The pedestrian street in Ribe

Built as a dam over Ribe Å in 1250, and now a busy pedestrian street in Denmark's oldest city.

Overdammen, Mellemdammen and Nederdammen - the pedestrian street that runs on a dam above Ribe Å, was built in 1250 by King Christopher the First. He wanted to raise the stream to provide water power to drive mills. The dam divides the stream into three narrow, rushing streams, which precisely allow for three mills, Ydermøllen, Midtmøllen and Kongens Mølle. In 1903, the central mill was changed to produce electricity. In 1975, the electric turbine was demolished to open for greater water flow. Today, only Ydermøllen has a water wheel.

At Nederdammen, Ribe Nørreport's foundation is marked with black cobblestones in the street pavement. It was built around 1280 and marked the city limits. Here you had to pay tax on the goods you brought into the city to sell. Nørreport was demolished in 1843 because it had become too low and narrow for a load of hay to run through.

Along the main street were the merchants' gabled houses and farms, as they are still seen on Nederdammen 28, Mellemdammen 18 and 16, and in Overdammen 10, 8 and 3. Nederdammen 34 and 31 have Denmark's oldest half-timbered house, built in 1487.

Updated by: Wadden Sea Coast | info@vadehavskysten.dk