Bække: Rune Stones and the Hærvejen

For a trip to Bække, local history and the Hærvejen provide a clear thematic focus. Highlights include rune stones, a Romanesque church, Bronze Age burial mounds and artworks with historical connections. If you are looking for a hotel in Bække, these themes can help you choose a place that suits your interests: they range from archaeological monuments to depictions of the old road and its history.

Rune Stones and Bække Church

The rune stones offer two different ways to explore Bække’s history. 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 who built Thyras mound. Comparing the stones connects the position of one within a ship setting with the content of an inscription: while one stone is identified by its role in the monument, the other names the three mound builders.

Bække Church is a Romanesque village church dating from the 12th century. Its churchyard contains an area with 20 gravestones of local historical significance, connected with Bække’s role as a central hub on the Hærvejen. A rune stone near the church was uncovered in 1807. The church, gravestones and archaeological finds thus offer different points of connection to the history of the area.

Klebæk Høje and the History of the Road

Klebæk Høje comprises two domed Bronze Age burial mounds and a 45-metre-long ship setting. A medieval wagon track runs across the monument and represents a small part of the old Hærvejen. This brings Bronze Age monuments into relation with a later track. The distinction in date helps separate the features: the mounds date from the Bronze Age, while the track that crosses them is medieval. If you would like to include archaeological evidence and the history of the Hærvejen in your trip, this contrast offers a specific thematic focus.

Art along the Hærvejen and in Bække

The Havfruespringvandet in Bække Anlæg is a granite work by Niels Hansen Jacobsen. It has been at its present location since 1977. The Hærvejsskulpturer in Bække takes a different form: it consists of a larger stone with a carved relief and two upright stones placed behind it. The relief depicts fragments of life that may have unfolded along the old Hærvejen in earlier generations. This tentative interpretation is part of the work; it does not describe a specific confirmed event.

Hærvejens Tidstavle is located at Bække Church, on the western gable wall of the confirmation house. The ceramic relief is 3.4 metres high and consists of 11 panels. They show typical elements from periods in the history of the Hærvejen—from the Cretaceous Period to the present day. By comparison, the Hærvejsskulptur focuses on possible fragments of earlier life, while the Tidstavle arranges historical periods in panels. Together, they offer different approaches to artistic depictions of the road.

Walking Route, Getting Around and Landscape

The Hærvejen walking route passes through Bække. Hærvejshuset in Bække has an indoor space where visitors can rest, as well as an exhibition about the Hærvejen. If you would like to include these in your plans, check before your visit whether the house will be open on your chosen date; facilities may change.

Bække has bus stops for routes 111 and 179. Route 111 runs between Vejle, Bække and Vejen; route 179 runs between Vejen and Grindsted. Check the timetable and route details for your travel date before setting off, as timetables and routes may change.

The landscape also helps explain part of the historic route. Bække lies on a watershed, where water flows either east or west. In ancient times, the ridge was used as a route because it meant crossing fewer streams. This offers another perspective on the Hærvejen: alongside monuments, inscriptions and art, the choice of route through the terrain also played a part.

Discover more destinations: Lintrup, Brørup Sogn, Glejbjerg, Foldingbro, Vejen, Rødding Municipality, Jels, Hovborg

For the broader travel overview: Vejen Municipality.