Aarhus/Århus

Aarhus, or Århus as it has also been known, is a city in Denmark, the second largest in the country, situated less than 200km north of the capital on the Jutland peninsula. It is a cultural and economic hub of the region, known as much for its many music festivals as its port and status as a trading hub.

We begin our day at the port with the looming Dokk1 library and cultural centre as a backdrop and make our way up the canal along the Aboulevarden. Not too far along here we take a detour at the Sankt Clemens Torv Bridge onto the Bispetorvet (plaza) and into the Aarhus Cathedral, a large Gothic style church in the middle of town and one of the largest in Denmark.

Also off the plaza is the Vikings Museum, a rather disappointing little exhibit that must attract its foot traffic courtesy of its proximity to the cathedral.

From here we make our way from Store Torv (Great Square) along Vestegarde, one of the main shopping streets lined with both local (Royal Copenhagen) and international (Mulburry, Cos) brands as well as a good spattering of cafes wafting the tempting smells of coffee towards us.

Staying strong against the coffee aromas we come across Vor Frue Kirke (The Church of Our Lady). This church is really a complex of interconnected buildings with an interesting history. The Church of Our Lady was built around a much older church, the Crypt Church. The Crypt Church (St Nickolai’s) is the oldest surviving stone church in Scandinavia. It was built in 1060 after the original wooden church on the site burnt down. Not much is known about it as after the Vor Frue Kirke was built around it it eventually found use as a store room until restorations took place in the 1950’s during which two graves, one child and one adult were found, along with coins from the 14th century (Wikipedia).

The crucifix seen here is a copy of the oldest crucifix in Denmark, found here in the Crypt Church. The original dates to circa 1050-1100AD and now resides in the Danish National Museum. Although a typical Romanesque crucifix, the depiction of Christ is said to be uniquely Scandinavian in showing Him as a king dressed in the Nordic manner, with a hairstyle and beard characteristic of the Viking Age.

There was also a Dominican priory on the site from about 1240. The entrance is hidden within the Abbey Church such that the gatekeeper to the monastery could ensure that no ‘women, robbers or scum’ would enter. The door is locked today so perhaps they are still screening visitors. I wonder on which basis I might be refused entry on, certainly not robber!

After this little delight there is still plenty to see here and so we must make our choices.

There is the ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum, the oldest public art museum in Denmark outside of Copenhagen. It was established in 1859, reopening in 2004 in a brand new modern building which now receives nearly a million visitors per year. Tempting.

There is also Tivoli Friheden, an amusement park, though having already visited Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen not too long ago, and being without the children in tow, we also decide to give this one a miss.

In the end, Den Gamle By (The Old Town), a large open air outdoor museum wins out and we make our way through the colorful streets to the gates of the museum.

Stepping into Den Gamle By, a live, historic open air museum, is truly like taking a step back in time. Buildings from the ages have been moved and meticulously rebuilt here such that you can visit a merchant’s warehouse from the 15th century, an almshouse, workshops and a mayor’s house from the 16th century, a Victorian era living room and a 19th century hatter’s shop.

It is huge and you need more than a few hours after which we are getting hungry and a little weary and so give the 20th century architecture, activities and artifacts a miss and head back into town to find some delicious aromas after all.

We find Cafe Vestegarde (corner of Grønnegade) and order a share platter which is just enough to stave off the hunger for the afternoon as well as rest our legs for a little. From here we continue through the streets, stumbling across Møllestien, a small street known for its small quaint houses and cobblestones.

Back on the canal and it seems the whole city has emerged to enjoy the last warm rays of the summer sun. There is already a chill in the later afternoon air as we make our way back to the port to sail onto Warnemünde tomorrow.

Good To Know

The Danish spelling was changed in 1948 such that Aa (as in Aarhus) was written Å (as in Århus) until 1 January 2011 when it was officially changed back.

Would I Return?

No.  Aarhus is a lovely town to explore and enjoy the atmosphere.  I would come back if I had friends to visit or another reason to bring me here.  However, as a tourist destination there is little to return to that cannot be found in other cities.

Some descriptions, dates and details in this post refer to the information provided at the site (specifically Vor Frue Kirke and the Crypt Church).