Hjerl Hede Open Air Museum

A village from another century on the Jutland heath

Hjerl Hede unfolds across a wide sweep of heathland and forest just outside Vinderup, where sandy paths wind between thatched farmsteads, smoky kitchens and creaking barns. The museum recreates a rural Danish village as it might have appeared over several centuries, with buildings carefully relocated here from across the country. Sheep graze in paddocks, geese patrol the lanes and the scent of timber, tar and heather hangs in the air, giving the whole site a distinctly West Jutland character. Rather than a single grand building, this is a patchwork of over 30 historic houses, stables and workshops, grouped into intimate clusters that feel like real neighbourhoods. You move from low half‑timbered cottages to more substantial farm complexes, noticing how architecture, materials and layout evolved as Denmark shifted from subsistence farming to a more market‑oriented countryside.

Historic homes, Vinkelgården and everyday craftsmanship

Among the most compelling corners of Hjerl Hede is Vinkelgården, regarded as Jutland’s oldest farm, dating back to 1546. Its heavy beams, soot‑blackened interiors and cobbled yards give a rare glimpse of late medieval rural life. Elsewhere, the pastor’s residence, village school and a traditional inn from around 1750 trace the social hierarchy and institutions that knit a small community together. Workshops and small industries are scattered between the homes: a cooper’s shed, blacksmith’s forge, carpentry shop and bakery all show how much skill was needed to keep a village running. Tools and interiors have been arranged to appear ready for use, with benches, bellows and looms hinting at the rhythms of tasks that once filled the working day.

Living history, seasonal revivals and a steam train

On selected weeks in summer and over the three weekends before Christmas, Hjerl Hede transforms into a fully animated village. Volunteers in period dress carry water, light fires, bake, sew and tend animals, following routines based on historical sources. Children sit at wooden desks in the schoolroom, the innkeeper moves between tables and the sound of hand tools, clogs and laughter spills into the lanes. During these revivals, a more than century‑old steam locomotive runs along the museum’s short line, chugging past fields and forest edge. Its carriages and whistle add another layer of atmosphere, evoking an era when railways started to connect remote communities to the wider world, yet life in the village still turned on the seasons and the soil.

Mills, gardens and the surrounding landscape

Two mills anchor the museum’s skyline: the red watermill by the stream and the distinctive stub mill on higher ground. Both are classic half‑timbered structures that once powered local production. On special days, the watermill is put into operation to grind flour, demonstrating how harnessing energy from wind and water transformed rural work and diet. Around many of the houses, historical gardens have been recreated using period‑appropriate plants. Ornamental beds near the pastor’s house contrast with strictly practical kitchen plots at the farmsteads, where cabbages, herbs and berries grow in neat rows. Beyond the built village, paths lead towards heath and Denmark’s largest heath lake, Flyndersø, where birch, pine and open moorland frame wide Jutland skies.

Animals, film locations and a day in the open air

Domestic animals are an integral part of Hjerl Hede. Heritage breeds of horses, cows, pigs, goats, sheep and poultry live across the 20‑hectare site, reinforcing how closely human lives were once tied to livestock. Their presence, along with wagons and simple machinery, helps make sense of barn layouts, fodder storage and the constant labour behind each harvest. The museum has also lent its authentic setting to film productions, including scenes for the historical drama "The Bastard", shot in and around Hedegården from 1818. For today’s visitors, the same courtyards, fields and interiors offer an atmospheric backdrop for unhurried wandering, picnics by the village pond and slow exploration of Denmark’s rural past in the fresh West Jutland air.