Hundested

Hundested is a town with a population of 8,543 (1 January 2022) and a former municipality ( Danish, '' kommune'') in Region Hovedstaden in the northern part of the island of Zealand (''Sjælland'') in eastern Denmark.

The former municipality is surrounded by water on three side: to the north is the Kattegat, to the west is the channel leading into the Isefjord, and to the south is Roskilde Fjord and the channel leading into it from the Isefjord.

The area is characterized by sand and dunes, especially on its northern side facing the Kattegat, but also found in the central areas and in the south. Kikhavn on the northern side of the peninsula, not far to the east of the town of Hundested, is the oldest fishing village in the area.

Geography

Hundested is situated at the tip of the Halsnæs peninsula which projects west from the northwestern corner of North Zealand, forming the west side of the entrance to Isefjord. The south coast of the peninsula is fronted by two cliffs which at Store Karlsminde Klint rises to 33 metres. It is located opposite the northern tip of Hornsherred, defining Kulhuse Rende, the one kilometer long entrance to Roskilde Fjord. To the west of Store Karlsminde Klint is the lower Skuldslev Klint which continues for about 1 kilometer to Lynæs Harbour. in the southern part of Hundested. The cliffs have formerly been subject to continuous erosion but is now sheltered by the harbor. The erosion has resulted in a shallow-watered area with water depths of only about one metre. To the east of Store Karlsminde Klint is a low area with coastal meadows, Sølager, which further inland gives way to forested slopes.

History

The name Hundested is first mentioned as a field "Hundersted" in 1682. As a village only in a parish register from 1844.

The Halsnæs peninsula was formerly the site of several villages. Kikhavn was a fishing village from at 16th century. In 1776, Frederiksværk's founder, Johan Frederik Classen, established Grønnessegård manor on the peninsula in 1776, shutting down the villages of Gryndese, Rorup and Fornerup.

It is believed that the first building in present-day Hundested was a house for the local pilots built in the 1835.

A breakwater (''Læmolen'') was built at Hundested in 1862 and Lynæs Harbour was built in 1872. It soon developed into the most important fishing port on Zealand and was expanded several times before most of the fishing vessels moved to Hundested Harbour in about 1910. Most of the fish was sold to traders from Frederikssund before the railway which opened in 1916 provided easy access to Copenhagen by way of Hillerød