Island of Denmark near Zealand in the Baltic Sea
Møn () is an island in south-eastern Denmark. Until 1 January 2007, it was a municipality in its own right but it is now part of the municipality of Vordingborg, after merging with the former municipalities of Langebæk, Præstø, and Vordingborg. This has created a municipality with an area of and a total population of 46,307 (2005). It belongs to the Region Sjælland ("Zealand Region"). Møn is one of Denmark's most popular destinations for tourists with its white chalk cliffs, countryside, sandy beaches and the market town of Stege. In June 2017, UNESCO designated Møn as Denmark's first biosphere reserve, consisting of "a series of islands and islets in the southern Baltic Sea, over approximately . Its landscapes include woodlands, grasslands, meadows, wetlands, coastal areas, ponds and steep hills."
Location.
Møn is located just off the south-eastern tip of Zealand from which it is separated by the waters of the "Hølen" strait between Kalvehave and the island of Nyord, at the northern end of Møn. Further south is Stege Bay. At the narrowest point between the two islands, the waters are referred to as Wolf Strait ("Ulvsund"), which is the primary strait separating Møn from Zealand.
To the southwest is Stubbekøbing on the island of Falster, which is separated from Møn by the Grønsund (Green Strait).
There are a number of islands in the waters off Møn, including Nyord and Bogø, the smaller island of Farø, as well as the islands of Langø, Tærø and Lilleø off the coast of Zealand. The island of Lindholm in Stege Bugt is state-owned, and is the location for the State Veterinary Institute for Virus Research ("Statens Veterinære Institut for Virusforskning").
Transport links.
Møn is connected to Zealand at the town of Kalvehave by the Queen Alexandrine Bridge. The bridge opened for traffic on 30 May 1943, and is named after Queen Alexandrine, the Queen Consort of King Christian X. The bridge is long and considered to be one of Denmark's most attractive bridges.
At the south-western corner, Møn connects by causeway to the island of Bogø. From Bogø another causeway connects to the small island of Farø, which acts as the centre point for the Farø Bridges carrying the motorway between Zealand and Falster. The north Farø bridge has a span of , the south bridge a span of with a central span for shipping. The central span is supported by cables from two pylons which raise the bridge above sea level. The bridge was completed in 1984 and forms part of Euroroute E47 from Copenhagen (and Helsingborg) to Lübeck (and thence Hamburg and the south).
At the north-western tip of Møn there is a narrow bridge to the small island of Nyord.
The town of Stege.
Stege, the largest town on the island of Møn, is situated approximately at the centre point of the island at the mouth of Stege Nor, a lake which connects directly to the sea. The population is around 4,000. The town has a great deal of charm with historic buildings, a marina and several restaurants and cafes. Stege Church built in the Romanesque style dates from the early 13th century. The annual "Stege Festival" takes place every Tuesday in July, and the first Tuesday in August.
Attractions.
Møn is known for its natural environment, sandy beaches, fresco-decorated churches, Stone Age and Bronze Age passage graves and monuments, and Møns Klint ("The White Cliffs of Møn"), the island's most popular attraction.
The cliffs, c. 6 km long and up to 128 metres tall, are Denmark's highest, and support a unique set of natural habitats. Access to the narrow beach is via a flight of 500 steps from the parking area set within the beech forest behind the cliffs. The GeoCenter Møns Klint, a geological museum tracing the origins of Denmark and the formation of the cliffs opened there in May 2007. The combination of chalk in the subsoil with a dry local climate, and its agricultural use consisting primarily of cattle grazing, has created some of Denmark's richest meadowlands. The chalk was transported to Møn during the fourth, and most recent, major ice age.
Another attraction close to the cliffs is Liselund, the romantic summer residence erected in the 1790s by French nobleman Antoine de Bosc de la Calmette for his wife, Lise. The miniature thatched palace and grounds were designed by Andreas Kirkerup, one of the foremost landscape architects of the times. A larger house was constructed in the park in 1887 by Baron Fritz Rosenkrantz, which is now a hotel. The park is open to the public and includes the original thatched manor house, Swiss cottage, Chinese tea house and Norwegian log cabin. Calmette was also responsible for the park at Marienborg, to the west of Stege.
At the north-western corner of Møn is a narrow bridge to the island of Nyord. The small village on the island has a number of quaint cottages and farmhouses as well as a unique octagonal church and a small harbour. Nyord is an important habitat for geese, ducks and other wading birds. There is a bird-watching tower for the use of visitors.
The islands of Møn and Nyord were designated a Dark Sky Park in 2017 by The International Dark Sky Association, as the first place in Scandinavia. The Dark Sky Park Møn &amp; Nyord has become a popular attraction for European and domestic tourists looking to escape the ever increasing light pollution in urban areas. Authorised tour guides help visitors enjoy the night sky and the nocturnal environment.
At the south-western corner, Møn connects by causeway to the 5 by 7 km island of Bogø. The island has a preserved windmill, an old boarding school and a summer ferry to Stubbekøbing.
Møn has a number of interesting churches decorated with frescos. Fanefjord Church dates back to the 13th century, and has a set of recently restored frescos painted in 1450 by the Elmelunde Master. Frescos can also be seen in Elmelunde Church, the oldest church on the island, with parts dating from the start of the 12th century. Keldby Church has a unique altarpiece and is also richly decorated with frescos. Another interesting church is the one at Damsholte. It is one of the finest Rococo buildings in Denmark and the only village church built in the Rococo style.
