Aarhus also commonly known by its contemporary Danish spelling Arhus, is the second largest city and the principal port of Denmark, situated on the peninsula of Jutland. Aarhus is the seat of the council of Aarhus municipality and claims the unofficial title “Capital of Jutland”. Arhus is the main city on the Jutland peninsula in Denmark. With a population of just over 300,000 people (1,200,000 East Jutland metropolitan area) it also holds the title of Denmark’s second largest city.
Arhus offers an elegant mix of cosmopolitan city and quaint small town charm, with wonderful pubs, restaurants and romantic places. The average age of its inhabitants is among the lowest in Europe. This is mainly because of the large student population.
The tourist office is located just to the left of the main train station. It’s called “Visit Aarhus”. Some interesting facts: There are many plans of skyscrapers in Arhus, including the future tallest building in Denmark (Lighthouse -142 meters). Arhus is part of the East Jutland Metropolitan area, which has the by far fastest growing population in Denmark. Arhus has a big, well known cultural festival week, called “Arhus Festuge” (Aarhus Festival).
The city lies roughly at the geographical centre of Denmark on the peninsula of Jutland. Forests reach from the south into the city to within a kilometre (.6 mi) of the city centre, because the city has grown around the forest, and some areas are completely surrounded by the city, such as Risskov. The city is built mostly around the harbour, which is predominantly industrial, although a large recreational marina is situated south of it as an extension.
While some of the highest points in Denmark are close to the city, the general landscape is typically hilly, interspersed with forests and meadows; the city itself is very hilly north of the centre. The coastline consists mainly of sandy beaches, but stony areas are not uncommon. The immediate coastal regions are not heavily populated due to a national policy of keeping residences inland rather than crowding the coast.
The city lies at the junction of railway lines from all parts of the country. To the south west (about 21 km, 13 miles, by rail) lies a picturesque region that contains the GudenA. Several larger lakes extend West from the Skanderborg railway junction and rise to heights exceeding 152 metres (499 ft) at Himmelbjerget. The railway traverses this district of moorland and woodland to Silkeborg.
The Danes are reserved towards strangers, but friendly towards tourists, and will normally be happy to give you directions and advice in fluent English. Aarhus Airport, a local airport of Aarhus, is located 40 km (25 mi) north-east of Aarhus, in Tirstrup. There have been plans for constructing a new, bigger airport for a long time, but so far, the plans have not been realized.
Aarhus is served by commuter rail that connects the city itself with nearby neighbouring cities. The main station in Aarhus is Arhus Central Station, which is located in the city centre. There is also more than 20 stations in the inner city and in the suburbs.
Den Gamle By (The Old Town) Collection of 75 original Danish buildings dating from 1597 to 1909 moved to create an open-air museum village; there are shops and restaurants, some true to the period. Aarhus Cathedral The beautiful cathedral is over 800 years old, and the longest in Denmark. Next to it, Aarhus Cathedral School is situated, also over 800 years old and the oldest still existing high-school in the world.
Vor Frue Kirke Church with an interesting crypt church in the basement, built about 1060. It is one of the oldest still existing stone churches in Scandinavia, maybe the oldest. ARoS Aarhus Art Museum One of Denmark’s largest museums, be sure to check out the ‘9 Spaces’, a maze of black-walled galleries.
Anyone who appreciates seeing European architecture will find many points of interest in the city, not least the Concert Hall (”Musikhuset” from 1982 by Johan Richter), which is located next door to the new art museum ARoS. The Town Hall by the famous architect Arne Jacobsen is one of the highlights of Danish architecture. Don’t miss the Grisebrønden statue (the well of the pigs) with the drooling and peeing pigs, located in the Town Hall Square.
The University Park by C.F.Moller, Kaj Fisker,(buildings) and C. Th. Sørensen (landscape) is another noteworthy piece of architecture. Here you find the State Library, a Natural History Museum and the Steno Museum with collections on science and medicine.
Moesgaard Museum To study Danish prehistory take bus 6 South to visit this museum. The main attractions are two finds from the Iron Age - the Grauballe Man, the only completely preserved bog body, and the impressive sacrifices of weapons from Illerup Adal. Women’s Museum. Bymuseet The town museum of Arhus placed in a very nice modern building. Arhus Kunstbygning Center of contemporary art. Arhus Viking Museum Small viking museum located in the basement of the Nordea Bank next to the cathedral. Entrance is free.
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. Arhus 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 (A in Danish). The favorite local beers are Tuborg, Carlsberg and Ceres (which is brewed approximately 1km away from most of the clubs!)
Aarhus is a centre for education on the peninsula of Jutland drawing students from a large area, especially from the western and southern parts of the peninsula. The relatively large influx of young people and students creates a natural base for cultural activities and there are many cafes and restaurants as well as discothèques, cinemas, museums, amusement parks and various other venues of entertainment. Each year the town hosts several festivals and concerts including Aarhus International Jazz Festival and Aarhus Festuge the biggest festival in Scandinavia. The Vestereng park facility is also a site for large popular music concerts.
One major tourist attraction in Aarhus is The Old Town (Danish: Den Gamle By), which is not actually an old part of the city itself, but a collection of historic Danish buildings gathered from all around the country. The city also hosts the Tivoli Friheden amusement park as well as the Deer Park situated in the large nearby public forest.
Architecturally impressive sights include the 13th century cathedral in the centre of the city; Arhus Domkirke is the tallest cathedral in Denmark, as well as the second tallest in Northern Europe, being only 45 cm (18 in) shorter than its counterpart in Trondheim. The Aarhus City Hall is a uniquely designed building drawn by renowned architect Arne Jacobsen, located in the city centre. The city hall is included in the national educational canon for culture as an example of important architectural work.
There are many museums scattered around the city with ARoS being the newest and largest featuring daily exhibits of contemporary art. Other museums include Aarhus Kunstbygning also featuring mostly contemporary art, Frihedsmuseet focusing on the occupation and resistance movement during World War II and Kvindemuseet mainly showcasing feminist history and culture.
Being a comparably large Danish city, Aarhus has received a fair share of immigrants from various other cultures and is as such also home to one of the few ghettos in Denmark, Gellerup. The international cultures present in the community are an obvious and visible part of the city’s daily life and contribute to many cultural flavours uncommon for the North, such as the Arabic themed Bazar West, a market with shopkeepers predominantly of foreign descent.
The city has an active and visible gay and lesbian community which the city officially attempts to promote and nurture. The Aarhus Festuge festival usually includes several exhibits, concerts or events specifically designed for these communities. There are several clubs, discos and cafes aimed at gays and lesbians: Danish D-lite (sports), Diskotek Blender (disco) or Gaia Vandreklub (hiking club) are a few examples.
It is common for tourist brochures and local politicians to refer to the town with the tongue-in-cheek slogan “The world’s smallest city” reflecting the fact that the city has everything a city needs while unquestionably not a metropolis. Another popular, and perhaps better known phrase to describe the city, is “City of Smiles” - a slogan first coined by the city council in the 1930s as an advertising slogan, and which subsequently is used widely in popular culture today.
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