Løgstør is a town in Denmark with a population of 3,969 (1 January 2025) It is located 47 km west of
Aalborg
Aalborg or Ålborg ( , , ) is Denmark's List of cities and towns in Denmark, fourth largest urban settlement (behind Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Odense) with a population of 119,862 (1 July 2022) in the town proper and an Urban area, urban populati ...
and 64 km north of Viborg. Løgstør's city centre consists of old streets with small houses built in the 19th century for fishermen and
sailors
A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship. While the term ''sailor'' ...
. One of these houses was donated by Danish housemen to the author and poet Johan Skjoldborg (1861 - 1936) in 1918, who lived in the house until his death. It is located on Johan Skjoldborgs Vej.
History
The name ''Løgstør ''is mentioned for the first time in 1514, where the city is described as a
fishing village
A fishing village is a village, usually located near a fishing ground, with an economy based on catching fish and harvesting seafood. The continents and islands around the world have coastlines totalling around 356,000 kilometres (221,000 ...
. Later, the site developed into a charging and trading space, and in 1523 the city became a customs office. Løgstør is an old trading place that, like
Nibe
Nibe is a town with a population of 5,616 (1 January 2025),Aalborg
Aalborg or Ålborg ( , , ) is Denmark's List of cities and towns in Denmark, fourth largest urban settlement (behind Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Odense) with a population of 119,862 (1 July 2022) in the town proper and an Urban area, urban populati ...
set itself counter to neighbouring attempts to expand trade opportunities and create economic growth in the smaller communities. Already in 1598, Aalborgian complaints made a royal ban on Løgstør's spirited trade in grain and ice cream. In 1752, Aalborg's powerful merchants blocked the small harbour town's application, as the merchants once again feared increased competition in the
Limfjord
The Limfjord ( common Danish: ''Limfjorden'' , in northwest Jutlandish dialect: ''Æ Limfjord'') is a shallow part of the sea, located in Denmark where it has been regarded as an inlet ever since Viking times. However, it now has entries both ...
area. In 1747 and 1751, Løgstør was ravaged by violent fires, and in these difficulties the population declined, so that in 1769 the city had only 392 inhabitants.
Due to the shallow harbour Løgstør had difficulty finding ships at Løgstør, and even fewer created after Agger Tangs were pierced at
Thyborøn
Thyborøn is a fishing village in Jutland, Denmark, with a population of 1,816 (1 January 2024),Frederick VII was the king of
Denmark
Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
. The channel was 4.4 km long, a width of approx. 25 m and a depth of 3 m and walked along the mainland west and southwest of Løgstør, so that it could be added to the shopping district. Several hundred ships passed the Channel every year, and at the end of the 19th century, almost 3,000 vessels arrived. year. A ferry through Løgstør Land was a shortcut to Løgstør Harbour and the canal closed in 1913 to shipping traffic. It was preserved for cultural reasons.
Agriculture gradually came to play an increasing role for Løgstør, and trade in agricultural products necessitated a better infrastructure. The harbor was therefore expanded, new roads were built and in 1893 the railway arrived at the city. Seven years later, the city acquired commercial property rights. In 1942 the Aggersund bridge was built over the fjord, and Løgstør's catchment area was expanded to include the southern part of Han Herred.
Buildings
Løgstør Church is a neo-gothic building built in red brick in 1893 with a tall slanting tower facing west. Johan Skjoldborg's grave is in the cemetery.
Close to the harbor lies Løgstør Grunde Fyr, built in 1908. There is a double stove with two wooden towers on a white, brick building. The
lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lens (optics), lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways.
Ligh ...
is considered one of the most distinctive lighthouses in Denmark.
Next to the harbour is Hotel du Nord, an old hotel with restaurant.
