Østbirk: Church History and Nature Trails
Accommodation in Østbirk
Church history, a government-established smallholder colony, industrial history and trails through a nature area give Østbirk its varied character. When planning your trip, you can decide whether historical traces, nature or activity along a route should shape your stay. The topics range from a medieval church building to a 61-kilometre route and are easy to distinguish from one another.
Church and Historical Traces
Østbirk Church was built around 1200. Its Gothic altarpiece dates from around 1480 and was brought to the church in 1582. Several centuries separate the church’s construction from the creation of the altarpiece; its arrival also marks a distinct point in the church’s history. The church also contains the Grabow burial chapel. It was furnished in 1768 and contains five sarcophagi belonging to the Grabow family. The building’s history, the altarpiece and the burial chapel each provide a different historical reference point.
The Østbirk Præstegårdsmark, on the northeastern edge of Østbirk, offers another historical perspective. It is a government-established smallholder colony, divided up in 1922 from the lands belonging to the vicarage. It comprises five farms along a straight road. The description of the settlement makes the division of the land and the layout of the farms its specific focus. The Præstegårdsmark also contains two protected burial mounds and six that have been ploughed over. Both states of preservation are part of the historical traces in this landscape.
Nature Area and Trails
Natur Østbirk is a nature area in the western part of Østbirk. Five nature attractions offer opportunities to enjoy views, exercise your arms, relax and enjoy nature. The area caters to a range of interests: alongside exercise, visitors can enjoy the views or take a break in nature. The Naturstien Horsens-Silkeborg, also known as Bryrupbanestien, winds around Natur Østbirk. It is 61 kilometres long and intended for hiking, cycling and horse riding. Its route follows the former Bryrupbanen railway line, so the line’s former use as a railway remains part of the route’s history.
When planning a hike, you can distinguish this trail from a shorter route: another, 11-kilometre hiking route passes through Østbirk. These distances help you gauge the scale of a trip without treating the routes as equivalent: the Naturstien is listed as 61 kilometres long and accommodates three activities, while the 11-kilometre route is described as a hiking route through Østbirk. This lets you choose according to whether a longer route with several types of use or a shorter hiking route better suits your plans.
Industrial History at the VELUX Collection
The VELUX Collection focuses on the history of the VELUX company, its founder and the industry, as well as the development of its products. This includes the story of the first VELUX factory, founded in Østbirk near Horsens. The focus on products and company history thus complements the older themes of the church and the Præstegårdsmark with an industrial perspective. Visitors can park at Industrivej 19D and walk the final stretch along the blue trail. All visitors are welcome at the VELUX Collection. A lift connects the two floors, and there are several toilets.
These topics offer different starting points when choosing where to stay in Østbirk: church and settlement history, the story of a company, or time spent in nature. Those who enjoy getting out and about can choose from the designated routes based on length and activity. This keeps your trip planning focused on your specific interests, rather than treating cultural history, nature and activity as the same experience.
Discover more destinations: Assendrup, Horsens, Brædstrup, Hovedgård, Slagballe.
Return to the main travel overview: Horsens.
