About Jomfrubakken
The history of Jomfrubakken is very interesting and goes a long way back. Jomfrubakken was built more than 200 years ago in 1807. The property was formerly the house of a rural dean with attachments to the Birgitta Monastery in Mariager. Back then, only two monasteries housed the Birgitta monks and nuns of the Middle Ages. History has it, Jomfrubakken was the home of women, who got pregnant outside of marriage and came there to have their babies. The monks took good care of them and made sure to adopt the babies to good families as soon as they were born. This is also where the name ‘Jomfrubakken’ (directly translated into “Virgin Hill”) originates from. The site boarders on Hou forest and Jomfrubakken forest with a total acreage of 158 hectare housing a significant population of roe deer, pheasants, and hares.
As the former home of the rural dean, Jomfrubakken has also served other purposes for the clergy. Being an institution under the then influential Mariager Monastery, Jomfrubakken has during time housed many significant people. Although it isn’t possible to verify it, legend has it the famous Danish writer H.C. Andersen once stayed the night at Jomfrubakken.
Today’s owners of Jomfrubakken are Gitte and Jørgen, who live in the old main building. At the age of 8, Gitte visited Jomfrubakken for the first time and promised herself to once own the place – together with Jørgen, she is living her dream. To restore the property to its current state has taken more than just will power – it is both restored and renewed with equal amounts of love and respect for the history of Jomfrubakken.
The History
