From the 3rd to the 7th century AD, Gudme was one of Denmark’s largest and wealthiest Iron Age settlements. The history of the place can be explored through archaeological finds, Gudme Church and routes through the wider area. This lets you choose how much to focus on cultural history and walking or cycling tours during your stay.

Gudme in the Iron Age

The Iron Age settlement included a chieftain’s farmstead surrounded by around 50 smaller farms. During this period, Gudme was also a religious and economic centre with extensive European connections. Details of the settlement structure offer a concrete picture of the place; its wider regional role is reflected in the connections and functions described.

Gudme Hall is also part of this archaeological context. Excavations uncovered its postholes. The hall is one of Denmark’s largest hall buildings from the pre-Viking Age. Together with evidence of the chieftain’s farmstead and the surrounding farms, it offers another perspective on Gudme’s importance during the Iron Age.

At Broholm, the Oldsagssamlingen is devoted to finds from the area around Broholm. The collection comprises around 70,000 flint and other Stone Age finds. Visitors can view thousands of flint tools up close; stories about Danish prehistory can be heard for ten selected objects. The total number conveys the scale of the collection, while the selected pieces offer a more focused way to explore individual objects.

Church architecture and paintings

Gudme Church is considered one of the oldest churches on Funen. In Catholic times, it was dedicated to Saint Lawrence. The large nave survives from the original Romanesque building; it was built from unworked fieldstones. In 1488, the vaults were decorated with painted ornaments and figures. A large fresco on the west wall depicts Saint George fighting the dragon.

The building thus reveals distinct historical layers: the Romanesque nave and the paintings added centuries later. For travellers interested in art and architecture, both the building’s form and materials and the figures depicted are highlights.

Walking and cycling routes

Gudme Sø has a water surface of just over nine hectares. The Gudme Sø Rundt walking route is 1.6 kilometres long. If you plan to take this route, it is worth checking the latest route details before setting out. At Broholm, the Eventyrstien also leads around the lake.

In the wider Gudbjerg-Gudme-Hesselager area, the Øhavsstien runs along the Tange Å from Broholm to Lundeborg. This means you can choose not only the walking route listed as 1.6 kilometres long, but also a trail that passes through the wider area. The “Den gyldne undergrund” cycling route leads through the Gudme-Lundeborg area; near Gudme, you can experience the contours of Gudmekongens Hal. Walking and cycling thus lead to different landscape and history themes, without treating the routes as equivalent.

Getting around the area

Bus connections in the Gudbjerg-Gudme-Hesselager area may also be useful when planning your trip. Local and dial-a-bus services run to Oure, Hesselager, Vejstrup, Lundeborg, Gudbjerg and Brændeskov; regional buses go to Svendborg, Ørbæk, Odense and Nyborg. If you are planning to travel by bus, check the current timetable in advance. The sights, routes and transport connections offer different starting points for a stay focused on cultural history or with more time for trails in the wider area.

Discover more destinations: Åbyskov, Eskebjerg, Troense, Revsøre, Nørre Vornæs, Vindeby, Vejstrup, Gudbjerg

For the full travel overview: Svendborg Municipality.