The Herring Route (Silderuten) was created by Annie Jæger, who had the idea in 1994, and wrote the texts about Stege, and the many stories that are connected to places we pass by every day.
She called the city walk in the old Danish market town of Stege “Silderuten” because Stege reached a heyday in the late Middle Ages from about 1430 - 1530 like never before or since. The rise was due more than anything else to the herring fishery, which in the waters of Møn was so successful that in 1494 Møn's stalls at the Skåne markets together accounted for more than 1/3 of all stalls in Denmark. Møn's oldest seal therefore bears the image of a herring. This was later expanded to three herrings, which then became Møn's county coat of arms. That is why Annie chose herrings - 30 wrought iron herrings, set up on walls, railings, etc. – to lead our guests on a walk within the ramparts of our lovely old town.
At the entrance to Stege Nor, remains of piles have been found in the water, which were probably driven in during the building of Stegeborg around 1200, and further pointed piles, between which iron chains were stretched. This sea barrier is mentioned by Saxo in his Chronicle of Denmark as “Iron-closed at Stikæ”. This word means “piles driven into the water” and has thus given the town the name Stege!
Welcome and enjoy!
