Can you believe Hvidovre got its name from a white church? Yes it did. The name Hvidovre means White Ovre in Danish. This refers to the color of the original church. The church was built with white chalk. This distinguished it from the red brick church in Rødovre.
Hvidovre is a municipality and a main town near Copenhagen. It sits about 10 km southwest of central Copenhagen. Hvidovre is the second biggest suburb of Copenhagen. Only Frederiksberg is larger.
Let’s step back in time. Hvidovre has been inhabited since prehistoric times. A 3500 year old sword from the Bronze Age was found here in 1929. Imagine discovering such a relic.
In about 1170, a farm named Ovre was in this area. Esbern Snare gave it to Sorø Abbey. Later it was passed to Bishop Absalon. A Romanesque church was then constructed.
Hvidovre didn’t become a real village until the mid 1600s. In 1682, Hvidovre had 18 farms and 14 houses. These houses lacked agricultural land. Back then, few crops grew here. In 1635 the crops were 12% rye, 58% barley, and 30% oat.
During the 1920s land near Copenhagen became allotments. Copenhagen had a housing shortage after World War I. Farmers in Hvidovre sold their land in small lots for profit. Many buyers were workers from Copenhagen. They built houses from Chevrolet or Ford boxes. These boxes shipped car parts from America. The settlement was not legal. By 1923 it held 34% of the municipality’s population.
In May 1945 a gun fight occurred on Hvidovrevej. It was between resistance fighters and HIPO Corps members. This happened just before the end of World War II.
Hvidovre was once a quiet rural community. In 1901, the parish had only 500 people. Its growth quickly accelerated. By 1930, the population was 6523. It nearly doubled to 12014 by 1940. Hvidovre continued to grow after World War II. In 1950 the population was over 23000. By 1960, it reached 38411. Today Hvidovre has a population of over 53000.
The Finger Plan of 1947 influenced urban development. It aimed to concentrate growth along railway lines. Hvidovre was expected to grow into a cohesive suburban area. This included Avedøre and Brøndbyøster. The Urban Regulation Act followed in 1949.
Hvidovre is also known for sports. Hvidovre IF is its famous football team. Daniel Agger and Thomas Kahlenberg were born here. Hvidovre IF has won multiple Danish Football championships. They first won in 1966 and most recently in 1981. The Football Club also won the Danish Cup in 1980.
Filmbyen is located in Hvidovre. Lars von Trier and Peter Aalbæk Jensen founded this film production camp.
Hvidovre borders Copenhagen, Køge Bay, Brøndby, and Rødovre. It is generally flat. The highest natural point is 25 m.
Hvidovre has a coastline longer than 15 km. A 20 km long river flows through it. This river starts in Albertslund. It passes through Damhus Lake. Then it enters Hvidovre from Rødovre. Finally, it flows into the sea. Hvidovre boasts two cozy harbors Hvidovre Havn and Brøndby Havn.
So, next time you think of a suburb, remember Hvidovre. It’s a place of white churches, Bronze Age swords, and football champions.