Burial mound at Rude Beach
In a peaceful and vacation-oriented cottage area by the Odder Coast lies a more than 5,500-year-old burial mound from the Neolithic Age, featuring stone chambers. You can easily combine a visit to the burial mound with a trip to the beach.
Exciting ancient monument near Saksild
One might not immediately guess that this cozy cottage area near Rude Beach is home to a historical attraction, but nonetheless, hidden among the modern summer houses lies a burial mound dating back to around 3,500 BC. The mound served as a grave for a significant person in the local area—likely a chieftain.
The burial mound was approximately 60 meters long and 1 meter high. It was situated in a clearing in a lime tree forest. At the end of the mound, a wooden palisade wall was erected. Behind the wall was a small ceremonial area where offerings were made to the gods. It is generally true for almost all Danish burial mounds that there was a palisade wall facing east.
When the burial mound changed character
About 700 to 1,000 years later, two stone chambers with individual graves were placed within the burial mound. The stone chambers can still be seen when you visit the mound today. This, of course, destroyed the ancient burial mound, but by that time, burial customs had changed, and the era of mounds, dolmens, and passage graves had passed. However, it was not uncommon to use the old mounds for individual graves during that time.
How to find the burial mound
The ancient monument is located anonymously between Hougaardsvej and Lyngbakkevej. Parking is available on the roadside or at the nearest public parking lot on Strandbyvej.
At the parking lot, you will find Eva Keramik, a gallery and shop specializing in RAKU ceramics. On the other side of the road is a path leading down to Rude Strand, which is among the best beaches on the east coast. From here, it is less than a kilometer to the bathing paradise at Saksild Strand.
You can find inspiration for experiences around Saksild and Rude on this page.
More historical attractions
Kystlandet offers many exciting historical attractions, ranging from ancient times to industrial history. From museums to architectural landmarks and natural attractions, this page can inspire you to explore historically interesting sites near Horsens, Odder, and Juelsminde.