Hjallerup is a town in Vendsyssel with 4,184 inhabitants (2020), located 33 km southwest of Sæby, 20 km northeast of Aalborg, 10 km west of Dronninglund and 21 km southeast of Brønderslev. The town belongs to Brønderslev Municipality and is located in the North Jutland Region. In 1970-2006, the city belonged to Dronninglund Municipality. Hjallerup belongs to Hjallerup Parish, and Hjallerup Church from 1903 is located a little east of the city.
The town is especially known for Hjallerup Market,
which is held every year in June and is visited by 200,000 people.
One week each summer, the marketplace is used by the Inner Mission
for Bible camping.
Opposite the market square is Hjallerup
Mechanical Museum, which i.a. has restored cars, motorcycles,
mopeds, tractors and agricultural machinery as well as radios and
televisions, PCs, mobile phones and navigation equipment. In front
of the museum is a jet fighter, and in a field at the end of the
driveway is Thilo Frank's artwork Ekko, which was inaugurated on the
market's first day in 2012 and is a circle of wooden frames that you
can walk around.
At the northern end of the town is the
Pastor Laier Museum. Anton Laier was a priest in Hjallerup
1927-1937, but was fired because he came into serious conflict with
members of the congregation. Even before the firing, he had started
making violent cement sculptures, which were set up in the rectory
garden facing the main road. Later he lived in the house where there
is now a museum with over 200 of his sculptures and a selection of
his 250 paintings.
Hjallerup School has over 660 pupils, divided into grades 0-9. grade.
They also have an after-school center from 5th to 9th grade. The SFO has
197 pupils.
Hjallerup Sports Center has two sports halls and a
swimming pool. Outside the city there are two riding halls and a riding
track.
Hjallerup Kulturhus was inaugurated in 1997 and was then 1,000
m². After 3 extensions, it is now 1,597 m² and contains a library, local
history archive and cultural center/parish hall with 3 halls.
Hotel
Hjallerup Kro, the old Hjallerup Kro, has 24 double rooms as well as
group rooms and conference/course rooms for 200 people.
Hjallerup has
3 supermarkets, several specialist shops and a cinema.
Green
Concert
Every year during Grøn Koncert, the volunteer employees – now
750 – come to visit Hjallerup. Here they have three rest days between
the first 4 and the last 4 concert days.[8] They are accommodated at
Hjallerup School and in the sports halls.
Hjallerup is a small town in Northern Jutland, Denmark, situated in
Brønderslev Municipality within the North Denmark Region. Located
approximately 20 kilometers northeast of Aalborg, it lies at coordinates
57°10′03″N 10°08′42″E and covers an urban area of 3.2 km². As of 2025,
the town has a population of 4,509, making it the second-largest
settlement in its municipality with a density of about 1,400 residents
per km². Historically, Hjallerup developed as a rural village centered
around agriculture, trade, and its iconic horse market, which has been a
defining feature since the 18th century. Today, it is renowned for the
annual Hjallerup Market—one of Europe's largest horse markets—as well as
cultural contributions like the origin of the traditional Danish
drømmekage cake. The town's evolution reflects broader shifts in Danish
rural life, from medieval agrarian roots to modern challenges of
urbanization and economic adaptation.
Early History and Origins
Hjallerup's origins trace back to the medieval period, emerging between
the 1100s and 1400s as a modest village in what was then part of
Hjørring County (amt). The settlement initially formed around a central
inn and marketplace, serving as a hub for local farmers and traders.
This early development was tied to agricultural activities, with the
area characterized by rural landscapes and small-scale commerce. The
name "Hjallerup" likely derives from Old Norse elements, common in
Danish place names, though specific etymology is not well-documented in
available sources. By the 18th century, the village had gained regional
importance due to its strategic location along trade routes in Jutland.
The parish of Hjallerup, which encompasses the town, has historical ties
to ecclesiastical and administrative structures dating back centuries.
Genealogical records indicate that the area was part of Hjørring amt
until Denmark's administrative reforms in 1970, when it transitioned to
Nordjyllands amt (now part of the North Denmark Region). Early records
from parish registers, available from the 1600s onward, document births,
marriages, and deaths, reflecting a stable agrarian community influenced
by Lutheran church practices post-Reformation.
18th and 19th
Century Development
The pivotal moment in Hjallerup's history came in
1744, when the local innkeeper was officially obligated to organize an
annual market. This event laid the foundation for the Hjallerup Market,
which began as a horse trading fair and quickly grew into one of
Denmark's oldest and most significant markets. Held under royal decree,
it attracted traders from across Jutland and beyond, boosting the local
economy through livestock sales, goods exchange, and social gatherings.
By the mid-19th century, the market had become a staple, with expansions
to accommodate growing attendance.
In 1858, the inn was relocated to
the intersection of Søndergade and Østergade, a move that centralized
market activities. To support this, 20 acres of land were acquired
adjacent to the inn specifically for market grounds. This period marked
Hjallerup's transition from a scattered village to a more structured
town, with the market serving as its economic heartbeat. The 19th
century also saw improvements in infrastructure, aligning with Denmark's
broader industrialization and agricultural advancements.
20th
Century Growth and Changes
The early 20th century brought significant
modernization. In 1922, the market expanded with the construction of new
stables, buildings, and a "Dramhus" (a facility for serving beer),
enhancing its appeal. Markets were held every fourth Thursday, with
major events in June and September. Two years later, in 1924, a railroad
line and station were established, improving connectivity to Aalborg and
other regions, which facilitated trade and population growth.
