Aarhus

Aarhus also commonly known by its contemporary Danish spelling Århus, 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 with 302,618 inhabitants and claims the unofficial title 'Capital of Jutland'.

Geography

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 (0.6 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 (for Danish standards, that is; see Highest hill, Denmark). 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 mi), by rail) lies a picturesque region that contains the Gudenå. Several larger lakes extend West from the Skanderborg railway junction and rise to heights exceeding 152 metres (500 ft) at Himmelbjerget. The railway traverses this district of moorland and woodland to Silkeborg.

Transport

Aarhus Airport, a local airport of Aarhus, is located 40 km (25 mi) north-east of Aarhus, in Tirstrup. As the number of available destinations leaving from Aarhus Airport is low, residents also use the bigger Billund Airport, situated 95 km (59 mi) south-west of Aarhus. 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 neighbouring towns. The main station in Aarhus is Århus Central Station, which is located in the city centre. Most city bus lines go through the inner city and pass through either Park Alle or Banegårdspladsen (lit. English: 'Central Station Square', German: Bahnhof Platz) or both. County and Inter-city buses terminate at Aarhus Bus Terminal which is located 900 meters north-west of Banegårdspladsen, in front of the Radisson SAS Scandinavia hotel located at Margrethepladsen 1, 8000 Århus C).

History

The bishopric of Aarhus dates back to at least 951, and archaeological findings date back some 1300 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 Aarhus city seal from 1421 and 1608.

The city did not expand outwards until the late 19th century, and Aalborg remained the largest city on the peninsula until the 1920s. The relatively fast, albeit late, growth of the city can be ascribed to the general tendencies of a population moving from rural to urban areas during the industrial revolution. Industrialisation meant that proximity to trade routes became more important, giving the harbour city some advantages over other nearby cities as new industries came into existence.

Name

During the Middle Ages the city was called Arus, and in Icelandic chronicles, it was known as Áróss. It is a compound of the two words ār, genitive of ā ('river', Modern Danish å) and ōss ('mouth', obsolete in Modern Danish; in Modern Icelandic this word is still used for 'river delta'). The city is located on the mouth of the small river, Århus Å (Å being the Danish word for a small river).

Through regular sound development, Medieval Danish Arus became Aars or Oes, a form which persisted in the dialects of the surrounding parishes until the 20th century. In 1406 Aarhus became prevalent in the written sources, and gradually became the norm in the 17th century. Aarhus is probably a remodelling after the numerous Low German place names in -husen, possibly as a result of the influence of German merchants.

The city is mentioned for the first time by Adam of Bremen who states that 'Reginbrand, bishop of the church of Aarhus (Harusa)' participates in a church meeting in the city of Ingelham in Germany. Aarhus Cathedral; rebuilt to its current size in 1500, with the longest nave in Denmark

Viking Age and before

The oldest archaeological findings in Aarhus are glass pearls, which date to the end of the 7th century. Half buried Long houses, 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.

17th-18th Centuries

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.

19th Century

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, Ålborg, 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.

Main sights

Århus Domkirke; begun in the 12th C., restored in Gothic architectural style

* Århus Domkirke, the tallest and longest cathedral in Denmark.
* Church of Our Lady, a large church.
* Århus City Hall (City Hall of Århus).
* Aarhus Universitet (University of Århus).
* Statsbiblioteket (State library).
* Den Gamle By, an open air museum.
* Det Jyske Musikkonservatorium (The Juttish music conservatory).
* Botanisk Have (Botanical garden).
* Tivoli Friheden, amusement park.
* ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum, the main Århus arts museum.
* Aarhus Kunstbygning, an arts museum.
* Marselisborg Palace, the royal castle of Århus.
* Aarhus Theatre, the official theater of the city.
* Telecommunication Tower Aarhus, a 325 meter tall concrete tower with guyed mast on its top
* Skejby Sygehus, the second largest hospital in Denmark
* Atletion, a combinated sport venue
* Kvindemuseet i Danmark. Women's Museum
* Den Permanente beach area, also providing views of Helgenæs and Samsø across Århus Bay.
* Moesgård Museum
* Viking Museum

Demographics

More than 300,000 people live within the city limits of Aarhus, while an additional 500,000 live in the surrounding local area of the East Jutland region. Aarhus is also a major part of the larger East Jutland metropolitan area with 1,200,000 inhabitants that makes East Jutland the second most-populated area in Denmark, after the Copenhagen area.

Aarhus is divided into several districts and suburbs with its own postal code (Postdistrikter).

Districts (boroughs) inside the 2nd city beltway:

* Århus C
* Århus N
* Århus V
* Åbyhøj
* Viby

Suburbs of Aarhus

Beder · Brabrand · Egå · Frederiksbjerg · Gellerup · Harlev · Hasle · Hasselager · Holme · Hjortshøj · Højbjerg · Kolt · Lisbjerg · Lystrup · Malling · Mårslet · Risskov · Rosenhøj · Sabro · Slet · Skejby · Skæring · Skåde · Stavtrup · Solbjerg · Skødstrup · Studstrup · Tilst · Tranbjerg · Trige · Vejlby · Viby · Åbyhøj · Åby

65,000 of the population of Aarhus are under 18 years of age. Aarhus has been growing at a steady rate of about 1% per year since 1950, when the city had about 150,000 inhabitants. The University of Aarhus estimates an increase of around 20,000 more students in the next six years, with attendant concerns over a lack of housing. In response, the city council has already initiated a large range of building projects in order to house some 100,000 new citizens before 2030 so the city population will rise to almost 400,000 inhabitants.

The population of Aarhus is both younger and better-educated than the national average, which is often attributed to the high concentration of educational institutions and facilities in the area.

