Rågeleje is a former fishing village and popular tourist resort on the north coast of Zealand, midway between Gilleleje and Tisvildeleje, some 50 km north of Copenhagen, Denmark. As of 2024, it had a population of 700.[1]

Rågeleje
Town
Rågeleje is located in Denmark
Rågeleje
Rågeleje
Location in Denmark
Rågeleje is located in Capital Region
Rågeleje
Rågeleje
Rågeleje (Capital Region)
Coordinates: 56°05′58″N 12°09′44″E / 56.09944°N 12.16222°E / 56.09944; 12.16222
CountryDenmark
RegionCapital (Hovedstaden)
MunicipalityGribskov
Population
 (2024)
 • Total700
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)

History

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The fishing village

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The name Rågeleje was first mentioned in 1582 in the form Raageleie, meaning the harbour of Råge (1211 Roka), a no longer existing settlement.[2] Rågeleje remained a quiet fishing community where the families supplemented their income with a bit of sheep herding until the late 19th century.[3] The fishing village was located at the mouth of the Højbro Stream. The fisherman on the west side of the stream was traditionally known as the Vejby fishermen while the ones on the east side were known as the Hesselbjerg fishermen.[4] Rågeleje had 55 residents in 1890 of which 13 were fishermen. The number of residents had by 1911 declined to 34 of which 10 were fishermen.[5]

1910s: New residents

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The first tourists began to arrive at the turn of the 20th century. In the early 1910s, Anders Nielsen, the owner of Damgården, sold most of his land off in lots to wealthy people from the city. Anders Nielsen's Son, Niels Nielsen, made a business out of picking the new residents and their belongings up in Helsinge at the beginning of the summer season and to drive them back at the end of the season.[6] Anders Nielsens was Vej was after Anders Nielsen's death named after him and the new landowners in 1921 erected a memorial stone at the end of the road to commemorate him.

A beach hotel soon opened. The slope towards the beach was protected by the conservation authorities on the initiative of the lot owners in 1940.

A 1915 bird's-eye view of Rågeleje by Franz Kediv with a directory of local landmarks and house owners:
  1. N. Hansen, grocery store, telph.Raageleje 35
  2. Master mason F. Andersen
  3. Farmer Anders Nielsen, telph. Raageleje 16
  4. Captain Ramsing
  5. Manufacturer Krarup
  6. Attorney Thorup
  7. Fisherman's house and laundry
  8. Director, Dr. phil Mouritz Mackeprang
  9. Merchant Thorup
  10. Director Chr. Heiede
  11. High Court Attorney Aage Madsen
  12. Businessman N. Hansen
  13. Miss Klingberg
  14. Doctor Ernst
  15. Brewery owner Bjørnsen
  16. Raageleje Beach Hotel, telph. Raageleje 18
  17. Director Arup
  18. High Court Attorney Aage Madsen
  19. Businessman F. E. Mauritzen
  20. Businessman Aage Asmunsen
  21. Chief Medical Corps Physicist, Dr. med. Ammentorp
  22. Businessman Gunder Worm
  23. High Court Attorney Aage Madsen
  24. Manufacturer V. Gravesen
  25. Businessman R. Emmeche
  26. Astrid Malmberg
  27. House owner N. P. Nielsen
  28. Artist Wang
  29. Businessman Sønderby
  30. Raageleje Inn, telph. Raageleje 5
  31. Businessman Alf Watne
  32. Businessman Kr. Dahli
  33. Manufacturer Binder
  34. High Court Attorney V. M. Andrup
  35. Businessman V. B. Herseth
  36. Forrester Baron Wedell-Wedellsberg
  37. Manufacturer Johansen
  38. Dentist Hjalmar Kjær
  39. Director Wellerdorf
  40. Businessman Henri Odewahn
  41. Architect Ambye
  42. Consul-General, ship broker C. P. Jensen
  43. Principal Miss Ingrid Jørgensen
  44. Teacher Miss Ryberg
  45. High Court Attorney Aage Madsen

Later history

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In the late 1940s and 1950s, Rågeleje's inn was a popular hangout for jazz musicians, artists and actors. The inn was later destroyed in a fire.[3]

Today

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Dorthea's House from 1752 is the oldest house remaining in Rågeleje. At the far end of Anders Nielsensvej stands a monument commemorating Anders Nielsens, a farmer who owned most of the land in the area until he sold it off in lots to new residents. His farm, Damgården, is still seen on the left side where the road makes a bend and continues to Unnerup.[3] Rågegården is an Arts & Crafts inspired country house from 1915 designed by Povl Baumann It was listed on the Danish registry of protected buildings and places in 1989.

Notable residents

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Grethe Sønck, 1959

Holiday homes

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ BY3: Population 1 January, by urban areas The Mobile Statbank from Statistics Denmark
  2. ^ "Gasværket". AOK. Retrieved 2010-01-04.
  3. ^ a b c "Historie" (in Danish). taageleje.dk. Retrieved 2013-08-14.
  4. ^ "Af Simon Steenfeldt Laursen". Gribskov Arkiv (in Danish). Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  5. ^ "Rågeleje – før, nu og fremover". docplayer.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  6. ^ "ARågeleje: historie". raageleje.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  7. ^ IMDb Database retrieved 25 June 2020
  8. ^ "Kraks Blå Bog 1957". rosekamp.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 28 February 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
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