Ribe is the oldest town – and had the first church – in Scandinavia. It was founded early in the 8th century and became quickly a thriving port.
The current cathedral (below) was completed in 1250 after more than hundred years of works, although it sits in the place of an earlier church from the middle of the 9th century. The town used to have a castle from the early 12th century but that was destroyed by the Swedes in 1658.
As the number of inhabitants was about 5000 in the year 1500 and about 8000 five hundred years later, there has been no particular modern growth spurt and the town has preserved its medieval character (below).
Rails, wines, worlds 