Hammel is a town in central Denmark with a population of 7,234 (1 January 2025), and a former railway town at the Aarhus-Hammel-Thorsø railroad which was closed in 1956. The town is located in Favrskov municipality in Jutland. Until 1 January 2007 it was also the site of the municipal council of the now former Hammel Municipality.
History
Hammel first saw significant settlement in the 13th century. The town was recorded as "Hamel" in 1479 and "Hammell" in 1596. The etymology of the town's name is believed to derive from the old Danish term "hamal", meaning "hill".
Hammel was not significantly larger than the other settlements in the area until the 1860s. In the first half of the 19th century, the village had about 11 farms and 40 houses which belonged to the count of Frijsenborg. Through his influence, the local court building for the judicial district of Frijsenborg-Favrskov was established in the town in 1837. By 1900, a prison, pharmacy, hotel, post office, technical school, primary school, hospital school and industrial factories had opened in the town. The entire railway line closed in 1956 and parts have since been preserved as a walking path.
Notable people
- Dr. Timen Stiddem (born 1610 in Hammel), a prominent citizen and doctor in Wilmington, Delaware, arrived in New Sweden in 1654 and is recorded as the first physician in Delaware
- Johan Bartholdy (1853 in Hammel–1904), an organist, composer, singing teacher, conductor and author
- Chris Anker Sørensen (born 1984 in Hammel–2021), a Danish professional road bicycle racer
- Gitte Sunesen (born 1971 in Hammel), a former handball player and gold medallist at the 1996 Summer Olympics