Merchant´s house, bank and municipal administration
Here at the corner of Storegade and Sct. Knudsstræde, a large merchant’s house was built. In 1784, however, it was demolished when Møn’s Bank of
Discount was built in 1915. In 1968, the lower storey was rebuilt as the house
became the administrative building for the former Municipality of Møn and (after the municipal merging of 2007) for the new municipality of Vordingborg.
In the Middle Ages, Stege’s town centre only reached this point, and the area of Storegade behind you was a broad cattle street, used when the cattle were led to grass in the enclosed fields. When building on the northern side of this cattle road, most houses had their gables facing the street. In order to prevent the animals from approaching the houses, the house owners bought a ‘front toe’ (in Danish ‘fortå’) measuring a few feet. The Danish word ‘fortov’ (pavement/front paw) originates from this and today denotes the piece of the street – the pavement - where you can walk safe from the passing traffic!
However, there are also some indications that Storegade's wide width east of the square was used as a place for horse tournaments. This was in the times when the kings enjoyed great hunts in Møn, using the castle at Stegeborg as accommodation.
Now, continue on the southern side of Storegade until you reach a wide, covered driveway on your left hand.
