Holstebro is a municipality (Danish, kommune) in Region Midtjylland on the Jutland peninsula in west Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 790 km², and has a total population of 56,204 (2005). Its mayor is Arne Lægaard, a member of the Venstre (Liberal Party) political party.
The main town and the site of its municipal council is the city of Holstebro.
On January 1, 2007 Holstebro municipality was, due to Kommunalreformen ("The Municipality Reform" of 2007), merged with existing Ulfborg-Vemb and Vinderup municipalities to form the new Holstebro municipality.
The city of Holstebro
The city, lying on both sides of Storåen ("The Large River"), has a population of ca. 31,000.
It is a member of the Douzelage twinning ring of cities.
History
The city arose at a ford by the river, and later a bridge was erected. The name probably derives from holdested ved broen (lit, "a resting place by the bridge").
Holstebro was first mentioned in a letter from Bishop Thyge of Ribe in 1274. A large fire in 1552 destroyed much of the town's old buildings.
Today
The city is a trading, industrial and cultural center in western Jutland. It has a large network of pedestrian walkways (gågader) in the inner city that support a varied shopping environment beautifully enhanced by outdoor sculptures and picturesque buildings. The first sculpture purchased by Holstebro Municipality, and the cornerstone in their efforts to further cultural development in the town, is Alberto Giacometti’s sculpture "Woman on the Cart" purchased in 1966.
The city has a rich and varied cultural life, with internationally recognized ballet company Peter Schaufuss Ballet and performance art theater Odin Teatret. Several museums, including the Holstebro Art Museum with its collection of Danish and international comtemporay art and the Holstebro Museum, can be found in the city.
The Holstebro Hall, rebuilt in 1966, houses a music theatre, the Holstebro Convention and Culture Center (1991) and provides space for theatre presentations, concerts, exhibitions and conventions. More than 100 cultural events occur here every year, and the hall is visited by over 100,000 people annually. Holstebro Hall was recently renovated.
The town holds an annual culture festival, the Holstebro Festive Week, in late summer.
The city also has diversified industries, including the manufacture of processed food, iron and machinery, wood and furniture, textiles and chemicals.
The Jutland Dragoon Regiment (Jyske Dragonregiment), which can trace its history back to 1679 in the times of King Christian V, has made Holstebro its home since 1953. The regiment is Holstebro's largest workplace with more than 1,800 employees.
Canoeing and kayaking on the nearly 100 km. long Storåen is popular during the summer and early autumn; it is allowed between June 15-October 31.
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