Grathe Hede

Distance: 25.28 Km

www.museumsilkeborg.dk/grathe-monumentet |

At Grathe Hede you can experience the Grathe Monument and a completely new historical dissemination area with stories and experiences for the whole family.

Take a trip back to Denmark's Middle Ages with bloody battles, murder and intrigue. Try the wheel of fortune, hear the story and ring the church bell as you learn about the struggle for power in the Middle Ages.

The story

On 23 October 1157, the landmark battle of Grathe Hede took place just outside Thorning. Many have heard of the battle between Svend and Valdemar, which ended more than ten years of bloody civil war. After the battle, Valdemar the Great stood as sole king of the country. The sources report that Svend was buried at Grathe Kapel, but that is what Valdemar the Great and his descendants did, which is the most important. Thanks to them, the country got a written history, Dannebrog and Jyske Lov.

A stone cross has been erected on Grathe Hede to commemorate the event. The memorial stone also marks the place where Svend is believed to have been buried.

Practical matters:

Park the car the parking lot by the road and take a walk through history down to the Grathe Monument. You can also visit the Blicheregnens Museum, where you can see the exhibition "The battle for power – the battle on Grathe Hede", if you want to know more.