Coming into town from the west, Løvehuset (the Lion House) is on the left. This is one of the most famous buildings in Billund. It was here that Ole Kirk Christiansen, who was later to found LEGO, had his small joiner's business. After the original building burned to the ground in 1924, as a result of playing with matches, he built the present house, known locally as the Lion House. Having lions at the entrance was something of a statement over here on the heath. Some claimed it was to keep the creditors at bay! Not that that would be necessary for very long in light of subsequent events.
New buildings are replaced by older ones as you continue your walk to Rådhuspladsen, the Town Hall Square, where the town hall itself is faced by the handsome building occupied by Den Jyske Sparekasse, our local bank. Between the two is a picturesque fountain sculpture. Actually, art is something you meet a lot of in Billund, liberally scattered all over the town.
Continue your walk across the Town Hall Square to Hans Jensensvej and Billund Civic Centre. With its library, theatre, local history archives, music school, café, discotheque and church, this is without doubt the cultural centre of Billund.
Billund has some fine examples of industrial architecture and it is well worth turning left up Aastvej from Hans Jensensvej. The first you come to here is the headquarters of the LEGO Group. Then comes LEGOLAND. A hotel has been built over part of the road.
There's also plenty to see at the airport, the second-largest in Denmark. But it would probably be best to go by car.
Back in the town itself, there is also the sculpture park, which we have mentioned before. And you shouldn't miss the local inn, Billund Kro. Funnily enough, it was here that the local savings bank Grindsted-Grene Sparekasse opened its first branch in Billund in 1919. The bank has since changed its name to Den Jyske Sparekasse. The inn itself can be traced back to the late 18th century. It is located on Buen, a crescent near the aforementioned Hans Jensensvej. In the distant past, it was here that the stagecoach stopped. While sacks of mail were loaded and unloaded, passengers on their way to Varde could quench their thirst and enjoy a bite to eat at the inn. And you still can.