Welcome to Esbjerg!
Esbjerg is in Jutland, Denmark.
The city of Esbjerg is Denmark's fifth largest city and has a population of 72,613 (2003). It was established around the harbour, which the state had built in 1868 as a replacement for that harbour in Altona that had previously been Denmark's most important North Sea harbour. In 1874 Esbjerg became connected by rail to Fredericia and Varde.
The town was once Denmark's biggest fishing harbour, and the harbour is still an economic driving force in the town.
Esbjerg is a seaport town and seat of Esbjerg Municipality on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula in southwest Denmark. By road, it is 71 kilometers (44 mi) west of Kolding and 164 kilometers (102 mi) southwest of Aarhus. With an urban population of 72,044 (1 January 2021) it is the fifth-largest city in Denmark, and the largest in West Jutland.
Before a decision was made to establish a harbour (now the second largest in Denmark) at Esbjerg in 1868, the area consisted of only a few farms. Esbjerg developed quickly with the population rising to 13,000 by 1901 and 70,000 by 1970. In addition to its fishing and shipping activities, it also became an important center for agricultural exports. Over the years, many of the city's visitors have arrived by ferry from Harwich, Essex, England, but this service closed in September 2014 having run since 1875. The harbour facilities are being expanded to answer the needs of the wind-turbine industry and container shipping traffic. Esbjerg is served by Esbjerg Airport with flights to Aberdeen, Scotland, and Stavanger, Norway.
The town has several notable museums and entertainment venues, including Esbjerg Art Museum, Esbjerg Museum, and the privately owned Fisheries and Maritime Museum. The Esbjerg Performing Arts Centre was completed in 1997 to designs by Jan and Jørn Utzon. When approached by sea, the Man Meets the Sea is one of the prominent monuments, consisting of four 9-meter-tall (27 feet) white-colored men, overlooking Sædding Beach. The sculpture was designed by Svend Wiig Hansen and installed in 1995. It hosts branches of the University of Southern Denmark and Aalborg University, Esbjerg is increasingly recognized for its university facilities and sporting activities. It is home to the Danish football club Esbjerg fB, who play their home matches at Blue Water Arena, and also has an ice hockey division called Esbjerg Elite Ishockey, which plays at the Granly Hockey Arena.