Videbæk is a town in West Jutland with 4,309 inhabitants (2020), located 34 km south of Holstebro, 24 km west of Herning, 20 km north of Skjern and 25 km east of Ringkøbing. The city belongs to Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality and is located in the Central Jutland Region. Videbæk belongs to Videbæk Parish. Videbæk Church is located in the city.
Vestjyllands Kunstpavillon (West Jutland Art Pavilion)
One of
Videbæk's standout attractions is the Vestjyllands Kunstpavillon, a
striking modern art museum that serves as a cultural beacon in the
region. Opened in 2012, this pavilion was designed by the acclaimed
Danish architect Henning Larsen, who was born in nearby Opsund in 1925
and passed away in 2013. Larsen's design draws inspiration from the
surrounding landscape, resulting in a pristine white building that
elegantly curves like a swan on the shore of a serene lake within the
Lystanlægget park. The architecture blends seamlessly with nature,
featuring clean lines, expansive glass elements, and a minimalist
aesthetic that echoes Larsen's other iconic works, such as the Royal
Opera House in Copenhagen and the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek.
The
pavilion hosts rotating exhibitions of contemporary art, including
paintings, sculptures, and installations from both established and
emerging artists. Permanent features include works by sculptor Jens Lund
and architectural displays honoring Henning Larsen himself. In 2015,
artist Arne Haugen-Sørensen was so impressed during his exhibition that
he donated 80 paintings, leading to a community-funded expansion opened
in September 2017. This addition effectively created a dedicated museum
wing for Sørensen's expressive, often dramatic artworks, which he
described as "coming home." Visitors can also enjoy concerts, lectures,
and a volunteer-run café overlooking the park and lake, where coffee and
cake are served in a cozy atmosphere. Reviews highlight the pavilion's
serene setting and high-quality exhibits, with ratings averaging 4.4 out
of 5, praising it as a "hidden gem" for art enthusiasts. The site is
open year-round, with changing displays ensuring repeat visits are
rewarding. It's particularly magical in summer when the park blooms, or
in winter when the white structure contrasts with snowy surroundings.
Jyllands Park Zoo
For families and animal lovers, Jyllands Park
Zoo stands out as Denmark's "coziest" zoo, emphasizing close encounters
and educational fun. Founded in 1969 (originally as Haunstrup Zoo and
later Jyllands Mini Zoo), it celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019 and
has grown into a beloved local institution located about 10 km from
Herning. Spanning a compact yet engaging area, the zoo houses around 500
animals representing over 70 species from around the world, including
lions, giraffes, hyenas, exotic mammals, colorful birds, and reptiles.
What sets it apart is its child-friendly focus: visitors can touch and
feed many animals, participate in interactive feeding sessions, and
attend shows that highlight animal welfare and conservation.
The
zoo's layout encourages exploration, with features like a miniature
train ride, sailing activities on a small pond, barbecue areas, and
extensive playgrounds—including a covered "miniby" play area, jumping
pillows, and BBQ spots for picnics. While some enclosures reflect the
zoo's older origins, recent expansions prioritize animal well-being, and
the intimate scale allows for personal interactions, such as getting
"really close" to the creatures. Visitor reviews average 3.4 out of 5,
with praise for its affordability, family-oriented vibe, and
opportunities for kids to learn about biodiversity, though some note it
feels more like a petting zoo than a large-scale facility. Open
seasonally from spring to fall, it's ideal for a half-day outing,
drawing both locals and tourists for its relaxed, educational
atmosphere.
Videbæk Kirke (Videbæk Church)
Videbæk Kirke, a
prominent historical and architectural landmark, reflects the town's
religious and communal heritage. Constructed in 1914 as part of the
Church of Denmark, this white-painted church features a simple yet
elegant design typical of early 20th-century Danish ecclesiastical
architecture, with a long walkway leading to its entrance and a modest
tower. Due to the growing congregation in the mid-20th century, the
church underwent expansions, including an extension of the nave and the
addition of side aisles to accommodate more worshippers during services.
