular venue for tourists who are attracted by its steep, picturesque streets, views and atmosphere.Gudhjem town portal
(in Danish)

History

Its history as a fishing village goes back many years. The former church,

St Anne's Chapel ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy an ...

, now a ruin, dates from around 1300. Its harbour was first built in the middle of the 19th century but was destroyed by a storm in 1872 and rebuilt in 1889. A second harbour was constructed between 1897 and 1906 to provide a safe haven for whaling and fishing boats. It was in Gudhjem that smoked

herring Herring are forage fish, mostly belonging to the family of Clupeidae. Herring often move in large schools around fishing banks and near the coast, found particularly in shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and North Atlantic Ocea ...

s were first prepared, in the town's typical

smokehouse A smokehouse (North American) or smokery (British) is a building where meat or fish is cured with smoke. The finished product might be stored in the building, sometimes for a year or more.

s. Since the 1840s, smoked herrings have been sent to Copenhagen. The Gudhjem-

Christiansø Ertholmene (formerly spelled ''Ærtholmene)'' is a small archipelago in Denmark. The largest island is Christiansø, and its name often refers to the entire archipelago. Ertholmene is situated northeast of Gudhjem, Bornholm, and contains De ...

ferry has been functioning since 1684.

Landmarks

Gudhjem Mølle, Denmark's largest windmill, which stands at the top of the hill down into the town, was constructed in 1893. Taken out of service in 1962, it now houses a shop and a café."Gudhjem Mølle"
''Den Store Danske''. Retrieved 4 November 2012. Gudhjem is home to the Oluf Høst Museum where Bornholm's celebrated painter, Oluf Høst, spent the latter part of his life.

Gallery

File:Gudhjem 140814-2.jpg, Gudhjem File:Gudhjem from east.jpg, Gudhjem from east File:Gudhjem from west 1.jpg, Gudhjem from west

References

External links

{{Authority control Cities and towns in the Capital Region of Denmark Bornholm