Limfjordsskolen
Limfjordsskolen in Løgstør is a special education school for young people with disabilities. The school was founded in 1969 by Åndssvageforsorgen, by the then County Council leader in the county of Nordjylland, Leo H. Jensen (1924-1997), who, as the first leader of the Limfjord School, 1969–1976, had also established the pedagogical principles. Limfjordskolen was transferred to the county of Nordjylland in 1980 and since 2007 is operated by
Vesthimmerland Municipality
Vesthimmerland Municipality () is a '' kommune'' in the North Jutland Region of Denmark. It covers an area of 768,08 km² (2013) and has a total population of 35,818 (2025). The Municipality borders Jammerbugt Municipality to the south and to ...
. The school has 44 students aged 17-20 + years. The stay is usually 3 years.
Løgstør municipality
Løgstør is also a former municipality ( Danish, '' kommune'') in
Region Nordjylland
The North Jutland Region (), or in some official sources, the North Denmark Region, is an administrative region of Denmark established on 1 January 2007 as part of the 2007 Danish municipal reform, which abolished the traditional counties () an ...
on the
Jutland Peninsula
Jutland (; , ''Jyske Halvø'' or ''Cimbriske Halvø''; , ''Kimbrische Halbinsel'' or ''Jütische Halbinsel'') is a peninsula of Northern Europe that forms the continental portion of Denmark and part of northern Germany (Schleswig-Holstein). It ...
in northern
Denmark
Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
. The municipality, including the island of Livø, covered an area of , and had a total population of 10,270 (2005). Its last mayor was Jens Lauritzen, a member of the Venstre (Liberal Party)
political party
A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular area's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific political ideology, ...
.
A bridge connects the former municipality near Tolstrup to the town of
Aggersund
Aggersund is a village in northern Denmark with a population of 264 (2024). The village is a part of Vesthimmerland Municipality in the North Jutland Region.
Evidence of settlement in Aggersund dates back to the stone age, and the village contai ...
on the far side of the Agger Strait. The island of Livø lies off the former municipality's western shores, and is partially a protected nature reserve.
On 1 January 2007, Løgstør municipality ceased to exist as a result of ''Kommunalreformen'' ("The Municipality Reform" of 2007). It was merged with
Farsø
Farsø is a town with a population of 3,352 (1 January 2025) in Region Nordjylland in Denmark in the Vesthimmerland Municipality. Farsø was the birthplace of Johannes Vilhelm Jensen, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1944. The village ...
Aars
Aars or Års, () is a Denmark, Danish town with a population of 8,708 (1 January 2025)Vesthimmerland municipality
Vesthimmerland Municipality () is a '' kommune'' in the North Jutland Region of Denmark. It covers an area of 768,08 km² (2013) and has a total population of 35,818 (2025). The Municipality borders Jammerbugt Municipality to the south and to ...
, with an area of and a total population of 39,176 (2005).
Famous people from Løgstør
* Peder Horrebow (1679 in Løgstør – 1764) astronomer; the Moon crater Horrebow is named after him
* Christen Lindencrone (1703 in Løgstør - 1772) a Danish landowner and
supercargo
A supercargo (from Italian
or from Spanish ) is a person employed on board a vessel by the owner of cargo carried on a ship. The duties of a supercargo are defined by admiralty law and include managing the cargo owner's trade, selling the mer ...
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...
* Arne Ranslet (1931 in Løgstør - 2018) a famous Danish sculptor and ceramist on
Bornholm
Bornholm () is a List of islands of Denmark, 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. I ...
* Christian Mejdahl (born 1939 at Tverå, Faroe Islands) former chairman of the Danish parliament, lives in Løgstør
* Jens Lauritzen (born 1953 at Nyborg) a Danish politician, Mayor of Løgstør Municipality from 1998, Mayor of the
Vesthimmerland Municipality
Vesthimmerland Municipality () is a '' kommune'' in the North Jutland Region of Denmark. It covers an area of 768,08 km² (2013) and has a total population of 35,818 (2025). The Municipality borders Jammerbugt Municipality to the south and to ...
from 2006 to 2010
* Henrik Rasmussen (born 1968 in Løgstør) former professional football player, 322 caps for AaB
* Peter Jensen (born 1969 in Løgstør) is a London-based men's and womenswear designer.
* Karsten Lauritzen (born in Løgstør 1983) a Danish Venstre politician and former Tax Minister of Denmark