Ã…lborg Handball Club
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Aalborg or Ã…lborg ( , , ) is
Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
's fourth largest urban settlement (behind
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
,
Aarhus Aarhus (, , ; officially spelled Ã…rhus from 1948 until 1 January 2011) is the second-largest city in Denmark and the seat of Aarhus municipality, Aarhus Municipality. It is located on the eastern shore of Jutland in the Kattegat sea and app ...
, and
Odense Odense ( , , ) is the third largest city in Denmark (after Copenhagen and Aarhus) and the largest city on the island of Funen. As of 1 January 2025, the city proper had a population of 185,480 while Odense Municipality had a population of 210, ...
) with a population of 119,862 (1 July 2022) in the town proper and an
urban population An urban area is a human settlement with a high population density and an infrastructure of built environment. Urban areas originate through urbanization, and researchers categorize them as cities, towns, conurbations or suburbs. In urbani ...
of 143,598 (1 July 2022). As of 1 July 2022, the
Municipality of Aalborg Ã…lborg Municipality () is a municipality in North Jutland Region on the Jutland peninsula in northern Denmark.Bridgwater, W. & Beatrice Aldrich. (1966) ''The Columbia-Viking Desk Encyclopedia''. Columbia University. p. 11. The municipality stra ...
had a population of 221,082, making it the third most populous in the country after the municipalities of
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
(capital) and
Aarhus Aarhus (, , ; officially spelled Ã…rhus from 1948 until 1 January 2011) is the second-largest city in Denmark and the seat of Aarhus municipality, Aarhus Municipality. It is located on the eastern shore of Jutland in the Kattegat sea and app ...
.
Eurostat Eurostat ("European Statistical Office"; also DG ESTAT) is a department of the European Commission ( Directorate-General), located in the Kirchberg quarter of Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. Eurostat's main responsibilities are to provide statist ...
and
OECD The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD; , OCDE) is an international organization, intergovernmental organization with 38 member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and international trade, wor ...
have used a definition for the
metropolitan area A metropolitan area or metro is a region consisting of a densely populated urban area, urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories which share Industry (economics), industries, commercial areas, Transport infrastructure, transport network ...
of Aalborg (referred to as a "
functional urban area The functional urban area (FUA), previously known as larger urban zone (LUZ), is a measure of the population and expanse of metropolitan and surrounding areas which may or may not be exclusively urban. It consists of a city and its commuting zo ...
"), which includes all municipalities in the
province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
() of North Jutland (), with a total population of 594,323 as of 1 July 2022. By road Aalborg is southwest of
Frederikshavn Frederikshavn () is a Danish town in Frederikshavn municipality, Region Nordjylland, on the northeast coast on the North Jutlandic Island in northern Denmark. Its name translates to "Frederik's harbor". It was originally named Fladstrand. The ...
, and north of
Aarhus Aarhus (, , ; officially spelled Ã…rhus from 1948 until 1 January 2011) is the second-largest city in Denmark and the seat of Aarhus municipality, Aarhus Municipality. It is located on the eastern shore of Jutland in the Kattegat sea and app ...
. The distance to
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
is if travelling by road and not using ferries. The earliest settlements date to around AD 700. Aalborg's position at the narrowest point on the
Limfjord The Limfjord ( common Danish: ''Limfjorden'' , in northwest Jutlandish dialect: ''Æ Limfjord'') is a shallow part of the sea, located in Denmark where it has been regarded as an inlet ever since Viking times. However, it now has entries both ...
made it an important harbour during the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
, and later a large industrial centre. Architecturally, the city is known for its
half-timbered Timber framing () and "post-and-beam" construction are traditional methods of building with heavy Beam (structure), timbers, creating structures using squared-off and carefully fitted and Woodworking joints, joined timbers with joints secure ...
mansions built by its prosperous merchants.
Budolfi Church Budolfi Church (''Budolfi Kirke'') is the cathedral church for the Lutheran Diocese of Aalborg in north Jutland, Denmark. History Aalborg was already a town in the mid-10th century, with a fine position on the east-west Limfjord that served ...
