Frederikssund 5.73

Frederikssund is a Danish town, seat of the Frederikssund Municipality, in the Region Hovedstaden with a population of 15,865 (1 January 2015). It received the status of market town in 1810. The town is famous for its annual Viking Games as well as for the J.F. Willumsen museum. Since 1935, it has been connected to Hornsherred via the Kronprins Frederik Bridge.HistoryThere is evidence of communities dating right back to the stone age with a number of burial sites in the area. It seems probable that there was a small settlement at the present location of Frederikssund in the Middle Ages but the development of the town probably began in the 12th century with the construction of a church at what was then known as Ude Sundby or Sundby Færge (Sundby Ferry). Located at a narrow point on Roskilde Fjord, Sundby Færge became the harbour for the nearby market town of Slangerup.In 1809-10, the status of market town was transferred from Slangerup to Frederikssund, named after King Frederik III. In 1868, a pontoon bridge linking Frederikssund to Hornsherred was opened. This was replaced by today's Kronprins Frederik Bridge in 1935.Frederikssund's rapid expansion from a small town at the end of the 19th century is due in large part to the railway connection with Ballerup in 1879 which was upgraded to a frequent suburban service to Copenhagen in 1989.GeographyFrederikssund is located on the east coast of Roskilde Fjord, about 45 km north-west of Copenhagen, 20 km south of Hillerød and 30 km north of Roskilde. It is less than an hour from Copenhagen by either road or rail. S-trains (suburban commuter trains) leave about once every 10 minutes. Copenhagen Airport can be reached by road or rail in about an hour.