Holbæk

Holbæk is a Danish city in a new Holbæk municipality in the north-east of West Zealand County, Denmark. In 2007, districting reform will merge seven surrounding municipalities into Holbæk municipality. The West Zealand County will be merged with two other counties into Region Sjælland.

Holbæk has an active seaport which includes ferry service at Holbækfjord, an inlet of the larger Isefjord. Holbæk is served by Danish State Railways' line from Roskilde to Kalundborg which runs through the city.

Holbæk is first mentioned in official documents in Absalon's letter of June 8, 1199, in which he grants the majority of his estates to Sorø Klosterkirke in Sorø. It is called Holbækgaard, a larger farm a belonging to a nobleman, around which the city would eventually evolve.

Next it appears in Valdemar the Victorious' book of properties (see Kong Valdemars Jordebog on the Danish Wikipedia) in 1231. Valdmar breaks ground for Holbæk Slot (Holbæk Castle) in 1236.

Holbæk clearly grows from then on but is not mentioned again until around 1400 when Margaret I shows up for a court proceeding granting her territories in Jutland. The event may have triggered the creation of the first city seal which shows the three trees by the water still found today.