View source for Maribo

{{short description|Town in Denmark}}
{{About|the town|Maribo brewery|Maribo Bryghus}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{more citations needed|date=September 2020}}
{{expand Danish|date=January 2023|topic=geo}}
}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}

{{Infobox settlement
| settlement_type = Town
| name = Maribo
| image_skyline = Maribo Domkirke.JPG
| image_caption = [[Maribo Cathedral]]
| image_shield = Coat of arms of Maribo.svg
| image_map =
| map_caption = 
| pushpin_map = Denmark Lolland#Denmark Region Zealand#Denmark
| pushpin_relief =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location on Lolland
| coordinates = {{coord|54|46|29|N|11|30|4|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = [[Denmark]]
| subdivision_type1 = Region
| subdivision_name1 = [[Region Zealand|Region Sjælland]]
| subdivision_type2 = Municipality
| subdivision_name2 = [[Lolland Municipality]]
| area_urban_km2 = 4.1
| population_as_of = 2025
| population_footnotes = <ref name="BY3"/>
| population_urban  = 5786
| population_density_urban_km2 = auto
| 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 = 2698 males and 3088 females
| timezone1 = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset1 = +1
| timezone1_DST = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset1_DST = +2
| postal_code_type = Postal code
| postal_code = DK-4930 Maribo
}}

'''Maribo''' is a town in [[Lolland Municipality]] in [[Region Zealand|Region Sjælland]] on the island of [[Lolland]] in south [[Denmark]]. It was the municipal seat of the former Maribo Municipality, until 1 January 2007, and then it became the seat of the current [[Lolland Municipality]].

The merchant town of Maribo is located centrally on Lolland. Its population is 5,786 (1 January 2025).<ref name="BY3">[https://m.statbank.dk/TableInfo/BY3?lang=en BY3: Population 1. January by rural and urban areas, area and population density] The Mobile Statbank from [[Statistics Denmark]]</ref> It has, among other facilities, a [[Gymnasium (Denmark)|gymnasium]] ([[Secondary school]]), a public international school, an [[Maribo Open-Air Museum|open-air museum]] and a [[Stiftsmuseum Maribo|cultural heritage museum]].
 
A brewery, "[[Maribo Bryghus]]" used to be located in the town, but it was closed down in 2008 by its owner, Unibrew. Beer labeled "Maribo Øl" is still available, but it is brewed elsewhere.

==Surroundings==

[[File:Hestø i Maribo Søndersø.JPG|thumb|270px|left|The small island of Hestø in Maribo Søndersø]]

Maribo is surrounded by ''Nørresø'' ("The Northern Lake" or "Northern Maribo Lake") to the north  and ''Søndersø'' ("The Southern Lake" or "Southern Maribo Lake") to the south.  ''Søndersø'' is, with an area of 852 [[hectare]], the largest lake on Lolland.  There are more islands in ''Søndersø'' than in any other lake in Denmark.  These include the islands of Fruerø, Hestø, Præstø, [[Borgø]], Lindø, Askø and Worsaaes.  This is part of the Maribo Lakes Nature Park, which spans the towns of Maribo, [[Holeby]], [[Sakskøbing]] and [[Nysted]].<ref>[https://visitlolland-falster.com/tourist/plan-your-holiday/maribo-lakes-nature-park-gdk1077598 Maribo Lakes Nature Park] VisitLollandFalster</ref>

==History==

[[File:Ruiner af Maribo Kloster.JPG|thumb|270px|left|The ruins of [[Maribo Abbey]]]] 
[[Saint Birgitta]] (1303–1373), also known as Birgitta of Vadstena, has cast her shadow on this municipality, and is shown on the municipality's coat-of-arms.  Her order established the [[Bridgettines|Bridgettine Order]]'s [[Abbey]] in Maribo, when 1416 monks from Vadstena Abbey were sent to Maribo, then called Skimminge, to help establish a monastery.

In 1536, however, the abbey was abolished and transformed into a convent for noble virgins in 1556.  After the old town church burned down in 1596, the abbey church then in place received status as town church.<ref>[https://museumlollandfalster.dk/en/klosterruinen/ Klosterruinen] Museum Lolland-Falster</ref>

King [[Christian IV of Denmark|Christian IV]]'s daughter, [[Leonora Christina Ulfeldt]], was probably the abbey's most famous resident.  In 1685 after her release from 21 years imprisonment for high treason from the Blue Tower (''[[Blåtårn]]'') in Copenhagen's Castle, she spent her final years in the then already [[dilapidation|dilapidated]] abbey, and was buried in a crypt at the church, until her body was removed shortly after the burial.<ref>[https://visitlolland-falster.com/tourist/plan-your-holiday/royal-daughter-leonora-christina-gdk616358 Royal Daughter Leonora Christina] VisitLollandFalster</ref>

In 1803-1804 the islands of [[Lolland]]-[[Falster]], which previously belonged to the [[Funen]] [[diocese]], were made into an independent diocese, and the abbey church was given the status of the diocese's cathedral (''domkirke'') now known as [[Maribo Cathedral]].  The bishop, however, resides in [[Nykøbing Falster]].

