Historical sights
In Ringsted, there are plenty of places where you can almost feel the whir of history. The most well-known is probably St. Bendt's Church, where several royals are buried. But in addition there is also Gyldenløveshøj, Hagbards Høj, Ridebanen, Valsøgård, Knud Lavard's Chapel and much more.
"Ringsted has as much history as the kings' Jelling - history just waiting to be told."
Someone once said that about the exciting history connected to Ringsted.
Ringsted is an old market town, founded around the year 1000, with a significant history and vibrant present. In part of the Middle Ages, Ringsted was the most important town on Zealand. It was at the 'Tingstenene' in the city center that important decisions were made, and Danish kings and queens were buried in St. Bendt's Church.
It is not known exactly when Ringsted acquired the status of a market town, because the city's oldest archive has been burned, but it is known for certain that the city was the royal seat under several kings in the early Middle Ages. The country's heirs to the throne received their royal homage in Ringsted right up until the time of Christian IV.
The breath of history
In Ringsted, there are plenty of places where you can almost feel the whir of history. The most well-known is probably St. Bendt's Church, where several royals are buried. But in addition there is also Gyldenløveshøj, Hagbards Høj, Ridebanen, Valsøgård, Knud Lavard's Chapel and much more.
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The Mahler Houses are located on Sct. Bendtsgade, right next to Sct. Bendts Church, and consist of two houses, one red and one yellow, whose history dates all the way back to the 18th century, when one of them served as a kind of customs office. The two houses are named after master mason Mahler, who built the yellow house in 1865.
Near the village of Sigersted, south of Ringsted, you will find Hagbard’s Mound. This is a Bronze Age burial mound, associated with the legend of Hagbard and Signe, a tale of tragic love.
In the Great Beech Forest by the lakeshore, a spring rises from the ground at about 1 meter in height. The spring has formed due to natural pressure in the soil, causing the water to rise above the ground.
Catnip, Yarrow, Bog Myrtle, Devil's Bite, and Woolly Speedwell are just a small selection of the plants found in the beautiful Klosterurter Garden by St. Bendt's Church.
Knud Lavard's Chapel, or Haraldsted Chapel, is the ruins of a medieval chapel located north of Ringsted. It is named after Knud Lavard and was built around 1150 at the site where he was murdered in 1131.
The riding arena and Valsøgård are located in a scenic area north of Lake Haraldsted and are fascinating historical relics from the Iron Age and the Middle Ages.
There are virtually no traces left of Ringsted Abbey, which is believed to have been founded by Erik Emune around 1135 to honor his murdered brother, Knud Lavard
Ringsted's seal – or the town's coat of arms, as it is commonly called – dates back a long way in history. The oldest preserved impression can be found on a document in the National Archives from 1421. The actual stamp is older, and a brass example from around 1275 is preserved at the National Museum.
St. Bendt's Church was Denmark's first royal church. In the Middle Ages, it served as the monastery church for the Benedictine monks of Ringsted Abbey.
The three stones – the Tingstenene – are believed to have served as a gathering place for the people of Zealand as early as the end of the Iron Age. The main purpose of the meetings was to reach an agreement on common justice, shared worship of the gods, and the election of a common king.
Popular tradition designates them as the historical Thing Stones, mentioned by Saxo, who several times describes events that took place out at the "Tinge," meaning outside the town.
Ringsted Water Tower is 40 meters tall, making it 6 meters higher than the Round Tower in Copenhagen.
