Nakskov is a beautiful medieval market town with cozy historical urban environments where you'll find half-timbering, cobblestones and hollyhocks.
Nakskov was granted market town privileges in the mid-13th century. The town was of great importance as it has both a fertile catchment area and an important connection to seaside trade and fishing, as well as a strategic advantage in the fjord that made it easy to defend the town.
The historic city center
Nakskov is one of Denmark's old medieval market towns, and this is clearly visible in the town center, where lots and streets still have a medieval feel. Nakskov is also one of the country's best-preserved market towns with a large number of beautiful merchant's houses and residences, many of which date back to the 1600s and some even further back. The quality and quantity of preservation-worthy properties makes Nakskov unique and offers great opportunities for development of the urban environment.
The alleys
Between the city and the harbor you will find a number of cozy little alleys. Bibrostræde, Tolderensstræde and Kongenstofte are particularly beautiful, but also in the city center in Kattesundet, you'll find some nice places to explore, with exciting little details to discover.
The water tower
The distinctive water tower is located just behind the old town hall building. The tower was originally built in 1884 but was rebuilt and raised in 1923. In the 1800s, the Perlestikker book, written by the Nakskov priest Anders Pedersen Perlestikker, was found in the water tower's attic.
Theisen's yard
Between Axeltorv and Havnegade, behind Det Gamle Apotek, you will find the yard complex with several beautiful half-timbered buildings and warehouses. The yard is used for festivals and Christmas village, among other things.
Saint Nikolai Church
The church has been rebuilt several times and probably dates back to the 13th century. During the Middle Ages, Nakskov grew to become the most important market town in the region, so a major expansion of the church was initiated in the 15th century. After this, work was at a standstill for almost 200 years. It wasn't until 1653 that the work was completed.
During the Swedish wars in 1659, on Sunday June 19, the town was shelled during a church service and a cannonball fell through the choir vault. Part of the shell is preserved and can be seen in the church, and the place it hit is marked with a black round plate.
Axeltorv and City Hall
Axeltorv in Nakskov, with its unique triangular shape, is one of the few squares in Denmark to have preserved the original row of houses all the way around, all of which are more than 100 years old. The most dominant building on the square is the old town hall, which was built in 1876, although there have been town halls on the site several times in the past. When Nakskov Municipality was merged into Lolland Municipality in 2007, the town hall functions moved to Maribo. In 2018, the Danish Building and Property Agency bought the town hall and the Library for the Blind Nota moved in as part of the plan to relocate government workplaces.
The old pharmacy
The old pharmacy is one of Nakskov's most interesting buildings. The current front building with its impressive baroque facade was built in 1777. If you walk through the gate and into the courtyard, you will see the old gabled house from just after 1645, when Frederik III granted Nakskov a pharmacy license. The pharmacy closed in 1995 and today there is a tourist office in the old pharmacy.
