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| ARHUS TRAVEL GUIDE Arhus is the main city on the Jutland peninsula in Denmark. With a population of almost 300,000 people (800,000 Aarhus metropolitan area, 1,200,000 East Jutland metropolitan area) it also holds the title of Denmark's second largest city. Aarhus is the seat of the council of Aarhus municipality and claims the unofficial title "Capital of Jutland The city lies roughly in the geographical centre of Denmark in the peninsula of Jutland. Forests reach from the south into the city to within just a kilometre (.6 mi) of the city centre because the city has grown around the forest, and even some forest 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 of Denmark are close to the city, the general landscape is typically hilly interspersed with forests and meadows; the city itself is very hilly in the north of the center. The coastline consists mostly 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 Gudenå. Several larger lakes extend West from the Skanderborg railway junction and rise to heights exceeding 152 metres (499 ft) in the Himmelbjerget. The railway traverses this pleasant district of moorland and woodland to Silkeborg. Århus offers an elegant mix of cosmopolitan city and quaint small town charm, with wonderful pubs, restaurants and romantic places. The average age of it's 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 Århus, including the future tallest building in Denmark (Lighthouse -142 meters). Århus is part of the East Jutland Metropolitan area, which has the by far fastest growing population in Denmark. Århus has a big, well known cultural festival week, called "Århus Festuge" (Aarhus Festival) 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 A.D., 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 city did not expand outwards until the late 1800s 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. PLACE TO VISIT Den Gamle By - 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. ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum - 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 Townhall - by the famous architect Arne Jacobsen is one of the highlights of Danish architecture The University Park - by C.F.Møller, 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 Ådal. Bymuseet - The town museum of Århus placed in a very nice modern building Århus Kunstbygning - Center of contemporary art. Bruun's Gallery - Located next to the railway station. The biggest city center in Denmark with 95 shops and a cinema. (there are plans of expanding Bruun's Galleri over the traintracks running next to it). HOW TO REACH By plane - Tirstrup Airport is approx. 45 minutes bus-ride away. Airport buses arrive and leave frequently, a one-way ticket costs 90 DKK. Tickets are sold on the bus. Accepted currencies are; Norwegian Crowns, US Dollars, Pounds and Euro. Major Credit Cards are also accepted. By train - Trains run 1-2 times an hour from Copenhagen (København) to Aarhus and takes about three hours. Adult fare is about DKK 300 or USD 50 (11.2006). It is also possible to catch a train to any other part of the Jutland province. Tickets used in trains are also usable in busses, and if you are travelling from Copenhagen, you can use your ticket for the rest of the day to get around Århus at no extra expense. By boat - Mols Linien operates ferries to Odden and Kalundborg |