Every design for Middelfart

Middelfart takes its name from the water in front of it: the old Danish mæthal for middle and far for way, words first given to Snævringen, the narrowest stretch of Lillebælt, before the town on its shore borrowed them. Here Funen and Jutland lie very close, and the two bridges across, Den gamle Lillebæltsbro and the newer Lillebæltsbroen, frame the town on either side.

Standing by the water, it is easy to picture the old winters, when local fishermen became whale hunters, linking their boats across the narrow strait and beating the sea with sticks and branches to drive harbour porpoises into the shallows. Electric light ended the trade, and today boats head out on whale safaris instead. Middelfart Museum keeps that story, CLAY Keramikmuseum Danmark brings ceramics to town, and Hindsgavl Naturcenter opens the nature around it. To the south, Fænø Sund separates Funen from the island of Fænø.

And on the town's coat of arms, as fitting a symbol as any, sails a ship from Middelfart.