Odder


Odder is a town in Jutland, Denmark. The town holds the municipal seat of Odder municipality and is the biggest town in its municipality., Odder had a population of 12,354. Odder is located near the geographical center of Denmark, just south of the city of Aarhus, and is often affectionately described by its inhabitants as "the heart of Denmark".
Odder is part of Business Region Aarhus, and the East Jutland metropolitan area, and is served by Aarhus light rail since this new line's construction in August 2018.
Since 2014, the mayor of Odder is Uffe Jensen of the political party Venstre.

History

Odder is an old town and was first mentioned in 1364 by the name of Oddræth. The local economy was mostly based on agriculture, in particular barley grain. By 1741, the lord of Rodsteenseje, a local manor house, had helped establish a school.
By 1850, the town had grown to the population of about 900 people, and was granted a license to hold a market twice a year. Around the same time, an unsuccessful application was made to dig a canal to the north-east coast. Odder became a railway town in 1884 when Hads-Ning Herreders Jernbane railway line was established, connecting to the harbour in Aarhus. In 2018, the Odder-Aarhus railway stretch was replaced by the electric tram system of Aarhus light rail.
Odder and the surrounding countryside have for centuries been amongst the richest farmlands in Denmark, and still today, the area is home to a great selection of Manors and Castles of the noblemen who used to rule the area and its rich farmlands. Gyllingnæs, Åkjær, Rathlousdal and Rodsteenseje are some of the most beautiful of these, and can still be visited and seen in operation.

Culture

The town is host to a local cinema known as Biffen which, since 1990, has been operated by a group of volunteer employees.

Notable people