Hvidovre

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Location in Denmark

Hvidovre is a municipality (Danish, kommune) in Copenhagen (København) on the island of Zealand (Sjælland) in eastern Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 22 km², and has a total population of 49,863 (2005). Its mayor is Britta Christensen, a member of the Social Democrats (Socialdemokraterne) political party.

The main town and the site of its municipal council is the town of Hvidovre. Other towns in the municipality are Avedøre and Friheden.

Neighboring municipalities are Copenhagen to the east, Rødovre to the north, and Brøndby to the west. Part of its eastern border are the waters of Kalveboderne, and to the south is Køge Bay (Køge Bugt). The southern-most section of the municipality, known as Avedøre Holme, juts out into Køge Bay and forms part of the entryway into Kalveboderne, the waters of which separate the island of Zealand from neighboring Amager. Avedøre Holm houses two harbours.

The municipality was created in 1970 due to a kommunalreform ("Municipality Reform") that combined a number of existing parishes:

Avedøre Parish
Hvidovre Parish
Risbjerg Parish
Strandmark Parish

Hvidovre municipality will not be merged with other municipalities by January 1, 2007 as the result of nationwide Kommunalreformen ("The Municipality Reform" of 2007).

1 History
2 The town of Hvidovre
3 External links
4 References

In 1929 a 3,500 year old sword from the Bronze Age was excavated in Hvidovre.

In May 1945 a few days before the end of World War II, a gun fight took place on the street of Hvidovrevej between Resistance fighters and members of the auxiliary police (Hilfspolizei, abbr. HIPO).

The town is a suburb to Copenhagen, located ca. 10 km. southwest of the capital's center. It got its name from the fact that a white church could be seen in Hvidovre— hvid means "white" in Danish. This same naming principle also applies to neighboring Rødovre municipality where a red church could be seen— rød means "red" in Danish.

The city is well-known for its football team, Hvidovre IF, where famous Danish football players such as Peter Schmeichel, Brian Laudrup, and Michael Laudrup have played. And young Liverpool defender Daniel Agger.

Film production camp Zentropa (founded by Lars von Trier and Peter Aalbæk Jensen) is located in Hvidovre.

Twin city: Rydułtowy