View source for Kolding

{{For|the racehorse|Kolding (horse)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2014}}
{{expand Danish|topic=geo|date=October 2013}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                    = Kolding
| native_name             = 
| other_name              = 
| settlement_type         = City
<!-- images, nickname, motto -->
| image_skyline           = Koldinghus.jpg
| image_caption           = Jutland's last royal castle ({{lang|da|Koldinghus}}) located in the city centre of Kolding
| image_flag              = 
| image_shield            = Kolding Kommune coa.svg
| motto                   = 
| nickname                = 
| etymology               = 
<!-- location -->
| subdivision_type        = Country
| subdivision_name        = [[Denmark]]
| subdivision_type1       = 
| subdivision_name1       = 
| subdivision_type2       = Region
| subdivision_name2       = [[Region of Southern Denmark|Southern Denmark (''Syddanmark'')]]
| subdivision_type3       = 
| subdivision_name3       = 
| subdivision_type4       = Municipality
| subdivision_name4       = [[Kolding Municipality|Kolding]]
<!-- maps and coordinates -->
| image_map               = 
| map_caption             = 
| pushpin_map             = Denmark#Denmark Region of Southern Denmark
| pushpin_relief          = 
| pushpin_map_caption     = '''Kolding''' (left center) in Denmark 
| coordinates             = {{coord|55|29|30|N|9|30|0|E|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes   = 
<!-- government type, leaders -->
| leader_title            = Mayor
| leader_name             = Knud Erik Langhoff
<!-- established -->
| established_title       = First documented
| established_date        = 1231<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://kolding.dk/data/0000043.asp?sid=19725&uid=19737 |title=Kolding - byens historie i korte træk |access-date=2007-06-24 |last=Bøje |first=Jens Anker |date=2007-06-19 |publisher=kolding.dk |language=da |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070607013206/http://www.kolding.dk/data/0000043.asp?sid=19725&uid=19737|archive-date=2007-06-07|url-status=dead }}</ref>
<!-- area -->
| area_footnotes          = 
| area_urban_km2          = 38.6 
| area_total_sq_mi        = 
| area_land_sq_mi         = 
| area_water_sq_mi        = 
<!-- elevation -->
| elevation_footnotes     = 
| elevation_m             = 50
| elevation_ft            = 
<!-- population -->
| population_as_of        = 2025
| population_footnotes    = <ref name=pop/>
| population_urban        = 63645
| population_density_urban_km2  = auto
| population_density_sq_mi=
| population_blank1_title = Gender <ref>[https://m.statbank.dk/TableInfo/BY1?lang=en BY1: Population 1. January by urban areas, age and sex] The Mobile Statbank from [[Statistics Denmark]]</ref>
| population_blank1       = 31431 males and 32214 females 
| population_demonym      = Koldingenser, Koldinger
<!-- time zone(s) -->
| timezone1               = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset1             = +1
| timezone1_DST           = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset1_DST         = +2
<!-- postal codes, area code -->
| postal_code_type        = Postal code
| postal_code             = 6000
| area_code_type          =  
| area_code               = (+45) 7
| geocode                 = 
| iso_code                = 
<!-- website, footnotes -->
| website                 = {{URL|http://www.kolding.dk/}}
| footnotes               = 
}}

'''Kolding''' ({{IPA|da|ˈkʰʌle̝ŋ}}) is a [[Denmark|Danish]] [[seaport]] city located at the head of [[Kolding Fjord]] in the [[Region of Southern Denmark]]. It is the seat of [[Kolding Municipality]]. It is a transportation, commercial, and manufacturing centre and has numerous industrial companies, principally geared towards shipbuilding. The manufacturing of machinery and textiles and livestock export are other economically significant activities.

With a population of 95,897 (1 January 2025), the Kolding municipality is the eleventh most populous in Denmark. The city itself has a population of 63,645 (1 January 2025)<ref name=pop>{{cite web | url=https://m.statbank.dk/TableInfo/BY3?lang=en | title=BY3: Population 1st January by urban areas, area and population density | publisher=The Mobile Statbank from [[Statistics Denmark]]}}</ref> and is [[List of urban areas in Denmark by population|the eighth largest city in Denmark]].

The city is part of the [[Triangle Region (Denmark)|Triangle Region]], which includes the neighbouring cities of [[Fredericia]] and [[Vejle]]. The city was recognized as a "[[Design Cities (UNESCO)|Design City]]" by UNESCO in 2017.

