Sønderborg

Sønderborg (Sonderburg) is a Danish town of Region of Southern Denmark. It is the main town and the administrative seat of Sønderborg Municipality. The town has a population of 27,237 (1 January 2011), in a municipality of 76,793.

Overview
The town of Sønderborg is home to Sønderborg Castle (Sønderborg Slot), the Royal Danish Army's Sergeant School and Sandbjerg Estate (Sandbjerg Gods, Sundeved) near Sønderborg. Sønderborg castle is in the centre of the town, and houses a museum focusing on the history and culture of the area. The museum is open all year. Sandbjerg Estate, which had belonged for many years to the Dukes of Sønderborg, and then to the Reventlow family, was donated to Aarhus University in 1954. In addition Sønderborg has a castle-like barracks built by the German military in 1906, placed centrally by Als Fjord, opposite Alsion (see picture below). Today the barracks is the home the Danish army NCO school.

The old part of Sønderborg is on the island of Als, but some of its western suburbs have spread onto the mainland of Jutland into what had been the interior of the fort of Dybbøl.

Geography
The town of Sønderborg lies on both sides of Alssund; the narrow strait between these two sides is called Als Strait (Alssund). Two road bridges connect the city across the strait: the 682-meter Als Strait Bridge (Alssundbro), built in 1978-1981; and the 331-meter King Christian X's Bridge (Kong Christian Xs Bro), built in 1925-1930.

History
Prior to the Second Schleswig War of 1864, Sønderborg was situated in the Duchy of Schleswig, a Danish fief, so its history is properly included in the contentious history of Schleswig-Holstein. In the 1920 Schleswig Plebiscite that returned Northern Schleswig to Denmark, 43.8% of the city of Sønderborg's inhabitants voted for the cession to Denmark and 56.2% voted for remaining part of Germany.

Economy
The airline Cimber Sterling has its headquarters in Sønderborg.

Education
Both University of Southern Denmark and University College South (University College Syd) have a branch in Sønderborg.

Notable natives

 * Anders Hansen, golfer
 * Sune Rose Wagner, songwriter and vocalist