Nordfyn Municipality

Nordfyn Municipality is a kommune in the Region of Southern Denmark on the north coast of the island of Funen in central Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 452.30 km2 and has a total population of 29,726 (2023). It borders Odense Municipality to the east and south, Assens Municipality to the south and Middelfart Municipality to the west. To the east, Odense Fjord separates Nordfyn Municipality and Kerteminde Municipality. The seat of the municipality is the town of Bogense. The municipality includes the inhabited islands of Æbelø, as well as the uninhabited islands and islets of Dræet, Ejlinge, Vigelsø, Skalø, Dørholm, Pludderholm, Gersø, Kyholm, Leammer, Trindelen, Ægholm, Drættegrund, Drætlingen, Lindholm and the islet group of Mågeøerne. The municipality was formed in 2007 as a result of the 2007 Municipal Reform, where the municipalities of Bogense, Otterup and Søndersø were merged. It was originally planned that the new municipality should have used the existing name of Bogense Municipality but a local referendum preferred the name Nordfyn and this decision was approved by the Danish Interior Minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, in June 2006. History Bogense was established as a mercantile center around 1200, built around a ferry dock with access to Klakring in Jutland. The first merchant privileges were given to Bogense in the later half of the 1200s, though it may have received them even earlier. The ferry service was an important industry, as was their exports of grain and cattle. The town grew to a large and wealthy town, but a fire in 1575 burnt down most of the town. The town began shrinking and became the smallest market town on Fyn. In 1672 only 438 people lived in Bogense. After the 1800s the town slowly recovered, though the ferry service was completely shut down in 1854. The town got a railway connection to Odense in 1882, and the harbour was expanded several times throughout the years.