Ever wondered how a small fishing village transforms into a bustling harbor town? Welcome to Tejn. This harbor town sits on Bornholm’s northeastern coast. Tejn’s story is one of growth and change. It is a place where fishing traditions meet modern life.
Tejn began as a humble fishing village. Over time the harbor expanded. This harbor became key to Tejn’s development in the 20th century. The fishing industry boomed especially in the 1970s and 80s. Sadly, it declined later affecting the town.
Tejn’s harbor is Bornholm’s second largest fishing port. Only Nexø is bigger. Tejn harbor also welcomes many yachts. Each spring the harbor hosts a trolling event. Over 200 boats gather for this fishing competition. The harbor offers services for boats. You can find a large bedding area a shipyard and electrical repairs.
Tejn Church is relatively new. It was completed in 1940. Emanuel Grauslund designed it in a Functionalist style.
Around 1800 a post mill was built in Årsballe. About 50 years later it moved to Tejn. The mill operated until 1941. It is a listed building but not open to the public.
Tejn is close to Sandkås. Sandkås offers hotels guest houses and summer homes. These overlook the rocky coast. Sandkås also boasts a sandy beach good for swimming.
The town stretches along the coast for about two kilometers. Tejn merges seamlessly with Sandkås. In fact the sign reads Sandkås-Tejn.
Tejn got its name in an interesting way. Fishermen’s wives would stand by the coast. They would swing lamps to guide the boats home. In old times the word “tegn” meaning sign might have been spelled “tejn.”
The first real harbor was built in 1868. Fishermen received 300 rigsdaler to build a breakwater. Fishing started to pick up. In 1888 the harbor expanded with a proper harbor basin. Soon a fisherman bought Bornholm’s first motorized half-decked boat.
After World War I cod fishing brought a lot of money. Young fishermen earned well selling their catch quickly. Older fishermen could not keep up. This caused conflict so the fishermen formed a sales association. In the 1930s cod fishing declined. They switched to herring. In the 1940s the association added a cooling and ice house. Later a fish filleting factory was built.
By 1962 another harbor expansion was needed. Fishermen earned much. They bought bigger boats and built large villas. In the late 1970s they bought even larger boats for distant fishing. Skippers built large houses and lived well. Some even lit cigars with 1000-krone notes to show off. The last harbor expansion was in 1982. At that time there were over 50 large fishing boats. Soon after fishing declined many sold their boats or went bankrupt.
Tejn thrived as a trading town from the 1950s to the mid-1980s. It had bakers butchers banks and various shops. Since then many shops have closed. Allinge became North Bornholm’s main town.
Once Tejn had 16 smokehouses. Most were small and private. The last smokehouse closed in the mid-1980s.
Today Tejn is a modern harbor. It has good facilities. The annual Trolling Master competition attracts participants from many countries.
Tejn offers a blend of history and modern amenities. It is a place where the sea has always shaped life. Take a moment to appreciate Tejn’s harbor. Imagine the fishermen of the past. Consider the town’s journey from a small village to the town we see today.