Nearly 12% of the population are immigrants, which is high for Denmark, but modest when compared to some other European cities. The largest immigrant groups (January 1, 2008) are Lebanese (4,644), Turks (4,089), Somalis (3,476), Iraqis (3,140), Vietnamese (2,382), and Iranians (2,199). These groups live mainly in the western parts of Aarhus, where the Gellerup area is famous for its high concentration of immigrants (88%, 2006). The vast majority of the immigrants in Gellerup are Arabs, Turks and Somalis. Other large immigrant groups in Aarhus include Germans (1,573), Poles (1,555), Norwegians (1,050), Afghans (958), and Britons (763).

Culture

The Old Town open air museum; one of two museums in the area, and four in Denmark, with open air displays of period architecture.

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.

The iconic late Viking Age Mask Stone found in Aarhus, housed at the Moesgård Museum.

Architecturally impressive sights include the 13th century cathedral in the centre of the city; Århus 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) G bar(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 big city' reflecting the fact that the city has everything a city needs while its not a metropolis as London. 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.

Sports

In the southern-Aarhus Marselisborg Park, the sports center named Atletion is located comprises athletics, the football NRGi Park and the indoor sports NRGi Arena. Several sport clubs have their home ground in Atletion, including Aarhus Gymnastikforening, the Danish superliga football team, and Aarhus GF handball team, the 1960 European Cup runner-up. Although basketball is a minor sport in Denmark, Aarhus is considered the main Danish hub of the sport, with the local team Bakken Bears being the most successful team in Denmark for the past decade.

Aarhus (and especially Atletion) has served or will serve as the host of many sport events in recent years including:

* 2002 European Women's Handball Championship
* 2005 European Table Tennis Championships
* Denmark Open in badminton
* UCI Women's Road Cycling World Cup
* 2006 World Orienteering Championships
* 2006 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
* GF World Cup; the world's largest handball tournament for women
* DanceSport IDSF World Standard 2006

Education

The town is home to the University of Aarhus, Aarhus School of Business, Aarhus Technical College, The Danish School of Journalism, the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus and the Engineering College of Aarhus and several other high-end education centres. It is possible to receive higher education in many areas, from engineering and dentistry to language and theology.

The University of Aarhus has approximately 40,000 students in the city and 30,000 students at the university with approximately 5,000 new students per year.

Politics

The city council consists of 31 members elected for 4-year terms. Anybody eligible to vote and residing in Aarhus municipality can run for a seat on the city council. After elections have determined the members of the city council, the council elects a mayor, 2 deputy mayors and 5 councilmen. The current Mayor of Aarhus is Nicolai Wammen of the Social Democrats elected by the city council after the 2005 municipal elections.

The city is divided into 6 minor administrative bodies which together constitute the magistrate led by the mayor and the 5 elected councilmen as political and administrative directors. The 6 magistrate departments of the city are the 'Mayor's Magistrate', 'Social and Employment Magistrate', 'Technology and Environment Magistrate', 'Health and Social Magistrate', 'Culture and Service Magistrate' and 'Children and Youth Magistrate' and handle all the day-to-day operations of the city.

Aarhus is the seat of Aarhus Municipality. Until the 2007 Danish Municipal Reform, which replaced the Danish counties with five regions, it was also the seat of Aarhus County, which has now been disbanded in favor of the new Region Midtjylland, its seat located in Viborg.

Aarhus has twinning agreements with Goteborg, Aabo, Bergen, Harbin, Saint Petersburg and Julianehåb; and has a connection with Swansea.

Suburbs of Aarhus

Beder · Brabrand · Egå · Frederiksbjerg · Gellerup · Harlev · Hasle · Hasselager · Holme · Hjortshøj · Højbjerg · Kolt · Lisbjerg · Lystrup · Malling · Mårslet · Risskov · Rosenhøj · Sabro · Slet · Skejby · Skæring · Skåde · Stavtrup · Solbjerg · Skødstrup · Studstrup · Tilst · Tranbjerg · Trige · Vejlby · Viby · Åbyhøj · Åby

Industry and business

Emma Maersk, at the time was the world's largest container ship, in Aarhus Harbor, 5 September 2006. Aarhus' central location within Denmark facilitates transport throughout the country and beyond

The harbour is one of the largest industrial harbours in Northern Europe and the largest in Denmark. The facilities are very modern and handle approximately 12 million tonnes of cargo (2006) and are therefore among the 100 biggest containerports in the world. Much agricultural produce is exported, while coal and iron are among the chief imports. The harbour itself is maintained by Århus Stevedore Kompagni A/S originally based in Aarhus but currently operating several harbours around the world.

The region is a major producer of agricultural products with many large farms in the outlying districts. Cattle, pork and grain are the main products with a sizable related refinement industry present. Computer and technology heavy industries are mainly focused in the urban areas with an abundance of small and medium sized IT and service companies dotting the city centre.

The Ceres Brewery, part of Royal Unibrew, was originally founded in Aarhus. Royal Unibrew has recently announced the closure of Ceres, which will take effect by the end of 2008.

Famous Danes:

Science

* Ole Barndorff-Nielsen, statistician
* Lene Hau, physicist
* Ole Rømer, astronomer
* Jens Christian Skou, Nobel laureate
* Bjarne Stroustrup, computer scientist
* Ole Worm, physician, scholar and antiquarian

Sports

* Camilla Martin, badminton world champion
* Flemming Povlsen, footballer
* Marc Rieper, footballer
* Stig Tøfting, footballer

Music and culture

* Ida Corr, singer
* Tina Dickow, singer
* Thomas Helmig, singer
* Gitte Hænning, singer and film star
* Michael Learns to Rock, soft rock band
* Kaare Norge, guitarist
* Jørgen Leth, poet, director, author and journalist

Web References http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aarhus