In Augustenborg, art venues, castle history and nature offer different experiences side by side. The Duke’s Route is a good starting point for planning: the 1.8-kilometre circular walk can be done independently and leads along Storegade and Slotsallé, around Augustenborg Castle, through the castle park and past the Augustiana Art Museum. This lets you combine a walk with architecture and art without having to book a guided tour.
Walking route, historic houses and art
Along the Duke’s Route, you can follow the traditional craftsmanship involved in restoring historic houses. Information boards explain the history of the houses and their restoration. The historic buildings form an almost unbroken row, particularly along Storegade: Augustenborg has 13 listed buildings and 29 buildings worthy of preservation. The route therefore combines individual stops with a streetscape shaped by many well-preserved houses.
There are several different places to visit for art. Augustiana Sculpture Park and Art Gallery at Augustenborg Castle showcases modern art, temporary exhibitions, art projects and events. KunstPunkt presents changing exhibitions throughout the year featuring local, national and international artists. At KunstVærket in Augustenborg on Als, nearly 43 artists work in studios and across a range of art forms. Visitors and art enthusiasts can discover visual art, ceramics, photography and a printmaking workshop there. KunstVærket opens on the last weekend of each month and at Easter; take these opening times into account when planning your visit.
The castle and the town’s earlier history
Augustenborg Castle Church is part of the uniformly designed Baroque Augustenborg Castle, built between 1770 and 1776. At the eastern end of the church, the pulpit, altar and organ are combined in a so-called pulpit altar. A mini-museum in the bell tower offers insight into the history of the ducal family of Augustenborg. Together, the church and museum provide different ways to explore the castle’s history: through the building’s design and through the story of the ducal family.
The castle park is another stop on the route. It was laid out as a French-inspired Baroque garden. Its formal areas include hedges and parterres, vases and statues, straight gravel paths, temples and a triumphal arch. The castle park can be accessed from the castle and via Palævej. A promenade also runs along the fjord from the park to the harbour and into town. Check local access conditions before your visit.
Brovold is an older historic site: a listed archaeological site dating from the early Middle Ages. It was located at a ford and trading place within a protective rampart and is open to the public. From 1 May to 30 October, the site is fenced off because livestock graze there. Bear this seasonal restriction in mind if Brovold is one of your planned stops.
Beaches and nature through the seasons
Badehusene now serves as the town beach and is used year-round; in winter, the town’s winter swimmers also bathe there. The former bathing establishment has a small sandy beach, a sun deck with bathing huts and a bathing jetty. The site therefore offers a specific beach stop that is not limited to the warmer months.
The protected areas offer a different focus for nature enthusiasts. Augustenborg Forest is a Natura 2000 site and a habitat for many birds. Lillehav and the innermost part of Augustenborg Fjord are wildlife reserves. In the winter half of the year, you can observe large flocks of tufted ducks and pochards there, as well as individual greater scaups. This seasonal opportunity differs from Badehusene’s year-round use: birdwatching is specifically highlighted for the winter half of the year, while the town beach is used all year round.
Discover more destinations: Sydals, Langesø, Dalsgård, Skovbyballe, Mommark, Rønshoved, Skelde, Hardeshøj.
For the overall travel guide: Sønderborg Municipality.
