Tønder is a small, historic town on the German-Danish border. It is a famous Danish lace-making center and has a lace festival every 3 years. Its center has retained its character and buildings dating from the 14th to 17th centuries.
The city was founded in the 12th century and from the 14th century it was a member of the Hanseatic League. Until the 16th century, there was a port to which sea ships could enter. It was closed after the construction of a system of dams, which lowered the water level in the nearby bay and led to the liquidation of waterways and the gradual decline of the city. A memento of the maritime traditions of the cities is its coat of arms, in which the ship is located.
The Tønder Center has kept its historical character. There are picturesque gothic and renaissance tenement houses and cobbled streets. You can visit the Old Pharmacy, which houses the Pharmacy Museum, as well as the water tower and the historic church in Tønder.
There are also many interesting museums in the city, such as the South Jutland Museum, the House of Drøhses with a collection of objects from the everyday life of the inhabitants and an exhibition of local lace. Their production from the 16th century made Tønder one of the most important craft centers of the country. The attractions of Tønder are the lace festival that takes place here every 3 years and the annual Tønderfestival, modeled on old fairs.
The city environs hide many interesting monuments. There is, among others the Renaissance residence Schackenborg Castle is surrounded by gardens and adjacent to the Møgeltønder Church, whose interior is covered with polychromes. For nature lovers, the Sølsted Mose bog, with its marked hiking paths, is a good place.
