Svendborg is a city in Funen, a major seaport and home to one of the largest transport and forwarding companies in the world, Maersk. Due to its long and rich history, it also has many interesting buildings, including the 16th century house of Anne Hvide.
The city was founded in the 12th century and from its beginnings it was an important trading center. The local port remains one of the most important in Denmark to this day, and the shipbuilding industry is also developing here. In 1904, Captain Peter Mærsk-Møller and his son founded a shipping company in Svendborg, which has grown into one of the largest in the world.
Due to its location and nature, Svendborg was damaged many times during wars with Sweden. Among the monuments preserved to our times, the Romanesque-Gothic Church of Our Lady stands out. The oldest secular building is Anne Hvide's half-timbered house, which now belongs to the local museum.
Other attractions in Svendborg include the local museums, the modern Naturama natural history museum and the social history museum, Danmarks Forsorgsmuseum. In the vicinity of the city, on the island of Tasinge, there is the Valdemars Castle, which houses the Museum of Hunting and Trophies. The Renaissance water castle of Egeskov and the Hesselagergård estate surrounded by gardens are also nearby.
