Tårnby


Tårnby is a town in Denmark, the seat of Tårnby Municipality in the Capital Region of Denmark. It is located approximately south of central Copenhagen on the island of Amager. Neighbouring settlements include the Copenhagen suburb of Sundbyvester to the north and Kastrup to the south. Copenhagen Airport is situated to the east of Tårnby. It includes the islets Saltholm and Peberholm.

History

There is no clear date for the founding of Tårnby, but archaeological expeditions prior to the building of the Øresund Bridge suggest that the first traces of Tårnby originated around the 12th century around a farm from which the village grew.
In the 16th century, Danish King Christian II invited Dutch settlers to Amager. That made Tårnby, like the neighbouring city of Dragør, also have some traces of Dutch history and culture.
In 1970, Tårnby also became the administrative division of the adjacent city of Kastrup, as part of a larger reform of the Danish counties.

Geography

The town is situated in the island of Amager, close to Dragør, in the southern suburbs of Copenhagen and is part of the capital's urban area. The terrain is quite flat and does not rise more than 8 meters above sea level. Tårnby also incorporates the islands of Saltholm and Peberholm, natural and artificial respectively, both situated in the Øresund Strait.
While Tårnby has a history of farming, it has been almost completely urbanised, leaving only small traces of farmland in the southernmost parts. The westernmost part of the municipality contains Amager Fælled, a protected wildlife and recreational area. As such, the area is primarily used for birdwatching and various recreational activities. However, in recent years urban development have limited the area significantly.

Notable people

Sport