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Hven


Ven (Danish: Hven, older Swedish spelling Hven) is a small Swedish island in the Øresund strait, between Scania and Zealand (Denmark). It is part of Landskrona Municipality, Skåne County. The island has 371 inhabitants and an area of 7.5 km2 (2.9 sq mi). During the 1930s, the population was at its peak, with approximately 1,300 inhabitants. There are four villages on the island: Bäckviken, Tuna By, Norreborg and Kyrkbacken.

Unlike the relatively flat islands Amager and Saltholm, Ven rises from the Øresund with steep and dramatic coastlines. This makes the island easily visible from both Zealand and Scania, as well as from all ships that sail in and out of the Baltic Sea. Its southern coastline resembles the White Cliffs of Dover, Møns Klint and Cape Arkona, but due to a higher degree of sand and lower of chalk, the 50-metre-high (160-foot) cliffs are more yellow than white. Almost the entire island consists of a flat agricultural landscape, but elevated like a plateau. Due to the slightly higher altitude, the climate on the island in general is similar to that of the lower terrain coastal areas around Øresund.

The island has three smaller fishing ports: Bäckviken (where small ferries depart to Landskrona), Norreborg and Kyrkbacken. The latter is located at the south-western coast just beneath the old church Sankt Ibb. This coast is known as Backafall.

The island was historically under Danish rule. Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe (1546–1601) built two observatories there, Uraniborg and Stjerneborg, during 1576–1596. The observatories were built by the inhabitants of the island with Tyco Brahe as their Lord. It is not known if his apprentice Johannes Kepler also spent time at the island.


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