The history of Lundeborg is closely related to that of Gudme and Broholm Castle.
Gudme had its heyday in or around 300 AD. By the standards of the day, Gudme was a metropolis, covering more than 500,000 m2 the equivalent of 100 football pitches. The city traded extensively abroad – including the Roman Empire. Lundeborg was the loading and trading centre for the city. The ships of the day could easily dock at the flat sandy beach, where there was no shortage of sales booths and craft stalls. The activities were seasonal, and everything closed down during the chilly embrace of winter.
In or around 1860, the owner of Broholm Castle, N.F.B. Sehested started dreaming of a town. Until the end of 1857, the royal boroughs enjoyed a trading monopoly. And this is exactly what Sehested wanted. He would build a modern town on the beach at Lundeborg, where previously there were just a handful of fishermen’s houses. He built a harbour, a warehouse, a merchant’s house, a reception centre and industrial facilities with housing for the workers. He also advertised – particularly in South Schleswig newspapers – for Danish-minded colonists, who would thus liberate themselves from the yoke of Germany. A motley bunch responded. Unfortunately, this was not enough to make Sehested’s magnificent dream come true. The dream fizzled out and, instead of turning into an enterprising royal borough, by the end of the 19th century Lundeborg had become a tranquil fishing village and seaside resort.
Today, Lundeborg is a particularly charming place to stop en route. Enjoy an ice cream on the harbour or eat your lunch here.
