A turnkey bridge at Sildehagen

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The Viking castle Fyrkat is situated near Hobro. It is built around 980 AD by King Harald Bluetooth. Fyrkat is one of the five Viking castles known today, which were built in what was then Denmark. They are all an expression of Harald Bluetooth’s ambitions to unite the Danish Empire and defend it against, among others, the German-Roman emperor Otto II.

At Fyrkat, 16 almost 30 meter long and 8 meter wide longhouses were built, to which were added a number of smaller buildings. From the burial ground atFyrkat we know that both women and men lived in the houses of the castle. In one of the graves (grave 4) a very special woman was buried – a Wolverine. She was connected with the Odin cult and she could, among other things, predict the future. For this purpose she had a number of things, which in addition to her exotic jewelry, of which several came from distant parts of the world, were found in the grave.

Among the Wolverine`s grave goods was also a chest with a lock and matching key. In Viking times the key was a marker of the status and role of women in society. It was the housewife who was the key bearer at the farm. With the key she controlled access to the valuables in chests and shrines. It was also the housewife, who in the absence of her husband, ruled over man & beast at the farm.

It is these keys which are the inspiration for the bathing jetty. The key to the Wolverine`s box is only 5 cm long – approx. 500 times smaller than the circular bridge.

The bridge is established by a working group and Hobro Tourist Association in 2021.

Facts

  • Outside diameter 15 m – circumference 47 m. Inside diameter 12 m.
  • There is a handicap accessible staircase inside the circle.
  • The bridge joint is 2 m long. The ramp down to the pontoon is 4 m long and 1.5 m wide, and it has handrails on both sides.
  • The floating pontoon is 7 m x 4.5 m outside, and the parts are 1.5 m wide and have the shape of the lower part of a Vølve’s key, which has been found on Fyrkat.
  • There are 2 stairs mounted on the pontoon. The water depth at the stairs is approx. 2 m depending on high or low tide.
  • The bridge is built in aluminum and covered with the most beautiful mahogany. Over time, the bridge will have a more greyish appearance when weather and wind have been at stake.
  • In winter, the ramp for the floating part can be tilted up and fitted with a bathing ladder for the winter bathers.

Overall, a suitably sized bridge for the fjord and Hobro.

Processed

In the summer of 2020, the Hobro Tourist Association set up a working group to work on the establishment of a new bridge at Sildehagen. The bridge was circular because the Hobro Tourist Association and the working group thought it should be special and spectacular – and not just a straight bridge – The working group made various drafts, all of which should be disability-friendly. The first sketch looked like a half key to adjusting the price, as there was a self-contained handicap bridge with stairs and handrails. However, it seemed wrong visually. The final version of the bridge came to look like Vølven’s key from Fyrkat at the request of Lars Nørbach from North Jutland Museums.

At the same time, extensive material was made for obtaining offers and applications to various Funds, the Municipality and the Coastal Directorate.

The tourist association has received DKK 250,000 from the Salling Foundations, DKK 150,000 from the Svend Nielsen and Herdis Mygind Foundation and DKK 60,000 from Mariagerfjord Municipality.

In addition, Mariagerfjord Municipality has given DKK 150,000 for the establishment of functions on land that can support the bridge and the recreational area at Sildehagen.

The application to the Coastal Directorate was sent at the end of January 2021.

The assembly

The company Modulbro from Thisted has installed the bridge, which consists of two parts. The round circular bridge and a floating pontoon, which can be taken in in winter.

The fjord bottom off Sildehagen is filled with gravel and stones, so you could not flush the pipes down, which would have been the easiest. Therefore, as many bridge piers as possible were dug down with a small mini excavator. The rest were fastened with huge pegs.

Here the bridge is seen during installation. The brand new mahogany wood has the most beautiful golden colour. The bridge enters a further 8 m into the water outside the circle. A chute of 4 m down to a floating pontoon of 7m x 4.5 m, which is the outer part of the key.

The story

The turnkey bridge draws threads back in time, as we have placed great emphasis on the Fyrkat story. The bridge refers to the historic Hobro, which was created over 1000 years ago. Therefore, the working group has also made a sign that tells the story of Vølven and her key on Fyrkat.

The working group and Hobro Tourist Association are sure that the beautiful turnkey bridge at Sildehagen will be very attractive and become Hobro’s wedding bridge.

The turnkey bridge was inaugurated on 31. October 2021.

A lovely afternoon with many guests at Sildehagen.