Fredericia

Frederik the Third founded Fredericia as a fortress town in 1650, but Bronze Age and Iron Age remains reveal that people have always been attracted to the Fredericia region, with its forests and the sea nearby.
The ramparts surrounding the old fortress town are well preserved, and as you walk or jog around them you can still hear echoes of the past - mixed these days with the sound of the ducks in the moat below! The bastions and old cannons are reminders of a time when this part of Europe was much less peaceful than it is today.
The fortifications are among Denmark's greatest treasures, alongside Kronborg Castle, the trenches at Dybbøl, and Kastellet in Copenhagen. A national committee has been working since 1992 to recreate the fortifications, bridges and gates of the old ramparts.

The battle of 1849
All over Fredericia there are reminders of the Three-Year War and the battle of 1849, when Danish troops defeated an army from Schleswig-Holstein laying siege to the town. This victory is commemorated each year with a two-day festival on 5th and 6th July, with soldiers in old uniforms forming a colourful part of the modern street scene.
After the battle of 1849 the sculptor H.V. Bissen created "Den tapre Landsoldat", which is the world's first memorial to the Unknown Soldier. The statue stands by the old guarded entrance in one of the most attractive squares in the town. Here, too, the 230-year-old "Prinsens Port" leads the way through the ramparts. The winding road giving access to this gate can still be seen.

A lively town for shopping
The centre of Fredericia has plenty of lively and modern shops, and great efforts are made to ensure that the town centre retains its appeal for the general public.
The aim is to create streets of a high quality with beautiful paving, attractive signs and inviting squares which can be used for both shopping and cultural events.

The present meets the past in Fredericia's shops, too. These range from modern special shops offering select goods and service for demanding consumers, to popular, Mediterranean-style market stalls which have been doing business for centuries on Axeltorv square.


Fredericia has much to offer anglers, divers and yachting enthusiasts
The town is perfect for yachting, and many Danish, Nordic, European and World Championship medals have been won by yachtsmen from the town - as well as Olympic medals. Fredericia has two yachting marinas.
Fredericia's sportsmen and women do very well at the top levels of their chosen sports. But the town also focuses on a broad sporting base. Sports halls and facilities are distributed equally throughout the municipality - so the people of Fredericia never have far to go if they are interested in physical exertion!