Foldingbro lies where the country road crosses the Kongeå river in south-west Jutland, between Brørup and Ribe. The name means "the bridge at Folding", and the place has for centuries been tied to the crossing of the stream. From 1864 to 1920 the Kongeå formed the very border between Denmark and German-controlled Schleswig, making Foldingbro an important frontier and customs post where travellers, goods and smugglers passed between two realms. The old inn beside the bridge welcomed wayfarers for generations and recalls an era when this was a busy passage. Today Foldingbro is a quiet, rural spot, where the broad river valley, the water meadows and the still stream tell a story of division and reunification. A walk along the Kongeå offers atmospheric views and a sense of the border that once separated Danes from one another.