Post-World War II, from 1945 to 1965, the rise of tractors led to a
decline in horse usage for labor, shifting them to recreational purposes
and impacting the market's traditional focus. The railway, symbolic of
early 20th-century progress, was closed in 1950 due to shifting
transportation priorities toward roads. By 1965, the innkeeper, Nørgård
Jacobsen, was relieved of market obligations as attendance waned,
transferring management to the local community. This sparked ideas for
repurposing the land, including a shopping mall.
A cultural milestone
occurred in 1960 when local resident Jytte Andersen won a cake-baking
competition organized by a women's magazine, leading to the creation of
drømmekage (dream cake)—a sponge cake topped with coconut-caramel icing
that became a Danish classic.
In 1968, the market was relocated to a
new site within the town to adapt to changing needs. Between 1970 and
1974, the original marketplace was redeveloped into Hjallerup Mall, a
shopping center that symbolized the shift from agrarian trade to retail
commerce.
Modern History and Contemporary Developments
In the
21st century, Hjallerup has faced challenges typical of small Danish
towns, including retail decline due to online shopping and
centralization of services. By 2020, the shopping center was struggling,
prompting municipal efforts for revitalization, such as urban planning
initiatives to enhance green spaces, connectivity, and community
engagement. The town benefits from a vibrant association life, including
cultural houses, cinemas, and sports facilities, fostering a strong
sense of community.
The Hjallerup Market remains a highlight,
evolving into a three-day event in early June that attracts over 200,000
visitors and features more than 1,200 horses. It now includes modern
elements like street performers, amusement rides, and diverse vendors,
while retaining its horse-trading heritage. This makes it Europe's
largest horse market and a key cultural event in Denmark.
Hjallerup's
population has grown steadily, supported by its proximity to Aalborg and
ongoing redevelopment projects aimed at sustainability and livability.
Hjallerup is a small inland town located in the northern part of the
Jutland peninsula, within Brønderslev Municipality in the North Denmark
Region (Nordjylland). Situated approximately 20 kilometers north of
Aalborg, Denmark's fourth-largest city, and about 15-20 kilometers from
the western coast along Jammerbugt Bay and the North Sea, Hjallerup
occupies a central position in the Vendsyssel area. Its geographic
coordinates are approximately 57°10′N 10°09′E, placing it in a
transitional zone between the flat coastal plains to the west and
slightly more undulating terrains to the south and east. The town covers
an urban area of about 3.2 square kilometers, with a population density
of around 1,400 inhabitants per square kilometer, reflecting a compact
settlement amid expansive rural surroundings. Historically part of
Hjallerup parish, it serves as a regional hub for agriculture and
commerce, influenced by its proximity to major transport routes like the
E39 highway and the Aalborg-Hirtshals railway line.
The
topography of Hjallerup is characteristic of Denmark's predominantly
low-lying landscape, shaped by glacial deposits from the last Ice Age.
The town sits at an average elevation of 19 meters above sea level, with
minimal variation in relief—typical of the Jutland lowland where the
national average height is around 31 meters. The terrain is gently
undulating, featuring subtle hills and shallow valleys formed by
post-glacial erosion and sedimentation. Surrounding areas consist of
fertile plains ideal for arable farming, interspersed with small patches
of heathland and meadows. To the east and south, the landscape
transitions into the gentle ridges of the Jyske Ås (Jutland Ridge), a
low moraine chain that provides rare elevation changes up to 100 meters
in nearby areas, offering panoramic views over forests and lakes.
Erosion from ancient meltwater rivers has created minor depressions,
some of which form small wetlands or ponds, though no major rivers pass
directly through the town. The soil is primarily sandy loam with glacial
till, supporting intensive agriculture such as crop cultivation and
livestock rearing, which dominate the visual landscape.
Hjallerup's natural features blend cultivated farmlands with pockets of
wilder environments, reflecting Denmark's managed yet biodiverse
countryside. The immediate surroundings are dominated by open
agricultural fields, growing crops like barley, wheat, and potatoes,
bordered by hedgerows and small woodlands of beech, oak, and pine trees.
Nearby to the west, about 10-15 kilometers away, lie dune plantations
and coastal heathlands along the North Sea, providing habitats for
seabirds and dune vegetation, though Hjallerup itself is inland and
shielded from direct marine influences. To the east, the area includes
protected nature reserves such as the Hammer Bakker hills (approximately
10 km away), featuring rolling terrains with heather-covered moors,
small lakes, and mixed forests that support wildlife like deer, foxes,
and various bird species. Wetlands and bogs, remnants of glacial
activity, dot the landscape, contributing to local biodiversity and
serving as carbon sinks. The region is part of broader ecological
networks, including Natura 2000 sites, emphasizing sustainable land use
amid farming pressures. Human modifications, such as drainage systems
for agriculture, have altered some natural watercourses, but efforts
preserve remaining meadows and woodlands for recreation like hiking and
birdwatching.
The climate in Hjallerup is temperate oceanic,
moderated by the North Sea and Baltic Sea influences, resulting in mild,
humid conditions with no extreme temperature swings. Summers are
comfortable and cool, with average highs of 18-22°C (64-72°F) from June
to August, and long daylight hours peaking at 17 hours in midsummer.
Winters are long and chilly, averaging 0-4°C (32-39°F) from December to
February, often with frost, occasional snowfall (accumulating 10-20 cm
on average), and overcast skies. Annual precipitation is moderate at
around 700-800 mm, distributed fairly evenly but with a peak in late
summer and autumn—August is the wettest month with about 85 mm, while
March is the driest at 49 mm. The area is notably windy, with prevailing
westerlies bringing moist Atlantic air, leading to frequent breezes
(average wind speeds 5-7 m/s) and occasional gales in winter. Fog and
mist are common in transitional seasons, and the maritime effect keeps
humidity high year-round. Climate change trends indicate slightly warmer
temperatures and increased precipitation variability, potentially
affecting local agriculture through wetter winters and drier summers.