Hvidovre

Hvidovre is a municipality (Danish, "kommune") in Region Hovedstaden near Copenhagen on the island of Zealand (Sjælland) in eastern Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 22 km², and has a total population of 49,380 (2008). Its mayor is Milton Graff Pedersen, a member of the Social Democrats ("Socialdemokraterne") political party.

The main town and the site of its municipal council is the town of Hvidovre. Other towns in the municipality are Avedøre and Friheden.

Neighboring municipalities are Copenhagen to the east, Rødovre to the north, and Brøndby to the west. Part of its eastern border are the waters of "Kalveboderne", and to the south is Køge Bay ("Køge Bugt"). The southern-most section of the municipality, known as "Avedøre Holme", juts out into Køge Bay and forms part of the entryway into "Kalveboderne", the waters of which separate the island of Zealand from neighboring Amager. "Avedøre Holm" houses two harbours.

The municipality was created in 1970 due to a "kommunalreform" ("Municipal Reform") that combined a number of existing parishes:
* Avedøre Parish
* Hvidovre Parish
* Risbjerg Parish
* Strandmark Parish

Hvidovre municipality was not merged with other municipalities by January 1, 2007 as the result of nationwide "Kommunalreformen" ("The Municipality Reform" of 2007).

History

In 1929 a 3,500 year old sword from the Bronze Age was excavated in Hvidovre.

In May 1945, a few days before the end of World War II, a gun fight took place on the street of "Hvidovrevej" between Resistance fighters and members of the HIPO Corps.

The town of Hvidovre

The town is a suburb to Copenhagen, located ca. 10 km. southwest of the capital's center. It got its name from the fact that a white church could be seen in Hvidovre— "hvid" means "white" in Danish. This same naming principle also applies to neighboring Rødovre municipality where a red church could be seen— "rød" means "red" in Danish.

The city is well-known for its football team, Hvidovre IF, where famous Danish football players such as Peter Schmeichel, Kenneth Brylle, and Michael Manniche have played.Stephan Andersen with a past in Charlton, have played for the club too. It is also the birthplace of young Liverpool defender Daniel Agger and Thomas Kahlenberg.

Film production camp Filmbyen (founded by Lars von Trier and Peter Aalbæk Jensen's company Zentropa) is located in Hvidovre.

Twin city: Rydułtowy

External links

* [http://www.hvidovre.dk Municipality's official website]
* [http://www.historien-i-gaden.dk/ History of Hvidovre]

References

* Municipal statistics: [http://www2.netborger.dk/Kommunefakta/ NetBorger Kommunefakta] , delivered from [http://www.kmd.dk/ KMD aka Kommunedata (Municipal Data)]
* Municipal mergers and neighbors: [http://kommune.eniro.dk/danmarkskort/ Eniro new municipalities map]