The oldest and perhaps most impressive burial mound on Møn is Grønsalen near Fanefjord Church. The 100 m by 10 m barrow is from around 3500 BC. According to legend, it is the resting place of Chief Grønjæger (Greenranger) and his wife Queen Fane, after whom Grønsund and Fanefjord were named. There are also barrows at Raaby and Busemarke. There is also a 5,000-year-old round burial barrow at Sømarke, and others at Jættestue and Jordehøj. Kong Asgers Høj at Sprove is the largest gallery grave in Denmark, more than 4,000 years old. It has been fully excavated and can be visited inside. There is another round barrow at nearby Rundysse, and a further recently restored 9 metre long double passage gallery grave at Klekkende Høj from the Neolithic age c. 4,500 years old.
Thorsvang, Danmarks Samlermuseum is a museum of collectables arranged in a number of old shops typical of the early 20th century. It is located in the Lendemarke district of Stege.
There is a jewellery museum in the little village of Damme and near Keldbylille, there is a museum (Museumsgaarden) depicting life on a Møn farm as it was 100 years ago. There are also several art galleries and arts and crafts centres on the island.
Møn also has a number of popular beach resorts, particularly in East Møn with Ulvshale to the north and Råbylille Strand, Klintholm Havn and Hårbølle on the south side of the island.
History.
Early settlements.
There is evidence that people lived in Denmark more than 100,000 years ago, but the area became covered with ice during the last ice age. People returned to Møn about 10,000 years ago during the Upper Paleolithic era. At that time the island was part of mainland Europe.
During the Mesolithic era (6800-3900 BC) there is evidence from findings of small flint and bone tools that inhabitants of the island lived by hunting and fishing. The landscape was largely wooded, with hazel and increasingly oak and alder trees. From around 5400 BC reforestation was complete, forming an inaccessible forest and forcing out the last of the big animals such as aurochs and elk. Human habitations have been found along the eastern coast.
The Neolithic era, (3900-1700 BC) saw the start of cattle farming spreading inland from the coastal settlements. Flint axes were used, and trading occurred in flint, gold, copper and bronze. This era saw the start of barrow building for the dead, and settlements have been found at Rødkilde. Barrows became larger, longer and contained multiple burials. More than 100 large graves have been found on Møn. The period from 2400–1700 is known as Doltktiden, after the flint daggers which became common at that time. Bronze was also in use, imported from the south.
Around 2000 BC, a new wave of people arrived on Møn, the Stridsøksekulturen (the battleaxe people). They brought with them goats, sheep and horses, and their trademark stone battleaxes. They used simpler graves with small round mounds.
Bronze became more common, hence the period 1700-500 BC became the Bronze Age and flint ceased to be used for tools. Large round mounds were used for burial, and more than 200 of these have been found on Møn. Each mound covered a single grave, containing a coffin made from a single split and hollowed oak tree. From 1000 to 500 BC, graves became smaller and cremation began to be practiced. Graves were encircled by a ring of stones. Fewer items were buried with the dead, as a result of changes in society which made grave robbing more likely.
From 500 BC, iron began to be used in the Pre-Roman Iron Age. The climate became cooler and wetter, causing difficulties for agriculture. Few remains have been found from the period 500-0 BC, but Celtic culture became an influence.
The Roman Empire stopped short of Denmark, but from 0-400 AD in the Roman Iron Age there is evidence of imported Roman goods in silver, bronze and gold. Little has been found from the post-Roman Germanic Iron Age until about 800 AD. Two treasure hoards have been found on Møn from the Viking Age 800–1050.
Unification of Denmark.
The last recorded independent ruler of the island of Møn was Hemming, son of Sigvard Snogøje (Sigvard Snake-eye) in the early 10th century, who carried out raids on other territories. Møn itself was subject to raids, particularly Wends from Rügen and Fehmarn.
From 900 to 1000 AD forests were steadily cleared and there was a profitable trade in grain with the Baltic countries. The relative wealth and large population of the island is indicated by the large number of churches built at that time. However, this wealth increased the likelihood of Vendian raids. This in turn led to the deliberate retention of some coastal forest areas as protection against raiders.
The construction of the castle of Stegeborg was around 1220 in timber, then rebuilt in brick by 1245, despite this being a relatively peaceful period. On the death of King Valdemar II in 1241, a dispute arose over the succession, which led to the island being raided by Lubeckers who took the part of one of the claimants, Knud Duke of Blekinge who was imprisoned by his brother Erik Plovpenning (king 1241–1250) in Stegeborg. The Lubeckers conquered Copenhagen, then Stege to release the Duke. These raids continued intermittently into the 16th century. The succession wars also led to further raids in 1260 when the island was seized by Prince Järmer of Rügen. The Germans gained rights to establish a trading outpost at Brøndhøj. A Norwegian, Alf Ellingsen, was also attracted by the island, defeating a defending fleet of 30 vessels to raid Møn and other islands during the reign of Erik Glipping (1259–1286). Glipping granted Stege a town charter, granting it sole rights to trade and tax certain commodities, which existed until 1857.
From the middle of the 12th to the mid-17th century, Møn became a Danish crown property and was managed by a feudal lord. Its relative importance meant that appointments were made from the ranks of highest Danish nobility. The lord had responsibility for maintaining order and collecting taxes, hosting visits from royalty and