Store Torv ( lit. Great Square) is a

public square A town square (or square, plaza, public square, city square, urban square, or ''piazza'') is an open public space, commonly found in the heart of a traditional town but not necessarily a true square, geometric square, used for community gathe ...

located in the

Indre By Indre By (lit. English, "Inner City"), also known as Copenhagen Center or K or Downtown Copenhagen, is an administrative district (''by'') in central Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark. It covers an area of , has a population of 26,223, and a po ...

neighborhood in

Aarhus Aarhus (, , ; officially spelled Århus from 1948 until 1 January 2011) is the second-largest city in Denmark and the seat of Aarhus Municipality. It is located on the eastern shore of Jutland in the Kattegat sea and approximately northwest ...

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...

. It is situated between Lille Torv and

Aarhus Cathedral Aarhus Cathedral ( da, Århus Domkirke) is a cathedral in Aarhus, Denmark. It is the longest and tallest church in the country, at in length and in height. The construction of Aarhus Cathedral began in the 12th century and it is the main edific ...

, shaped as an elongated triangle. It is the largest public square in Aarhus and one of the oldest venues for markets in the city. The square is home to many notable buildings including the dominating cathedral and is frequently host to cultural events. Store Torv is part of the pedestrian zone in the inner city and connects directly to the squares of Lille Torv, Skt. Clemens Torv, Bispetorv and Domkirketorvet.

History

Store Torv emerged in about year 1200 in connection with the construction of the

cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...

. In the first centuries the street was known as ''Torvegaden'' (The Square-street) and functioned as a connection between

Immervad Immervad, previously Emmervad, is a pedestrian street in Aarhus, Denmark, which runs north to south from Lille Torv to Åboulevarden and Frederiksgade. The alley ''Sankt Clemens Stræde'' leads to Immervad from the east. The street is situated in ...

and the cathedral through ''Lille Torv''. At the time ''Lille Torv'' was called ''Torvet'' (The Square) and later ''Gammeltorv'' (Old Square) and functioned as the center of the town. The square evolved with the city and it was originally formed very differently. The city gate ''Borgporten'' (Castle Gate) separated Store Torv from ''Lille Torv''. The gate had a medieval tower and was used by the watchmen of the city at night. In 1685, the gate was torn down because it was an obstacle to traffic, thus removing the barrier between the two squares. In medieval times, Storv Torv was home to both the cathedral of the

Diocese of Aarhus In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associate ...

and the City Hall of Aarhus. The square was used for markets, public punishments and official celebrations. Punishments involved

whip A whip is a tool or weapon designed to strike humans or other animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain. They can also be used without inflicting pain, for audiovisual cues, such as in equestrianism. They are generally e ...

ping or the

stocks Stocks are feet restraining devices that were used as a form of corporal punishment and public humiliation. The use of stocks is seen as early as Ancient Greece, where they are described as being in use in Solon's law code. The law describing ...

, but also executions by

hanging Hanging is the suspension of a person by a noose or ligature around the neck.Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed. Hanging as method of execution is unknown, as method of suicide from 1325. The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' states that hanging i ...

. The location was convenient due to its proximity to the jailhouse beneath the city hall. In about 1600, executions were relocated to ''Galgebakken'' (Gallows-hill) outside the town. The most common use for the square was markets. After the Danish king established rules for when and how markets could be held, it became one of the largest in the town. The market was primarily for vegetables, fruit, horses and cattle. Store Torv was also used for official celebrations such as the king's birthday or

New Year's Eve In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, on 31 December. The last day of the year is commonly referred to ...

Notable buildings

Store Torv is dominated by

from around 1300. The Hotel Royal from 1838 is one of the oldest and most storied hotels in the town. The

pharmacy Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications, aiming to ensure the safe, effective, and affordable use of medicines. It is a miscellaneous science as it links heal ...

''Løveapoteket'' has been situated at its present location since 1710. Store Torv was previously home to the city hall.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Store Torv Squares in Aarhus Aarhus C