Bække: Runestones, Hærvejen and Klebæk Høje

Bække combines ancient roads, archaeological monuments and public art in an impressive way. The town lies on a watershed: from here, the water flows either east or west. As early as antiquity, the ridge was used as a route because travellers had to cross fewer streams. Anyone looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Bække will therefore find a place whose character is closely connected with movement, history and discovery.

Runestones and the history of Hærvejen

Among the notable historical traces are the Bække runestones. Bække-runesten 2 stands as a prow stone in a ship setting. The inscription on Bække-sten 1 names Ravnunge-Tue, Fundin and Gnyple as the three people who erected Thyra’s mound. The runestone was uncovered near Bække Church in 1807. Bække Church itself is a Romanesque village church dating from the 12th century.

The cemetery of Bække Church also tells the story of the region’s past. It contains an area with 20 gravestones of local historical significance. These are connected with Bække’s role as a central junction on Hærvejen. For a cultural holiday, a visit to the church can therefore be combined with exploring the historic routes and their significance, without this implying a fixed itinerary.

Klebæk Høje and a piece of ancient route history

Klebæk Høje comprises two domed Bronze Age burial mounds and a 45-metre-long ship setting. The site’s long history of use is particularly vividly illustrated by a medieval cart track running across the monument. It forms a small part of the old Hærvejen. The combination of Bronze Age burial mounds, a ship setting and a medieval track makes Klebæk Høje a destination for visitors who want to experience the historic landscape not only through buildings, but also through visible traces in the terrain.

The Hærvejen hiking route runs through Bække. This allows you to combine your stay with a walk along a historically significant route. The different themes offer various options for planning your day: you can focus on the runestones and church, explore Klebæk Høje or connect the history of the route with additional stops in the town. The most suitable order depends on your own plans and the pace you prefer.

Works of art along Hærvejen

Bække Anlæg is home to Havfruespringvandet, a granite work by Niels Hansen Jacobsen. It has stood at its current location in Bække Anlæg since 1977. Another artistic reminder of the old route is the Hærvejsskulpturen in Bække. It consists of a large stone with a carved relief and two upright stones placed behind it. The relief depicts fragments of the life that may have unfolded along the old Hærvejen in earlier generations.

Hærvejens Tidstavle is also located near Bække Church. The 3.4-metre-high ceramic relief hangs on the western gable wall of the confirmation house. It consists of 11 panels showing typical elements from periods in the history of Hærvejen – from the Cretaceous period to the present day. Together with the Hærvejsskulpturen, it provides access to history that is not limited to a single event or era.

Practical information for your stay

Hærvejshuset in Bække offers an indoor space for resting and an exhibition about Hærvejen. This can fit into a day’s plans when you want to combine historical topics with a break. For getting there, Bække has bus stops served by routes 111 and 179. Route 111 runs between Vejle, Bække and Vejen, while route 179 runs between Vejen and Grindsted.

When choosing your accommodation, you can therefore consider whether you primarily want to plan Bække as a place for culture and archaeology, as a stop along the Hærvejen hiking route or as a starting point for a journey by public transport. For families, the combination of visible monuments, works of art, an exhibition and different historical periods provides topics for discussion among various age groups. A holiday apartment in Bække is particularly well suited to your travel plans if you want to organise your stay independently and connect the individual discoveries at your own pace.

For further orientation, you can also explore Hovborg, Holsted, Rødding Municipality, Vejen, Brørup Parish, Glejbjerg, Jels and Lintrup.

For the overarching travel overview: Vejen Municipality.