==History==
[[Koldinghus]] would [[Siege of Kolding (1368–1369)|be besieged]] and presumably occupied by Holstein in 1369.{{stack|[[File:Józef Brandt, Czarniecki pod Koldyngą.jpg|thumb|Battle of Kolding, 1658]]}}

In the [[Battle of Kolding (1658)|Battle of Kolding]], fought on 25 December 1658, the allied Polish and Danish forces under [[hetman]] [[Stefan Czarniecki]] defeated the Swedish forces of [[Charles X Gustav of Sweden]].{{cn|date=March 2023}}

A battle between German and Danish forces took place near the town on 23 April 1849 during the [[First War of Schleswig]].{{cn|date=March 2023}}

On 9 September 1955, Kolding was impacted by a high-end F2/T5 [[Tornado]] that displaced a car 20 meters into a yard.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://eswd.eu/cgi-bin/eswd.cgi?lang=en_0&lastquery=1345212341 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221212134650/https://eswd.eu/cgi-bin/eswd.cgi?lang=en_0&lastquery=1345212341 | archive-date=12 December 2022 | title=European Severe Weather Database }}</ref>

On 3 November 2004, the N. P. Johnsen's Fireworks Factory in the suburb of [[Seest fireworks disaster|Seest exploded]]. One firefighter died, 85 people were injured, around 2,000 people were evacuated, and some of them lost their homes during this disaster.{{cn|date=March 2023}}

==Overview==
{{stack|[[File:Koldinghus.jpg|thumb|[[Koldinghus|Kolding Castle]]]]}}
[[File:Church in Kolding - Denmark.jpeg|thumb|Evangelical [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] church in Kolding]]
Located&nbsp;in&nbsp;Kolding is the former royal castle of [[Koldinghus]]. This was built in the 13th century by King [[Eric V of Denmark|Eric Klipping]] and is a museum with certain parts of the castle, including its chapel and hall, being used for governmental ceremonial events. It was the last royal residence in [[Jutland]]. Another notable site is the 13th century stone Church of Saint Nicholas ({{langx|da|Sankt Nicolai}}), which is one of the oldest in Denmark.{{Citation needed|date=August 2007}}

===Main sights===
The municipal museum, the [[Museet på Koldinghus]], is located in the castle and former royal palace. It has a collection of Danish art from the late Middle Ages to the 1940s, miscellaneous artefacts of local interest, and an extensive collection of items in [[gold]] and [[silver]].

The [[Trapholt]] art museum features many pieces primarily by Danish artists in its collections of arts from 1900 onwards and a smaller number of non-Danish exhibits. It also features a large collection of chairs.

Botanical garden [[Geografisk Have]] is a 14 hectares large park with more than 2,000 different trees, bushes, and plants organised in geographical areas.

Also Kolding houses the [[Danish Museum of Nurses]] ({{langx|da|Dansk Sygeplejemuseum}}), which is situated in the reception building of the former tuberculosis sanatorium for children. The exhibition also include this past of the buildings. The main part of the sanatorium is now a hotel, situated in a minor forest and overlooking the water. The building itself is very beautiful and built to resemble a palace.
[[File:The Kolding School of Design - Designskolen Kolding. Denmark.JPG|thumb|180px|Design School Kolding]]

==Education ==
A branch of [[University College South]] ({{langx|da|University College Syd}}) can be found in Kolding.

