Ribe [key], city (1992 pop. 7,892), capital of Ribe co., SW Denmark, on the Ribe River. One of the oldest cities of Denmark, Ribe was mentioned in the 9th cent. and became an episcopal see in 948. Its cathedral (built c.1130; restored 1884–1904) is one of the finest examples of Danish Romanesque architecture. Other buildings, such as the Black Friars abbey (begun 1228), St. Catherine's Church (c.1230), and the city hall (c.1500), attest to the city's prosperity in the Middle Ages.
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