The 10 Best Things to Do in Kolding, Denmark

Museum of Modern Art And Design Trapholt is located in Southern Denmark on the Mainland of Jutland and is one of the largest and most popular museums in Denmark, outside of Copenhagen. Trapholt opened in 1988 and added additional exhibition space and collection storage in 1996. The international architecture competition held in 1982, was won by the project team of architects Boje Lundgaard and Bente Aude, lighting designer Sophus Frandsen and landscape architect Svend Kirkegaard, for its exceptional museum design and its extraordinary and sensitive placement in nature. The Museum is set in a beautiful sculpture park overlooking the water of Kolding Fjord and visitors come from far and near, not only to see the amazing array of Exhibitions, Performances and programs but also to experience the museum’s architecture, the one-of-a-kind summerhouse designed by Arne Jacobsen, to find unique design treasures in the museum shop and to become culinarily tempted in the restaurant with its breathtaking view. At Trapholt visitors will be welcomed by TRAPguides that are trained to help assist and offer the visitors guided tours of the museum, tours of Arne Jacobsen’s summerhouse, and introductions to current Exhibitions. Also at Trapholt, we make sure to always have a varied range of options and activities for children and their accompanying adults. Trapholt Exhibitions Trapholt displays a series of permanent and temporary Exhibitions throughout the year. Trapholt’s goal is, at any given time, to display Exhibitions of three different categories within its expertise; namely aesthetically enticing displays, current, debate creating exhibits and compelling insights into design and art history. Trapholt has a total of 2500 square meters of exhibition space divided into 8 galleries. Unique for the architectural design of the museum, is that not only does some galleries have breathtaking views, but each and every gallery has its own specific character and is unique in regards to the layout, daylight/artificial light and orientation. All galleries are accessible from the main museum walkway that winds it way down the sloped terrains and gives access to all the Exhibitions. The whole museum, and all the facilities, are designed to be wheelchair accessible . The Trapholt Collections Trapholt collections consists of: A large collection of Danish furniture design Modern Danish visual art and sculpture A permanent Richard Mortensen exhibition Ceramics, textiles and product designs The sculpture park, with works by Danish contemporary artists The Arne Jacobsen’s Cube flex summerhouse The collection of Danish visual arts and sculpture, is mainly from the 19th century up until today. The bulk of the collection however, dates from after 1900 and in addition to art, the collection also includes crafts, and product designs from this period. The furniture collection at Trapholt charts the development of Danish furniture design from the beginning of the twentieth century up until the present. The collection is continually being added to- in the form of new acquisitions, donations and gifts- and are regularly being featured in temporary and permanent museum Exhibitions.

Koldinghus was built in the middle of the 13th century, and in the centuries that followed it was one of Denmark's most important royal Castles. In 1808 there was a fire that left the castle in ruins – a romantic relic. Today the castle has been restored and houses a museum which is a centre for cultural activities and special Exhibitions of international standing.

Close to Koldinghus, is the popular playground and park known as Legeparken. Legeparken is a recreational area for children and adults, and it is open all year round. The main attraction is a 5000 square metre artificial lake, featuring free rowing boats. You will also find assorted playground equipment, activity buildings, a kiosk, grill sites and toilets.

Geographical Garden is an experience park and botanical garden. Here you can learn where the various plants are from because they are organized based on geographical origin. You can experience thousands of roses, greenhouses, animal shelters, jungle paths, play areas and Kolding Miniature Town. Get inspiration for your own garden at the Gardens of Ideas or participate in the many events during the summer. Bring your picnic basket or visit our cafe where afternoon tea is served on specific days throughout the summer. In 2018 the garden has its 100th anniversary and this will be celebrated with a variety of events. You can read more about the anniversary and view the program here: The 100th anniversary of the Geografical Garden/Geografisk Have.

Kolding, one of the largest city in Denmark. The center of the city offers a large area with pedestrian streets and quaint alleys. The City offers a huge variety of different shops. There are often events in the city as jazz in the streets during the summer, Culture Night and markets.

The Museum of Nursing History in Kolding is the only professional museum on nursing in Denmark. The museum conveys the history of nursing and health care from the Middle Ages until today. The museum is housed in an old tuberculosis sanatorium with a beautiful view over Kolding Fjord. Here you can see how a hospital ward was arranged and how nursing was done.

Skamlingsbanken, is the highest point in South Jutland with its placement 113 metres above sea level. Skamlingsbanken is located in beautiful surroundings with magnificent views of the whole region between Kolding and Christiansfeld. There are also views to the Little Belt and Funen and a long way into Jutland to the west. It’s a grand landscape with undulating fields, beech Forests and hedgerows. Skamlingsbanken is also known for the gatherings that took place in support of the Danish cause in South Jutland in the years 1843-59. On Højskamlingen, is a 16-metre-high monument made of 25 granite blocks commemorating the defenders of the Danish cause in Schleswig. The monument was erected in 1863, blown up by the Prussians in 1864 and erected again in 1866. This reconstruction was made possible because people in the area had kept the stones. Near the monument are six other monuments and a platform of large stones. The platform is surrounded by five groups of trees that symbolise the inseparability of the five Nordic countries. These trees are: Beech (Denmark), birch (Sweden), spruce (Norway), juniper (Finland) and rowan (Iceland). After the liberation of Denmark in 1945, a monument was erected in honor of the fallen from the South Jutlandic resistance movement. The hill is a popular destination for excursions and offers a car park, a small exhibition about the history of Skamlingsbanken and a restaurant.

Marielundssøen is an idylic area, where you can go for a walk or take your bike, along the trails in the forest, and around the lake. There is also a small puplic area with benches, if you want to bring lunch. The place is highly recommended for a walk in good or bad weather.

The house was built in 1589, in the typical architectural style of Kolding, as a gable house facing the street. This tradition originated from the North German trading towns and spread to the Danish towns along the Little Belt during the Middle Ages. There are only a few surviving examples left in Denmark of this construction method, which gave many owners direct access to the street. Amongst these, there are three in Kolding: Borch's Gard on Akseltorv and Helligkorsgade 18 and 20. In 1704, shoemaker Jørgen Hansen bought the house and it was in the ownership of his family until 1915. It was then bought by a group of Kolding citizens, who wanted to ensure that it would be preserved for posterity. The house was later given to Kolding municipality, which used it as a tourist office for many years. Today, the building is used as an exhibition area for artists. In the gable facing the garden is a cannonball from the battle of Kolding on 23 April 1849.