Ribe ist regarded as one of the oldest towns in Denmark. An important church was built here by the missionary Ansgar of Bremen in the 9th century, probably the first church in Scandinavia altogether. By then the town was already well known as port town and for its sophisticated craftsmen. Nowadays Ribe is of middle size but the church is still one of the finest examples of sacral architecture in Denmark and the inner town is lively and colourful.