Several times during the 1800s the church has been secured against decline.

==Transport and Infrastructure==

[[File:Lollandsbanen-lj-bahnhof-maribo-am-836574.jpg|thumb|270px|[[Maribo railway station]]]]

The town is served by [[Maribo railway station]], located at [[Lollandsbanen]], a railway line between {{rws|Nykøbing Falster}} and {{rws|Nakskov}}, which is operated by the railway company [[Lokaltog|Lokaltog A/S]] since 2015. 

[[Lolland Falster Airport]] is located south of Maribo between the towns of Holeby and Rødby.<ref>[https://www.visitlolland-falster.com/tourist/plan-your-holiday/lolland-falster-airport-gdk616198 Lolland Falster airport] VisitLollandFalster</ref>

==Maribo Municipality==
[[File:MariboCityLimit.png|thumb|270px|Maribo City Edge]]
Until 1 January 2007, Maribo was also a municipality ([[Danish language|Danish]], ''[[Municipalities of Denmark|kommune]]'')  in the former [[Storstrøm County]]. The municipality, which included the islands of [[Askø]] ("Ash Island") and [[Lilleø]] ("little Island") in the Rågø Sound, covered an area of 154&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, and had a total population of 11,098 (2005).  Its last mayor was Liljan Køcks, a member of the [[Socialist People's Party (Denmark)|Socialist People's Party]] (''Socialistisk Folkeparti'') [[Politics of Denmark|political party]].

Maribo Municipality ceased to exist as the result of [[Municipalities of Denmark#Municipal Reform 2007|''Kommunalreformen'' ("The Municipality Reform" of 2007)]].  It was merged with [[Holeby]], [[Højreby]], [[Nakskov]], [[Ravnsborg]], [[Rudbjerg]] and [[Rødby]] municipalities to form the new [[Lolland Municipality]].  This created a municipality with an area of 892&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> and a total population of 49,469 (2005).

== Notable people ==
* [[Peder Bergenhammer Sørensen]] (1914 in Maribo – executed 1944) a member of the Danish resistance
* [[Hanne Budtz]] (1915 - 2004) a lawyer and politician for the [[The Conservative People's Party (Denmark)|Conservative People's Party]]
* [[Marianne Gaarden]] (born 1964) a Danish prelate, installed in 2017 as [[Diocese of Lolland–Falster|Bishop of Lolland–Falster]] in Maribo Cathedral 
* [[Simon Nagel]] (born 1985 in Maribo) a Danish professional football midfielder with 300 club caps
* [[Peter Tom-Petersen]] (1861–1926) a Danish painter and graphic artist, went to school in Maribo
* [[Jørgen Wichfeld (1729–1797)|Jørgen Wichfeld]] (1729 at [[Engestofte]] – 1797) a landowner, industrialist and district judge 
* [[Monica Wichfeld]] (1894–1945) a leading member of the Danish resistance during the German occupation of Denmark in WWII, lived on the [[Engestofte]] Estate in Maribo 
* [[Richard Winther]] (1926 in Maribo - 2007) a Danish artist focused mainly on painting, graphics, photography and sculpture

==See also==
* [[Maribo cheese]]

==External links==
* {{wikivoyage inline|Maribo}}
* [http://www.lolland.dk/ Lolland municipality's official website (Danish only)]
* [https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/denmark/maribo Weather forecast Maribo, Denmark] weather-atlas.com

==References==
{{reflist}}

* Municipal statistics: [https://web.archive.org/web/20070812152043/http://www2.netborger.dk/Kommunefakta/ NetBorger Kommunefakta], delivered from [http://www.kmd.dk/ KMD a.k.a. Kommunedata (Municipal Data)]
* Municipal mergers and neighbors: [https://web.archive.org/web/20061208085744/http://kommune.eniro.dk/region/media/nyekommuner.shtml Eniro new municipalities map]

{{Lolland}}
{{Towns of Lolland Municipality}}
{{Municipal seats of Denmark}}
{{Storstrøm County}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Maribo| ]]
[[Category:Municipal seats of Region Zealand]]
[[Category:Municipal seats of Denmark]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Region Zealand]]
[[Category:Former municipalities of Denmark]]
[[Category:Lolland]]
[[Category:Lolland Municipality]]