Årsdale: Windmill, harbour and smokehouse heritage

Årsdale can be explored through three specific themes: the windmill, the harbour, and the history of fishing and smoking fish. They tell different stories about the town: the mill represents its architectural and family history, the harbour and fishing boats its former fishing community, and the smokehouses a tradition still visible in local businesses today. If you are considering a stay in Årsdale, these themes provide a concrete starting point for deciding whether local history, fishing, and smokehouse culture fit your travel plans.

Årsdale Mill: construction history and operation

Årsdale Mill is a tourist attraction. Millwright Didrik Kjøller from Nexø built it together with his four sons; after its construction, it remained in the Kjøller family. Årsdale Mill was the last of Bornholm’s windmills to cease operating, in 2003. The mill is also functional. Check the latest operating and visiting information before planning a visit.

Harbour, fishing and smokehouses

Årsdale Harbour was established in 1869. Fishing is also part of the town’s history: Årsdale was one of Bornholm’s larger fishing communities and had more than 30 fishing boats. Smokehouses, too, were historically significant: Årsdale was once Bornholm’s largest smokehouse town. Today, there is an active smokehouse and a fish shop near the harbour where you can buy fish. At Aarsdale Røgeri & Bistro, vegetables are smoked as well as fish. The vegetables extend the connection to smoking beyond fish. As business status and offerings can change, check the latest information if you plan to make a purchase.

Årsdale in the historical context of Bornholm

Bornholm had a total of eight windmills of this type, which is characteristic of the island. Bornholm’s first smokehouse opened in Gudhjem in 1866, where herring has been smoked ever since. Hasle Smokehouse is the last smokehouse on Bornholm where smoking is done in the traditional way, using open chimneys and alder wood. Årsdale, Gudhjem and Hasle thus represent different facets of the island-wide history of smoking fish.

More things to explore on Bornholm

Bornholm has more to offer than the history of mills and fishing. At the NaturBornholm visitor centre, you can see dinosaurs, live crocodiles, an aquarium and a bison exhibition. Bornholms Middelaldercenter is a 15-hectare open-air museum that brings 14th-century Bornholm to life in an engaging, interactive way. These attractions complement the perspectives on windmills and fishing with natural history and medieval history; check the latest exhibition information before visiting.

At Østerlars Round Church, visitors can enter for a fee and climb up to the roof beams, provided no service is taking place. Check the current visiting conditions in advance.

Getting to Bornholm

Bornholm can be reached by ferry, plane, bus or train. The ferry crossing from Ystad in Sweden to Bornholm takes one hour and 20 minutes. Check current connections and timetables before travelling, as routes and services may change.

Discover more destinations: Listed, Rønne Sogn, Olsker, Klemensker, Sose, Østermarie, Sandkås, Bodilsker

For the main travel overview: Bornholm.