Local history

 
Svaneke is the most eastern and smallest provincial town in Denmark. The name of the town was met for the first time in 1410, it was called Swenche, but the community is alot older than that. Originally it is a fishing hamlet. In the year 1491 the name Swanicke comes up. In 1555, King Christian the Third name the town Svaniche of Boringholm and assigns it the privileges of being a provincial town. Now a mayor and a town council can be assigned together with more common functionalities. In 1584 the town gets its own seal that represents a swan with a ring in its beak. To this day, no one knows why this expression was chosen. 

Today Svaneke is one of the most beautiful provincial towns. Since the middle of the last century, it has been resting. The development over the last century has happened around the town, luckily no railroad was established, which meant, that the old town structure and the old houses was kept intact. 

Therefore Svaneke gives a unique picture of a real and harmonic provincial town, grown on the steep rocks surrounding the harbour, connected with granite fences and the characteristic stone stairs. 

The town rises from the harbour towards the surrounding firlds to the south and west. In the town center all the stores are located. In 1975 Svaneke was awarded the European gold medal for town preservation and in 2013 Svaneke won the price "Danmarks Smukkeste Købstad" (the most beautiful market town).

The local traits in Svaneke has all the key workplaces as any provincial town. Trade, craftsmen, farming, fishing, production with expore, education, library, bakery, supermarket etc. Some of the local inhabitants come from other towns to work in Svaneke, or they have to go somewhere else to work on the island. Because of this, there is a good connection to the rest of the island, using public transportation. 

The people that live in Svaneke thrive. As additions to the daily jobs, there are many different sparetime activities to participate in, because of this the community in Svaneke is very good. 

The towns population can be divided into two halfs, one half are "Natives" the other half come from near and far. This gives a mixed culture that the town benefits from. In 1890 an amateur theatre was established, this is today a well running private theatre, that over the winther season performs for the entire island. 

This might seem as alot of information, it is not, you will have to come and see for yourself.