Grathe Hede

Distance: 21.63 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 October 23, 1157, the decisive battle of Grathe Heath took place just outside Thorning. Many have heard of the battle between Sweyn 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 Sweyn was buried at Grathe Chapel, but it is what Valdemar the Great and his descendants set in motion that is the most important. Thanks to them, the country got a written history, the Dannebrog and the Jutland Law.

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

Park your car in 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 of Grathe Heath ” if you want to know more.