Aarhus University Park or the University Park ( da, Universitetsparken) is a public park in central
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
)
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, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark
...
. The University Park is at the centre of
Aarhus University's main campus.
As the university campus, the University Park is situated in the neighbourhood of
Vesterbro in
Midtbyen close to
Trøjborg
Trøjborg is a neighborhood in the city of Aarhus, Denmark in Skt. Johannes parish with about 11,000 residents as of 2015. The neighborhood is part of the district Aarhus N and borders the neighborhoods Nørre Stenbro to the South West, Risskov to ...
, and the park bounded by the streets of ''Nørrebrogade'', ''
Nordre Ringgade'', ''
Langelandsgade'', ''Kaserneboulevarden'' and ''Høegh Guldbergs Gade''. The park forms part of the Aarhus University campus and figures in the
Danish Culture Canon
The Danish Culture Canon ( da, Kulturkanonen) consists of 108 works of cultural excellence in eight categories: architecture, visual arts, design and crafts, film, literature, music, performing arts, and children's culture. An initiative of Brian ...
for its
landscape design
Landscape design is an independent profession and a design and art tradition, practiced by landscape designers, combining nature and culture. In contemporary practice, landscape design bridges the space between landscape architecture and gard ...
. The combined park and campus has received international recognition for its aesthetic values, and the University Park has been protected by law since 1993, in order to conserve its unique design.
The University Park was established in 1933 in conjunction with the university. The campus master plan competition was won in 1931 by the collaborative scheme of Danish architects
Kay Fisker
Kay Otto Fisker, Hon. FAIA (14 February 1893 – 21 June 1965) was a Danish architect, designer and educator. He is mostly known for his many housing projects, mainly in the Copenhagen area, and is considered a leading exponent of Danish Functi ...
,
C. F. Møller
Christian Frederik Møller (31 October 1898 – 5 November 1988), generally referred to as C. F. Møller, was a Danish architect, professor and, from 1965 to 1969, the first rector of the Aarhus School of Architecture. His former practice, Arki ...
and
Povl Stegmann
Povl Christian Stegmann (1888–1944) was a Danish architect remembered for designing Aarhus University in collaboration with Kay Fisker and C. F. Møller. His name is included in the Danish Culture Canon.
Early life
Born in Aarhus, Stegmann app ...
in collaboration with landscape architect
Carl Theodor Sørensen who designed the park.
The park is encircled by the university buildings, including the
Natural History Museum
A natural history museum or museum of natural history is a scientific institution with natural history collections that include current and historical records of animals, plants, fungi, ecosystems, geology, paleontology, climatology, and more. ...
and dormitories. It is constructed across an undulating landscape in parts of an old
moraine
A moraine is any accumulation of unconsolidated debris (regolith and rock), sometimes referred to as glacial till, that occurs in both currently and formerly glaciated regions, and that has been previously carried along by a glacier or ice shee ...
valley stretching from ''Katrinebjerg'' in
Vejlby
Vejlby is a north-eastern neighbourhood of Aarhus in Denmark. It is located 5km from the city centre and is administratively part of the district of Risskov.
The neighbourhood of Vejlby was administratively merged with Risskov at the end of the ...
, in the north, to the
Bay of Aarhus
The Bay of Aarhus, or Aarhus Bay, is a Danish waterway by Aarhus in eastern Jutland.
The Bay of Aarhus is bounded by Kalø Vig in the north, Sletterhage and Helgenæs in the east, Samsø and Tunø to the south and the east Jutland coast to the w ...
in the east. The park is characterized by its
oak tree
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably '' ...
s, two artificial lakes, home to
water fowl
The Anatidae are the biological family of water birds that includes ducks, geese, and swans. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on all the world's continents except Antarctica. These birds are adapted for swimming, floating ...
and amphibians, and large open, grassy areas. A small stream runs north-south in the bottom of the valley from the amphitheatre to the lakes. The adjoining
Vennelystparken
Vennelystparken is the oldest park in the city of Aarhus, constructed in the years 1824 to 1830 between the streets ''Vennelyst Boulevard'' and ''Nørrebrogade''. Through the 19th century up to the Second World War the park was a social focal poin ...
to the south, contrasts the University Park with a different terrain and fauna and mixed tree growth.
In 1949, an
amphitheatre
An amphitheatre (British English) or amphitheater (American English; both ) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and ...
was added below the main building of the university and it has become a central element in recreational activities in the park. Annually a boat race is held in the lakes between the
faculties of the university, which has become a public event.
See also
*
Vennelystparken
Vennelystparken is the oldest park in the city of Aarhus, constructed in the years 1824 to 1830 between the streets ''Vennelyst Boulevard'' and ''Nørrebrogade''. Through the 19th century up to the Second World War the park was a social focal poin ...
References
External links
C.F. Møller Arkitects article on the University Park
{{DEFAULTSORT:University Park
Parks in Aarhus