Hasle

Hasle is a town and a former municipality on the west coast of the Baltic island of Bornholm, Denmark. Its population is 1,603 The former municipality covered an area of 115 km2 , and had a total population of 6,382. It is now included in the municipality of Bornholm. With its pleasant setting, smokehouses, galleries and harbour, the town attracts many tourists.

The name "Hasle" appears to have originated from Old Danish "hasli", meaning "hazel", and was used in 1335 as the name of the northernmost of Bornholm's four counties before being applied to the town in 1546. In the middle of the 16th century, Hasle was granted rights as a market town authorizing it to have a local administration headed by a mayor and to practice manufacturing and trading. The town's location on fertile land next to the sea provided fine opportunities for cultivating vegetables and fishing . By 1658, when the population reached 300, Hasle began to be noticed. The town is remembered for the role it played in the 17th century when under the leadership of Jens Pedersen Kofoed, a merchant, and Povl Hansen Ancher, the local priest, its citizens helped to free Bornholm from Swedish rule.

Wikipedia