Ever wonder where white churches got their names? The story of Hvidovre Municipality begins with its name. Hvidovre Kommune is a municipality near Copenhagen. It is located on the island of Zealand. Hvidovre’s history is rich.
Hvidovre got its name from its white church. In Danish hvid means white. A white church stood here long ago. This distinguished it from Rødovre. Rødovre had a red church. Red is rød in Danish.
Hvidovre Municipality was officially established in 1970. This followed the Danish Municipal Reform. Avedøre was added to Hvidovre in 1974. Hvidovre remained independent in the 2007 Municipality Reform. The main town within the municipality is also called Hvidovre. Anders Wolf Andresen from the Green Left is Hvidovre’s current mayor.
Hvidovre has grown. In prehistoric times people already lived here. A 3500-year-old sword was found here. It dates back to the Bronze Age. In 1170, a farm called Ovre was in this area. Esbern Snare gave it to Sorø Abbey. Later, Bishop Absalon received it. By the mid-1600s Hvidovre began to resemble a real village.
Hvidovre is known for its green spaces. Vestvolden marks the western border. Avedøre Airfield is Denmark’s oldest preserved airfield. Strandengen is grazed by cattle and sheep in summertime. Other parks include Kystagerparken and Rebæk Søpark.
The municipality is home to Filmbyen. Lars von Trier and Peter Aalbæk Jensen founded it. Copenhagen Business Park is here. It’s Denmark’s longest office building. The building has 67000 square meters of rented space. Bøje Nielsen built it in 1982.
Hvidovre is twinned with several sister cities.
Hvidovre is also known for sports. The Hvidovre IF football team is famous. Peter Schmeichel and Daniel Agger played here. Hvidovre IF won the Danish Football Championship multiple times. They also won the Danish Cup in 1980.
Hvidovre borders Copenhagen. Køge Bay lies to the south. Brøndby is to the west. Rødovre is to the north. Hvidovre’s highest point is 25 meters. The Avedøre Power Station chimney is nearly 150 meters tall. Hvidovre has over 15 km of coastline.
Hvidovre has a Warm-summer Mediterranean climate. May is the sunniest month. July and August are the warmest. The number of daylight hours varies greatly between summer and winter.
Hvidovre Municipality blends history, nature, and modern life. From its white church origins to its sporting achievements, Hvidovre offers much to explore.