Rytterknægten & Kongemindet Tower, Bornholm

The highest point in Bornholm’s deep green heart

Rising to 162 meters above sea level, Rytterknægten sits in the middle of Almindingen, one of Denmark’s largest forests and the wild, wooded core of Bornholm. Dense spruce and deciduous trees cloak the bedrock, so the summit feels more like a forest clearing than a barren peak. The air is cool and resin-scented, birds flit between trunks, and soft forest paths radiate out towards nearby highlights such as Ekkodalen and Gamleborg. Despite its modest height, this is a place of quiet drama in otherwise low-lying Denmark. The sense of elevation is subtle but real: the light changes, the wind moves differently through the canopy, and on clear days gaps in the trees reveal glimpses across the island towards the Baltic Sea.

Kongemindet – a royal story in granite and steel

At the summit stands Kongemindet, a granite memorial tower inaugurated in 1856 to commemorate King Frederik VII and Countess Danner’s visit to Bornholm a few years earlier. Designed by architect Gottlieb Bindesbøll and funded by local donations, the solid masonry is detailed with lion heads and a dedicatory plaque expressing the islanders’ loyalty to the monarch. As the forest slowly grew and swallowed the horizon, engineers added a steel superstructure in 1899, lifting the viewing platform to a total of 184 meters above sea level. The unusual twin staircases separated ascent and descent, creating a narrow but efficient viewing deck that, in clear weather, opened views towards Sweden and the tiny island of Christiansø offshore.

Forest walks, viewpoints and a modern trail center

Today, the summit area is a compact hub for exploring Almindingen. Waymarked paths lead through mixed forest, over exposed rock and past glacial boulders, offering short strolls and longer hikes. The terrain is gently undulating rather than strenuous, making it accessible to most walkers with reasonable footwear. A contemporary addition is the Trailcenter Rytterknægten pavilion, a raised timber structure that acts as a gathering point for hikers, runners and mountain bikers. Here you find shelter, information, simple facilities and places to rest or tinker with a bike before heading back out onto the trails, all designed with an eye to low-impact, inclusive outdoor recreation.

A name shaped by riders and a stone by the path

Rytterknægten translates roughly as “the rider’s squire”, a nod to a time when mounted nobles required assistance to get into the saddle. Local lore ties the name to a flat stone near the area where riders could mount without a human helper, using the rock as a natural stepping block. Over time, the evocative term came to denote the entire hilltop. This blend of royalty, folklore and forest gives the site a slightly old-world atmosphere. Granite, iron and moss sit side by side, telling stories that range from medieval horsemanship to 19th‑century patriotism and the technical ambitions of early observation towers.

Calm woodland atmosphere and seasonal character

The mood on Rytterknægten shifts with the seasons. In spring the forest floor brightens with new growth and birdsong; summer brings lush foliage and cool shade on hot days. Autumn lays down coppery leaves and opens fleeting views between thinning branches, while winter can feel stark and meditative, with bare trunks, frost and perhaps a dusting of snow. Even when the tower structure is partially closed for renovation, the surrounding hill and forest remain inviting. Benches, picnic spots and clearings provide places to pause, listen to the wind in the trees and experience Bornholm from a quieter, more reflective vantage point than the island’s famous cliffs and beaches.