Hærvejen
thumb|200px|Hærvejen crossing the Danevirke|Dannevirke Hærvejen (Danish, literally: the army road, , literally: oxen way, , literally: oxen path), sometimes referred to in English as the Ox Road, is the name given to an ancient trackway in Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein. The route runs from Viborg via Flensburg to Hamburg, the territory of which it entered at Ochsenzoll ("oxen toll", "toll" in the meaning of "customs") and where it connected with other roads. It has been known by several other names throughout history, most importantly "the Cattle Road" (Studevejen) and "the Oxen Road" or "Ox
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5 sectionsContents
- History
- Use
- Today
- Notes
- External links
thumb|200px|Hærvejen crossing the Danevirke|Dannevirke Hærvejen (Danish, literally: the army road, , literally: oxen way, , literally: oxen path), sometimes referred to in English as the Ox Road, is the name given to an ancient trackway in Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein. The route runs from Viborg via Flensburg to Hamburg, the territory of which it entered at Ochsenzoll ("oxen toll", "toll" in the meaning of "customs") and where it connected with other roads. It has been known by several other names throughout history, most importantly "the Cattle Road" (Studevejen) and "the Oxen Road" or "Ox Road" (Oksevejen / Ochsenweg).
== History == thumb|right|250px|Povl's Bridge from 1744 The road runs more or less along the watershed of the Jutland Peninsula, known as the Jyske Højderyg (Jutland Ridge), similar to the ridgeways in England. By using this route one could avoid rivers, or ford them close to their origins where they were still shallow. As time went by this route was improved with paved fords, embankments and bridges. Concentrations of mounds, defensive ditches, settlements and other historic landmarks can be found along the road. While sections of it can be traced as far back as 4000 BC, newer road construction has erased many traces. Some of them show a width of up to . The use of the road declined during the Viking age, as transportation by ship became more convenient. New cities were constructed along the coast instead of the road.