A branch campus of [[University of Southern Denmark]] ({{langx|da|Syddansk Universitet}}) is located in the former hospital which was closed in 1975. The new ''Campus Kolding'' opened downtown in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sdu.dk/en/om_sdu/byerne/kolding/studieliv|title = Campus Kolding}}</ref> The new building of University of Southern Denmark will be built further to the east at Grønborggrunden in central Kolding.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://da.henninglarsen.com/projekter/0900-0999/0942-syddansk-universitet,-kolding-campus.aspx |title=Syddansk Universitet |access-date=16 December 2012 |archive-date=12 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110412114903/http://da.henninglarsen.com/projekter/0900-0999/0942-syddansk-universitet,-kolding-campus.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Kolding is also home to [[Design School Kolding]] (''Designskolen Kolding''), a university design school, which was established in 1967 to provide undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in the areas of fashion, graphic design and textiles.<ref name="Cumulus members">{{cite web|title=Design School Kolding|url=http://www.cumulusassociation.org/component/members/view/53|publisher=Cumulus|access-date=19 March 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140320040801/http://www.cumulusassociation.org/component/members/view/53|archive-date=20 March 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==Sister cities==
Kolding is [[Twin towns|twinned]] with the following towns.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://kolding.dk/data/0021803.asp?sid=19734&uid=21803|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070610221648/http://www.kolding.dk/data/0021803.asp?sid=19734&uid=21803|url-status=dead|title=Venskabsbyer<!-- Bot generated title -->|archivedate=10 June 2007}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="background:white;"
|-
! City
! Region
! Country
! Year
|-
| [[File:Emblem of Anjo, Aichi.svg|20px]] [[Anjō, Aichi|Anjō]]
| [[File:Emblem of Aichi Prefecture.svg|20px]] [[Aichi Prefecture]]
| {{flag|Japan}} 
| 1997
|-
| [[File:DEU Delmenhorst COA.svg|20px]] [[Delmenhorst]]
| {{flag|Lower Saxony}}
| {{flag|Germany}}
| 1979
|-
| [[File:Drammen komm.svg|20px]] [[Drammen]]
| [[File:Buskerud våpen.svg|20px]] [[Buskerud]]
| {{flag|Norway}}
| 1946
|-
| [[File:Escudo de Huéscar (Granada).svg|20px]] [[Huéscar]]
| [[File:Bandera de la provincia de Granada (España).svg|20px]] [[Province of Granada|Granada]]
| {{flag|Spain}}
| 1982
|-
| [[File:Lappeenranta.vaakuna.svg|20px]] [[Lappeenranta]]
| [[File:Etelä-Karjala.vaakuna.svg|20px]] [[South Karelia]]
| {{flag|Finland}}
| 1947
|-
| [[Nanortalik]]
| [[File:Kujalleq-coat-of-arms.svg|20px]] [[Kujalleq]]
| {{flag|Greenland}}
| 2007
|-
| [[File:Örebro kommunvapen - Riksarkivet Sverige.png|20px]] [[Örebro]]
| [[File:Närke vapen.svg|20px]] [[Närke]]
| {{flag|Sweden}}
| 1946
|-
| [[File:Coat of Arms of Panevezys.svg|20px]] [[Panevėžys]]
| [[File:Panevezys County flag.svg|24px]] [[Panevėžys County]]
| {{flag|Lithuania}}
| 2000
|-
| [[File:Croce Pisana.jpg|20px]] [[Pisa]]
| {{flag|Tuscany}}
| {{flag|Italy}}
| 2007
|-
| [[Stykkishólmur]]
| {{flagicon|Iceland}} [[Western Region (Iceland)|Western Region]]
| {{flag|Iceland}}
| 1979
|-
| [[File:HUN Szombathely Címer.svg|20px]] [[Szombathely]]
| [[File:Vas departemento blazono.jpg|24px]] [[Vas County]]
| {{flag|Hungary}}
| 1991
|}

==Transportation==

===Rail===
[[File:Banegaarden Trainstation Kolding Denmark 2008 100.jpg|thumb|Front facade of [[Kolding railway station]]]]
Kolding is served by [[Kolding railway station]]. It is located on the [[Fredericia-Flensburg railway line]] and offers direct [[InterCity]] services to [[Copenhagen]], [[Hamburg]], [[Sønderborg]], [[Aarhus]] and [[Esbjerg]] as well as [[regional train]] services to [[Fredericia]] and [[Esbjerg]].<ref name=DSBKoldingStation>{{cite web|url=https://www.dsb.dk/kundeservice/stationer/kolding/|title=Kolding Station|publisher=DSB|language=da|accessdate=11 January 2023}}</ref>

===Air===
The city doesn't have it own airport. Residents in the city would use [[Billund Airport]] which provides direct routes to other parts of Denmark and Europe. It located {{convert|46|km|0|abbr=on}} which is 40 minutes drive north west of Kolding.

==Notable people==
=== Public service and public thinking ===
[[File:Sommerhielm1 (cropped).jpg|140px|thumb|Mathias Sommerhielm, 1814]]
* [[Dorothea of Denmark, Duchess of Brunswick-Luneburg|Princess Dorothea of Denmark]] (1546 in Kolding – 1617), Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg 1561–1592
* [[Mathias Sommerhielm]] (1764 in Kolding – 1827) a Norwegian Prime Minister
* [[Evald Tang Kristensen]] (1843 in Nørre Bjert near Kolding – 1929) a folklore collector and author
* [[Christian Peder Kryssing]] (1891 in Kolding – 1976) a collaborator with Nazi Germany in WWII
* [[Svend Petersen]] (1911 in Kolding – 1992)  political researcher in the US, analyst and author
* [[Bente Hansen]] (born 1940 in Kolding) a Danish women's rights activist, writer and editor 
* [[Uffe Haagerup]] (1949 in Kolding – 2015), mathematician
* [[Jørn Dohrmann]] (born 1969 in Kolding) a Danish politician and [[Member of the European Parliament|MEP]]
* [[Bjarne Corydon]] (born 1973 in Kolding), former politician, management consultant and business newspaper editor
* [[Karina Adsbøl]] (born 1976 in Kolding), politician, MP since 2011
* [[Steffen Larsen]] (born 1983 in Kolding), politician, MP since 2022