Inside, the interior is understated, with white walls, wooden pews, and
subtle decorations that emphasize tranquility and community. It serves
as an active place of worship, hosting regular services, weddings, and
events, and is known for its engaged organist and outward-facing
programs. The church's history ties into Videbæk's development as a
rural hub, symbolizing the area's Protestant roots. Visitors appreciate
its peaceful ambiance, with reviews averaging 4.2 out of 5, describing
it as a "beautiful and serene spot" for reflection. Nearby, other
churches like Vorgod Kirke, Troldhede Kirke, and North Vium Church offer
similar historical insights, though Videbæk Kirke is the most central.
Free to enter, it's best visited during daylight hours for its
architectural details.
Natural Areas and Hiking Trails
Videbæk's natural sights provide a refreshing contrast to its cultural
offerings, with emphasis on biodiversity and outdoor recreation. The
Videbæk Plantation and surrounding areas feature woodland trails for
hiking and cycling, while the Videbæk Dog Forest—a fenced woodland with
parking—caters to pet owners for leisurely walks. A local Nature Centre
serves as a hub for exploring the region's trails, offering information
on hiking routes, guided tours, birdwatching, and workshops on cultural
history and ecology.
AllTrails lists several easy-to-moderate hikes,
typically 3-10 km long, traversing varied terrains like meadows,
forests, and fields. Notable trails include the Egeris Mølle River path,
which winds through plantations with benches, barbecue areas, and the
18-meter Ny Gråbjerg observation tower for panoramic views; the Herborg
Bakker route, featuring burial mounds and open countryside vistas; and
the Brejning Egekrat trail, ideal for spring wildflowers and deer
sightings in wooded settings. These paths often highlight wildlife such
as pheasants, hares, and birds, with some including small lakes or
historic sites like Bronze Age mounds. Difficulties range from easy
family strolls to moderate hikes, and many are unmarked but accessible
via apps or the Nature Centre. The area's rich biodiversity makes it
perfect for nature immersion, with free access year-round—though spring
and summer are prime for blooming flora.
Other Notable Mentions
At the town's entrance, don't miss "The V," a large corten steel
sculpture by artist Per Arnoldi, symbolizing Videbæk's identity and
serving as a modern landmark. For history buffs, the restored
Westergaards Hotel (dating to 1907) blends old-world charm with
contemporary amenities, though it's more of an accommodation than a
sight. Overall, Videbæk's sights reward those who appreciate depth over
spectacle, fostering a sense of discovery in Denmark's heartland.
West Jutland's Art Pavilion is
located in Videbæk's amusement park with a view of a lake. The
pavilion was designed by Henning Larsen Architects and was opened on
1 June 2012. It is located by the former Sportsvej, which on 1 March
2015 was renamed Henning Larsens Vej to honor the famous architect,
who was born in Opsund 4 km west of Videbæk .
In 2017, the
art pavilion was expanded with another white horizontal, square
building that houses a museum for Arne Haugen Sørensen, who himself
has donated a large valuable collection of works to the museum. The
two buildings are built together at an oblique angle, leaving a
V-shaped space. The walls of the buildings consist of sloping pieces
that can be seen as a play with Videbæk's landmark, the V.
Videbæk School has 433 students, divided into 0.-9.
grade level in 2-3 tracks. It is a superstructure school for Vorgod
School, Fjelstervang School and Nørre Vium-Troldhede School, which
only has 0th-6th grade.
Close to Videbæk School is Videbæk Sports
and Leisure Center, which has two sports halls, swimming pool,
bowling alley, exercise and fitness equipment and 16 double rooms.
Videbæk Christian Free School was established in 1976 and has 263
students, divided into 0.-9. grade. The school has its own sports
hall.
