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HISTORICAL PART Ribe is the oldest extant Danish town and the first document which attested the town is dated 854 AD, is in southwest Jutland and has a population of 8,142. Already at that point was one of the most important trade cities in Scandinavia so the King of Denmark decided to build the first church in Denmark. 1 January 2007: the Municipality of Ribe ceased to exist as it merged with the municipalities of Esbjerg and Bramming, now forming a new municipality of Esbjerg.
THEHARBOUR The harbourwasusedsince Viking Age and Medieval time to travel to Scandinavia and Denmark. Sailingnorth of Skagen to getinto the fjords townwasrisky, and to anchor in the open westcoastwas a dangerousundertaking. One of the fewplaceswherewaspossible to anchor in safetywas in the WaddenSea.
The WaddenSea was to the sailingships the bestharbour on the entirewestcoast in the sensethat a port of its original meaningwas a placewheretheywereprotected from wind and sea. After Viking Age the vesselswerelarger and included the heavy salt ships from Portugal. To unloadtheircargothey have to heal theirgoodsinto small everters to helpthem on the last stretch up the river. It wassignificantlycheaper.