Hønekilden – The Hen Spring of Sønderborg

A legendary spring beside Sønderborg’s harbor

Hønekilden, the “Hen Spring,” hides in plain sight just a few steps from Sønderborg’s waterfront. Here, between small historic houses and the sound of gulls over the harbor, a low stone basin and discreet outflow mark a spring that once mattered far more than its modest size suggests. For centuries this water source was woven into daily life in Havbogade, a working quayside neighborhood of sailors, traders and craftsmen. The spring gained a reputation for exceptional purity. Long before modern plumbing, families from across town walked here with buckets and barrels, preferring Hønekilden’s clear water for cooking and drinking. The spot that now feels like a pocket park was once closer to the shifting shoreline, and the constant trickle from the underground source connected the bustling harbor with the freshwater inland world beneath the town’s feet.

From royal waterworks to local lifeline

In the 16th century, Hønekilden’s importance rose all the way to the royal household. Queen Dorothea, widow of King Christian III, spent her later years at Sønderborg Castle and had an ambitious water system constructed to bring fresh spring water to the fortress. Hønekilden formed part of this early engineering, feeding a fountain at the castle where courtiers and servants drew water several times a day. Even after newer supplies appeared, the spring remained a practical lifeline for the surrounding streets. In an age when wells could easily be contaminated, a dependable source of flowing water was a quiet form of security. The people of Havbogade built steps and simple stonework around the spring, and the name “Hønekilden” stuck, perhaps evoking hens scratching around a farmyard watering place or simply reflecting the local dialect.

Whispers of children, fate and forbidden glimpses

As with many old springs in Northern Europe, practical use soon mixed with folklore. In Sønderborg, people joked that babies from Havbogade were not brought by the stork like elsewhere; they were fished up from Hønekilden, where they splashed about unseen in the cold water until needed. The story added a playful twist to the street’s reputation for large families in earlier times. Other tales were darker. One legend said that on Twelfth Night, a young woman who dared lean over the well would see the face of her future husband reflected in the water. One ill-fated girl is said to have glimpsed herself instead, dressed in funeral clothes. Terrified, she confided in a friend; later that night, driven by fear and confusion, she fled into the winter darkness, and her body was found the next day in the harbor. Today the story lingers as a cautionary echo, adding a subtle shiver to an otherwise gentle setting.

Water art and a pocket square for city life

In the 21st century, Sønderborg reshaped the site into a small urban square that highlights both the old spring and contemporary art. Bronze water sculpture by Vibeke Fonnesberg forms the focal point: abstract yet organic shapes suggest hens, waves and flowing water, inviting you to walk around, peer closely and listen to the splashing from different angles. Low walls, steps and plant beds define the space, planted with hardy perennials and aromatic shrubs that soften the stone. On sunny days, the scent of lavender drifts above the paving as water glints between bronze forms. The scale is intimate; it feels like a shared courtyard rather than a grand plaza, somewhere between artwork, fountain and neighborhood living room.

A quiet pause on a walk through Havbogade

Hønekilden is less a destination for hours of exploration and more a rewarding pause on a stroll through Sønderborg’s historic core. It offers a moment to sit, trace the lines of the harbor houses and imagine buckets being lowered into the spring in the days of sail and wooden hulls. The subtle sound of water helps mask city noise, turning this corner into a brief refuge from traffic and shopping streets. Whether you stop for a few photographs, read the nearby information about the site’s background, or simply rest on the steps and watch everyday life glide past, Hønekilden connects past and present in a few square meters. It is a reminder that even in a modern town, essential stories often begin with something as simple as clean, flowing water.