The city has 3 kindergartens: The sunbeam from 1968 is
rated for 63 children and has 15 employees. Lions Clubs Kindergarten
is a self-governing institution, established in 1973 by Lions Club
Videbæk. It is rated for 63 children and has 21 employees. Gl.
Kongevej is rated for 40 kindergarten children, and there are 12
children in the nursery. The playground and the house are also used
by approx. 50 daycare children. The institution has 33 employees.
Videbæk Assembly House was built in 1906 and has room for 120 people
in the large hall and 30 in the small hall.
Hotel Falken in the
western end of the town has 43 rooms, an apartment of 80 m² with
sleeping accommodation for 10 people, 4 function and course rooms
with a capacity for 120 people and a swimming pool. The hotel
belongs to the chain Danske Hoteller A / S.
The city has two
mission houses: Indre Missions on Nygade, built in 2001, and
Lutheran Missions on Høgevej. Lutheran Mission also owns the nursing
home Bakkely, which has 38 homes.
Centerparken Ældrecenter has 21
nursing homes, 2 relief rooms as well as 10 internal nursing homes
and 16 external ones.
At Gammel Kongevej 33 is Videbækegnens
Lokalhistoriske Arkiv, which belongs to Videbæk Egnsmuseum in the
neighboring town Vorgod-Barde.
The town has 2 supermarkets, 3
pizzerias, bakery, library, Nordea department, medical center,
dentist and veterinary clinic.
The inn
By the country road Aarhus-Silkeborg-Herning-Ringkøbing,
which was built in the 1850s, an inn was built, which became Videbæk's
first house. The inn burned down in 1907, but was rebuilt and changed
its name from Videbæk Kro to Westergaards Hotel. After a thorough
renovation in 1997, it had only 5 rooms, which were individually
decorated and each had its own name. The hotel closed on 1 November
2020.
The village
In 1879 the town was described as follows:
"Videbæk with Inn".
In 1904, the town is described as follows:
"Videbæk (a part of Vorgod S.), by the country road, with school,
meeting house (built in 1886), Epidemihus (built in 1892 for DKK 15,000,
with disinfection facility and 14 beds; owned by the county
municipality) , District doctor's residence, Veterinarian, Refuge,
Sparekasse for Vorgod and N.-Vium-Herborg Municipality (established in
1868...Number of accounts 648), several merchants, etc., Inn, Market
place (Market in Feb., June and Oct. ) and Telephone no.
Parish
and municipality
Videbæk initially belonged to Vorgod Parish. Its
western part was separated in 1898 as Herborg Parish with a new church
in Herborg, consecrated in 1899. It was also to accommodate Videbæk, but
it was not satisfactory, so Videbæk got its own church and priest in
1914. Videbæk Parish was separated in 1916, but belonged to Nørre
Vium-Herborg parish municipality until the municipal reform in 1970.
Here Videbæk became the municipal seat of Videbæk Municipality, which in
the structural reform in 2007 was included in Ringkøbing-Skjern
Municipality.
The station town
Videbæk got a railway station
on the Skjern-Videbæk line (1920-1981). Videbæk Station was the terminus
and was built on the north-eastern edge of the city because it was
believed that the line should be extended to Skive. So in 1930, Videbæk
step board was established, which was closer to the town center at
Gammel Kongevej.
The low measuring table sheet shows that the
town also had a dairy, a pharmacy, a midwife's house and a mission house
after the track was established.
The well-preserved station
building is located on Stationsvej 40, and the other houses on the east
side of Stationsvej were built on the station area, which DSB sold
already in 1955, when passenger traffic ceased.
From the bus
station, the track has been preserved for just over 3 km to Herborg,
from where you can ride 12½ km on a rail bike to the edge of Skjern. The
rail bikes are maintained by the association Videbæk-Skjern Veteran and
Model Railway and are rented out in Astrup Købmanshandel.
Arla (Arinco) dairy and Vestas have branches in Videbæk. A large biogas plant processes 600,000 tonnes of biomass per year, including residual products from the dairy, and produces biogas for the dairy.