Gråsten (Danish pronunciation: [kʁɔˈste̝ˀn]; German: Gravenstein) is a town with a population of 4,365 (1 January 2023)[2] on the east coast of the Jutland peninsula in south Denmark by the Nybøl Nor at an inlet of the Flensburg Fjord. It belongs to the Sønderborg municipality in Region of Southern Denmark. The town is located almost exactly at the center of a triangle defined by the towns of Aabenraa, Flensburg and Sønderborg Castle (Sønderborg Slot).
Gråsten
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Town
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  Gråsten Show map of Denmark  Gråsten Show map of Region of Southern Denmark | |
| Coordinates: 54°55′11″N 9°35′31″E / 54.91972°N 9.59194°E / 54.91972; 9.59194 | |
| Country | Denmark |
| Region | Southern Denmark (Syddanmark) |
| Municipality | Sønderborg |
| Area | |
| • Urban | 3.43 km2 (1.32 sq mi) |
| Population
(2023)
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| • Urban | 4,365 |
| • Urban density | 1,300/km2 (3,300/sq mi) |
| • Gender [1] | 2,125 males and 2,240 females |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
The Egernsund Bridge, which crosses the Egern Strait, connects Gråsten with the town of Egernsund. Gråsten is served by Gråsten railway station, located on the Sønderborg railway line.[3]
The Gravenstein apple originates from the city.
Until 1 January 2007 Gråsten was the seat of the former Gråsten municipality (Danish, kommune) in South Jutland County, covering an area of 57 km2, and with a total population of 7,256 (2005). Its last mayor was Bendt Olesen, a member of the Social Democrats (Socialdemokraterne) political party. The municipality was created in 1970 due to a kommunalreform ("Municipality Reform") that combined the following parishes: Gråsten, Kværs, Rinkenæs, and Adsbøl.
Gråsten municipality ceased to exist due to Kommunalreformen ("The Municipality Reform" of 2007). It was combined with Augustenborg, Broager, Nordborg, Sundeved, Sydals, and Sønderborg municipalities to form the new Sønderborg municipality. This created a municipality with an area of 499 km2 and a total population of 49,886 (2005).
The Danish royal family has their summer residence, Gråsten Palace, in the town