=== Arts and entertainment ===
[[File:Anne Marie Carl-Nielsen.jpg|thumb|140px|Anne Marie Carl-Nielsen]]
* [[Catharine Wernicke]] (1789 in Kolding – 1862) a Danish pianist, the first Danish woman to perform publicly as a pianist
* [[Anne Marie Carl-Nielsen]] (1863 in South Stenderup, near Kolding – 1945) a Danish sculptor
* [[Thorkild Roose]] (1874 in Kolding – 1961) a Danish actor and theatre director <ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0740463/   IMDb Database] retrieved 5 May 2020</ref>
* [[Christian Daugaard]] (1901 in Kolding – 1993) was a Danish painter
* [[Karl Gustav Hansen]] (1914–2002), silversmith<ref>{{Cite book |last=Byars |first=Mel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lI5UAAAAMAAJ |title=The Design Encyclopedia |date=2004 |publisher=L. King Pub. |isbn=978-0-87070-012-5 |pages=307 |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Lars Bo]] (1924 in Kolding – 1999), artist and author
* [[Erik Paaske]] (1933 in Kolding – 1992), actor and singer <ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0654994/   IMDb Database] retrieved 5 May 2020</ref>
* [[Bent Faurby]] (born 1937 in Kolding) an author of children's literature and schoolteacher
* [[Ole Søltoft]] (1941 in Kolding – 1999) a Danish actor <ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0845637/   IMDb Database] retrieved 5 May 2020</ref>
* [[Karl Aage Rasmussen]] (born 1947 in Kolding) a composer and writer.
* [[Merete Van Kamp]] (born 1961 in Kolding) a model turned actress and singer <ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0887272/   IMDb Database] retrieved 5 May 2020</ref>
* [[Charlotte Eskildsen]] (born 1975 in Kolding) a Danish fashion designer.
* [[Susanne Georgi]] (born 1976 in Sjølund) a Danish singer, lives and works in Andorra

=== Sport ===
[[File:Jan Molby.jpg|140px|thumb|Jan Mølby, 2012]]
* [[Søren Petersen]] (1894 in Kolding – 1945), heavyweight boxer, silver medalist in both the [[1920 Summer Olympics|1920]] and [[1924 Summer Olympics]]
* [[Harald Christensen (cyclist)|Harald Christensen]] (1907 in Kolding – 1994) a cyclist, bronze medalist at the [[1932 Summer Olympics]]
* [[Jan Mølby]] (born 1963 in Kolding), football player and coach; 364 club caps and 33 for [[Denmark national football team|Denmark]]
* [[Johnny Mølby]] (born 1969 in Kolding) a football manager and former player, over 350 club caps
* [[Tina Bøttzau]] (born 1971 in Kolding), handball player, twice team gold medalist at [[1996 Summer Olympics|1996]] and [[2000 Summer Olympics]]
* [[Martin Lundgaard Hansen]] (born 1972 in Kolding) a successful Danish badminton player
* [[Allan K. Jepsen]] (born 1977 in Kolding) former professional footballer, over 300 club caps
* [[Louise Spellerberg]] (born 1982 in Kolding), handball player
* [[Jonas Lössl]] (born 1989 in Kolding), soccer goalkeeper
* [[Kasper Asgreen]] (born 1995 in Kolding), professional cyclist
* [[Bastian Buus]] (born 2003 in Kolding), racing driver

==See also==
* [[Kolding Municipality]]
* [[Chronicle of the Expulsion of the Grayfriars#Chapter 6 Concerning the Friary in Kolding]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Kolding}}
* {{wikivoyage-inline|Kolding}}
* [https://archive.today/20060925220208/http://www.kolding.dk/english/ Official website] {{in lang|en}}

{{Kolding Municipality}}
{{Municipal seats of Denmark}}
{{30 most populous cities of Denmark}}
{{50 most populous urban settlements of Scandinavia}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Kolding| ]]
[[Category:Municipal seats of the Region of Southern Denmark]]
[[Category:Municipal seats of Denmark]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in the Region of Southern Denmark]]
[[Category:Kolding Municipality]]