Slangerup between Urban History and Nature

Historic Town and Special Places of Remembrance

Slangerup combines a distinctive urban history with nature-based experiences. The historic part of the town is characterized by its settlement pattern, buildings worthy of preservation, façades and sightlines, trees, and squares. This makes the town appealing to visitors who are not looking for just one individual attraction, but want to experience the character of a town that has developed over time while exploring it on foot.

A central point of reference is Skt. Mikaels Kirke. Construction of a large and, for its time, very costly brick church began on the site of today’s church in the 1090s. It was completely rebuilt in the second half of the 16th century. The hymn writer Thomas Kingo was born in Slangerup in 1634; in 1668, Thomas Hansen Kingo was appointed to a parish in the town. In his will, Thomas Kingo bequeathed, among other things, a brass chandelier to Skt. Mikaels Kirke. Guided tours where you bring your own guide must be arranged in advance with the church office.

Slangerup Miniby depicts the town as it looked around 1900 and is built to a scale of 1:10. The Slangerup Miniby association has been working on the model town since 1996. The Old Forge and its exhibition are also run by the Local Historical Association for the Slangerup region. During the season, the fire in the forge burns on the last Saturday of every month; opening hours during the season, from 1 May to 31 October, are listed as Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Nature Close to Town and Paths through the Landscape

Kirkeengen is a piece of wilder nature close to the town in Slangerup and provides a habitat for numerous summer birds, including the blackcap, nightingale and garden warbler. The area has been protected since 1945. Lystrup Skov offers a different landscape perspective: the state forest is one of the last remnants of the large, continuous forest that once covered extensive parts of North Zealand. The forest covers approximately 200 hectares and is divided by a low-lying valley of meadows and marshes, with the Gørløse Å flowing along its bottom. Important for your planning: there are no marked hiking trails in Lystrup Skov.

For mountain bikers, Djævlesporet is a clearly described option. The 13.8-kilometre route starts at Lystrupvej/Kratvej and consists of two interconnected loops. It is a technically challenging singletrack trail with one-way traffic in a clockwise direction. Lystrup Enge also has a primitive overnight site with two small shelters and two fire pits. The fire pit offers views of the meadows of Lystrup; there are also two fire pits with benches and two table-and-bench sets. Each shelter at the Engblommen-and-Firlingen shelters can accommodate two to three overnight guests.

Orientation for Active Days

You can reach the Engblommen-and-Firlingen shelters from the car park at Skovlegepladsen near Kratvej 2, 3550 Slangerup, via a footpath of approximately 1 to 2 kilometres. Alternatively, bus route 337 runs to the Lystrup Skov (Lystrupvej) stop; from there, there is also a footpath of approximately 1 to 2 kilometres. Bus route 337 runs between Hillerød and Slangerup, passing south of Lystrup Skov. For a longer route through open landscapes, there is the 10.6-kilometre cycling route between Frederikssund railway station and the Slangerup bus stop.

Near Slangerup, Buresø lies in a tunnel valley southeast of the town. There you will find marked paths, a bathing area with a bathing jetty, fire pits and sites for primitive overnight stays. Buresø and its surroundings are part of the nature park between Farum and Slangerup. Kratmølleskoven has a primitive overnight site with five hammock stands, a fire pit and a table with benches; this site can be reached directly on foot or by bicycle.

Other destinations in this selection include Tibirke, Fredensborg, Asserbo, Hvidovre Municipality, Copenhagen, Vellerup, Helsinge and Ålsgårde.

For the broader travel overview: Hovedstaden.