Svaneke

Svaneke (Swencke in 1410, from old Danish swan swan and *wīka inlet) is a small town on the eastern coast of the Baltic island of Bornholm, Denmark. It is Denmark's easternmost and until few years ago the smallest and now the second smallest (only Ærøskøbing is smaller) chartered town with a population of 1,100 as of 1st January 2011. With its charming half-timbered houses and narrow streets, it is one of the island's most cherished beauty spots. Svaneke probably dates back to the 13th century when herring fishing was practiced along Bornholm's east coast. The precise date at which it was granted the status of market town is not known but it was no doubt at the beginning of the 16th century as by 1543 it had a mayor and a municipal...