Trail 19, Ærø

This text is an excerpt from the book about the Archipelago Trail and therefore contains more background, detail and inspiration than the shorter trail leaflets.

This trail takes you from the village of Lille Rise, south around the execution hill Vorbjerg Galgebakke, on to Lille Stokkeby, and then down to the coast. From here, the route continues past a solar installation and the charming fishermen’s cottages as you walk into the harbour of Ærø’s market town, Ærøskøbing.

Vorbjerg Galgebakke

From Lille Rise, the Archipelago Trail leads past the hilltop of Vorbjerg Galgebakke, which rises 57 metres above sea level.
This former execution site was visible from afar, and the sight of executed criminals hanging in the rope undoubtedly served as a warning.

At least seven burial mounds once stood here, but most were removed—some stones were reused for the long breakwater in Marstal Harbour.

The trail touches the eastern edge of Stokkeby before turning sharply north into Lille Stokkeby. Both villages are classic Ærø rural idylls, and from the ridge north of the settlement you have beautiful views over Ærøskøbing, Ommelshoved, Kleven and the surrounding archipelago.
To your left you can see Ærøskøbing Bymølle, a Dutch‑style windmill from 1848 which operated until 1957.

Aldersrodyssen

A few hundred metres before reaching the road between Lille Rise and Ærøskøbing, look east across the fields. About 150 metres in lies a thicket marking the location of a long barrow with a special history.

In the late 1800s, many of its stones were removed to form the foundation of the house Aldersro, situated where the trail crosses the road. The National Museum restored the barrow in 1945, though it never regained its capstone.

Cross the road and follow the trail to the coast. The small offshore island Lilleø was inhabited until 1898.

The Old Fire Station

Further inland, the terrain rises sharply. The first thing you’ll notice is the quirky brick building with a tall tower—the village’s former fire station. The tower was used for drying fire hoses. It is no longer in service and is now a private residence.

Hanging Gardens and Fishermen’s Houses

Between the fire station and the harbour lies a delightful row of small gardens and houses.
Well‑kept homes stand tightly side by side, roofs shifting from tile to tar paper, and the long narrow gardens feature terraces, lawns, beds, hedges and charming details. It feels almost like “hanging gardens”—perfect for a curious walker.

This is the oldest part of Ærøskøbing, inhabited by fishermen since the 1200s. Though the houses have changed over the centuries, the special atmosphere remains.

Ærøskøbing

Ærøskøbing is Ærø’s market town. It received market rights in 1563, though the original settlement likely dates to the 1200s, developing along today’s Nørregade from Bøssehage in the south to the harbour in the north.

The town has one of Denmark’s best‑preserved historic harbours, sheltered by the island of Drejø. It is a cosy, slightly exotic town with a remarkably well‑preserved medieval layout.
Fishermen’s cottages lie closest to the water, with large merchants’ houses lining the upper streets. Architectural influences reflect close connections to Schleswig, Southern Jutland and Als—many houses feature bay windows, and some gabled houses are reminiscent of Åbenrå.

Ærøskøbing’s oldest house dates from 1645. Known as Philip Koch’s House, it stands on Søndergade 36. At that time there was no real harbour—only mooring posts driven into the seabed.

The first pier was built around 1700 near Brogade, and over a century passed before a true harbour was established.

The old Town Hall from 1863 stands near the square and today houses the library and local history archive. Two former water pumps still stand on the square.

Just east of the square lies Kirkestræde and the town’s third church on this site. The first was likely a wooden church from around 1100; the next, a stone church from around 1250.
The present church was built in 1756–1758 and later rebuilt. The Romanesque baptismal font from the earlier stone church remains.

In 1629, half the town burned—44 farms and houses were lost. In 1665, the duke decreed that all new houses must have tiled roofs. Only a few older farms kept their thatch.

In 1634 Ærøskøbing’s market privileges were restricted when three ducal lands divided Ærø. This strengthened nearby Marstal as a shipping town.
In 1729 Ærø came under the Danish Crown, further boosting Marstal’s maritime economy.

In the 1700s Ærø thrived through trade with the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. Loopholes in trade laws were used to great advantage.
The town’s largest merchant owned ships and imported German beer, wine, rum, spices, sugar, soap and fine cloth—without paying duty. Some of these goods were sold to the barony on Tåsinge via the baron’s clerk, the poet Ambrosius Stub.

Walking Ærøskøbing’s old streets, you may wonder how the houses were used. Many combined living quarters, workshops, shops and stables under the same roof.
Sometimes houses were connected, and it was not uncommon to purchase a single “bay” of a neighbour’s house to give space for elderly family members.

The white cookhouse at the southeast corner of the harbour was built in 1810. As of 1787, open fire was prohibited aboard wooden ships lying in harbour due to extreme fire risk.
Ærøskøbing received the prestigious Europa Nostra Award in 2002 for cultural heritage preservation and the Brown Johann’s Cross in 2013.

Museums

At Brogade 3–5 lies Ærø Museum. In Smedegade 22 you’ll find Flaske‑Peter’s Collection, and nearby stands Dukkehuset, an extremely small house once home to a family with eight children.

The Old Shipyard

The Old Shipyard features working craft workshops such as a tinsmith and blacksmith. The main hall hosts many activities and exhibitions, and visitors can try traditional metalworking at the large forge.

On the first floor, the exhibition The Archipelago Seen From Above introduces the geology, geography, natural history and cultural history of the South Funen Archipelago. The shipyard focuses especially on the iron and steel ships that once sailed these waters extensively.