Aarhus

Aarhus

Aarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical centre of Denmark. The city claims the unofficial title "Capital of Jutland".

The bishopric of Aarhus dates back to at least 951, and archaeological findings date back some 1,300 years to Viking times. The city itself is presumably older than 770 AD, making Aarhus the oldest big city in Scandinavia. The favorable central position of the city within Denmark afforded it trade from Germany, the Baltic countries, the greater peninsula of Jutland and the communities on the many smaller islands in its vicinity, which meant that trade always had a great significance to the town – a significance which is still true today.

The oldest archaeological findings in Aarhus are glass pearls, which date to the end of the 7th century. Half buried longhouses, used both as homes and workshops for the Vikings have also been found. In the houses and the adjoining archaeological layers, combs, jewelry and basic multi-purpose tools have been found that indicate the settlement is from approximately year 900. Digs in the spring of 2005 revealed a so-called city-ditch from the year 850 which might have marked the trade centre upon which the city is built.

The finding of six runestones in and around Aarhus indicates the city had some significance around year 1000 as only wealthy nobles traditionally used them. The center of Aarhus was once a pagan burial site until Aarhus' first church, Holy Trinity Church, a timber structure, was built upon it during the reign of Frode, King of Jutland, around 900.

During the wars of the 17th century, it is probable that the city suffered in a significant way. Fortifications still exist south of the city as a reminder of the German imperial campaigns between 1627 and 1629. In 1644, Sweden taxed the city harshly and between 1657 and 1659, it was occupied by Swedish troops on several occasions.

In spite of these and other misfortunes, such as plague and city-wide fires, Aarhus was still quite a significant city in Denmark due to its favourable geographical position which was of significant importance for trading. Trade came mainly from the inland of Jutland but also from Norway, Lübeck, Amsterdam, England, France and Spain. In the middle of the 18th century the trade fleet consisted of approximately 100 ships.

In the 19th century, the city gained more independence from the dominance of Copenhagen and Hamburg. While it had been the third largest city in Jutland during the early 19th century, its population surpassed Randers in 1840 and in 1850, Aalborg, thus becoming the largest city in Jutland and the second largest in Denmark.

The city's material prosperity continued to increase as the harbour expanded and the railway network grew. Culturally, it marketed itself as the "Capital of Jutland" and expanded many of its cultural institutions like the national library, universities, the Aarhus Theatre and hospitals.

There are hundreds of restaurants in Aarhus, reaching from cheap kebab joints, to high-class dining. Aarhus is generally known as one of the best places to eat in Denmark, probably due to the strong competition. However, the best places are not necessarily located on the most prominent addresses, so a bit of browsing is recommended. You could also try Åen - walk down "the river" in the city center, there are lots of restaurants and cafes with high standard.

The locals regularly frequent the many cafés when going out for a meal. Besides being the best option for breakfast, brunch and lunch, most cafés serve excellent home made burgers, salads, sandwiches, soups and snacks at reasonable prices.

Aarhus's large student population fuels a lively nightlife. There is a robust nightlife for those who are looking for a night on the town. Aarhus can deliver everything from big mainstream clubs to small alternative hangouts playing niche music.

Prices for food and drink are higher than in other parts of Europe, especially near the river (Å in Danish). The favorite local beers are Tuborg, Carlsberg and Ceres (which is no longer brewed locally).

                                                        Aarhus’ Top 5:

   
1. Aarhus Cathedral is the main religious edifice of Aarhus. The cathedral is dedicated to the patron saint of sailors, St. Clemens, and located at the address Domkirkepladsen 2, 8000 Århus C, Denmark, on the port-side of the central market of the town, Store Torv (lit. Danish: Large Square). The church is the longest in Denmark it is 93 m long and is also the tallest church in Denmark with 96 m, with seating for around 1200 people, and its building started at the end of the 12th century. The construction of Aarhus Cathedral began in the decade after year 1190, by Bishop Peder Vognsen of the powerful Hvide family from Zealand. Bishop Vognsen built the cathedral around St. Clement's church because local people venerated St. Niels, and Vognsen wanted to harness that devotion for his cathedral. Vognsen also established the cathedral school before the cathedral was completed. The church was finished in 1300 in typical Romanesque style with half-rounded arches supporting a flat timber ceiling. The second St. Clements was built of large red bricks, a new building material that became popular all over Scandinavia and northern Germany for ecclesiastical and public buildings. Four chapels were built into the north transept. The episcopal chair was moved from Our Lady Church to St. Clements. However, in 1330, the cathedral and much of the town burned down, and the church was abandoned until 1449. By then the Gothic style of architecture had reached Denmark, and the cathedral was enlarged in stages until it reached its present size in year 1500.
2. The ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum  is one of the largest art museums in northern Europe, 10 storeys tall with a total of 17,000 m². The museum opened on 8 April 2004 after a construction process that started with Danish architects schmidt hammer lassen winning the design competition in 1997. ARoS features a shop, café and restaurant. The architectural vision of the museum was completed in 2011 with the addition of the circular skywalk "Your rainbow panorama" by Ólafur Elíasson. The museum is divided into three different permanent collections: The Danish "Golden Age" 1770–1900, Danish Modernism 1900–1960 and Contemporary Art.
3.  Aarhus City Hall  was inaugurated 2 June 1941, and it was drawn by architects Arne Jacobsen and Erik Møller. The decision to build a city hall was taken during a city hall meeting in 1937. As one of just a few Danish city halls it was marked for preservation in March 1994 because of its unique architecture. On the first proposal the plans did not include a tower but due to massive public pressure it was later added to the drawings.
   The city hall has a total area of 19,380 m² including the basement. The tower is 60 m tall and the tower clock face has a diameter of 7 m. The building is made of concrete plated with 6,000 m² of marble from Porsgrunn in Norway. In January 2006 the city hall was included in the Danish Culture Kanon under architecture.
4. The Old Town in Aarhus, is an open-air town museum consisting of 75 historical buildings collected from 20 townships in all parts of the country. In 1914 the museum opened as the world's first open-air museum of its kind, concentrating on town culture rather than village culture, and to this day it remains one of just a few top rated Danish museums outside Copenhagen serving some 3.5 million visitors pr. year. The museum buildings are organized into a small town of chiefly half-timbered structures originally erected between 1550 and the late 19th century in various parts of the country and later moved to Aarhus during the 20th century. In all there are some 27 rooms, chambers or kitchens, 34 workshops, 10 groceries or shops, 5 historical gardens, a post office, a customs office, a school and a theatre.
5. The Aarhus Theatre is the largest provincial theatre in Denmark. The present theatre house constructed in the late 19th century as a replacement for the old theatre, nicknamed "Svedekassen". Since Aarhus had grown to be Jutland's biggest city during the 19th century, the old theatre had become too small for the public. The new building was designed by the Danish architect Hack Kampmann (1856–1920), and the construction began on 12 August 1898. Only two years later the Theatre was completed, and it was inaugurated on 15 September 1900. The style of the building is Art Nouveau, with the national romantic emphasis on natural materials, and the interior was completed by artists Hansen-Reistrup and Hans Tegner. In 2007, the Aarhus Theatre received an audio make-over.