, now a cathedral, dates from the end of the 14th century and
Aalborghus Castle Aalborghus Castle () is a castle in Aalborg, Denmark. It is a half-timbered (''bindingsværk'') castle built by King Christian III from 1539 to around 1555 initially as a fortification. A building had existed at the site before Christian III's c ...
, a royal residence, was built in 1550. Today, Aalborg is a city in transition from a
working-class The working class is a subset of employees who are compensated with wage or salary-based contracts, whose exact membership varies from definition to definition. Members of the working class rely primarily upon earnings from wage labour. Most c ...
industrial area to a knowledge-based community. A major exporter of
grain A grain is a small, hard, dry fruit (caryopsis) – with or without an attached husk, hull layer – harvested for human or animal consumption. A grain crop is a grain-producing plant. The two main types of commercial grain crops are cereals and ...
,
cement A cement is a binder, a chemical substance used for construction that sets, hardens, and adheres to other materials to bind them together. Cement is seldom used on its own, but rather to bind sand and gravel ( aggregate) together. Cement mi ...
, and
liquor Liquor ( , sometimes hard liquor), spirits, distilled spirits, or spiritous liquor are alcoholic drinks produced by the distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar that have already gone through ethanol fermentation, alcoholic ferm ...
s, its thriving business interests include
Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, S.A. was formed in 2017 in a merger of Siemens' Wind Power division with Gamesa Corporación Tecnológica, S.A.; it is a Spanish-German wind engineering company based in Zamudio, Biscay, Spain. The company ha ...
,
Alfa Laval Alfa Laval AB is a Swedish company, founded in 1883 by Gustaf de Laval and Oscar Lamm. The company started by providing centrifuges to dairies to be used to separate cream from milk. It now deals in the production of specialised products ...
, and Aalborg Portland. These companies have become global producers of
wind turbine A wind turbine is a device that wind power, converts the kinetic energy of wind into electrical energy. , hundreds of thousands of list of most powerful wind turbines, large turbines, in installations known as wind farms, were generating over ...
rotors, marine boilers, and cement. With its theatres,
symphony orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * String instruments, such as the violin, viola, cello, ...
, opera company, performance venues, and museums such as Aalborg Historical Museum and the Aalborg Museum of Modern Art, Aalborg is an important cultural hub. The Aalborg Carnival, held at the end of May, is one of the largest festivals in Scandinavia, attracting some 100,000+ people annually. The town's major university is
Aalborg University Aalborg University (AAU) is an international public university with campuses in Aalborg, Esbjerg, and Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 1974, the university awards bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and PhD degrees in a wide variety of subje ...
(often abbreviated to AAU), founded in 1974, which has more than 20,000 students (as of 2018). AAU is also North Jutland's largest university and overall academic institution. The
University College of Northern Denmark University College of Northern Denmark () were formed under the Danish act on university colleges for higher education, which was adopted by the Danish parliament in 2007. Today, the sector is composed of six university colleges. Formally, UCN h ...
(UCN) is one of seven new regional organisations while the
Royal School of Library and Information Science The Royal School of Library and Information Science (abbr. RSLIS, ) is a school under the University of Copenhagen that provides higher education in the field of library and information science. It has now merged with another department to Departm ...
(RSLIS) provides higher education in library and information science. Trænregimentet, the Danish regiment for army supply and emergency medical personnel, is also in Aalborg. Aalborg University Hospital, the largest in the north of Jutland, was founded in 1881. The football club
Aalborg BK Aalborg Boldspilklub is a Danish sports club based in the city of Aalborg. The club is also known as AaB for short (cf. logo) or Aalborg BK. Through time the club has had branches in cricket, tennis, ice hockey, handball, and basketball, but curr ...
, established in 1885 and based at
Nordjyske Arena Aalborg Stadium ( Danish: Aalborg Stadion) is a football stadium located in Aalborg, Denmark. It is the home ground of AaB. It has a capacity of 14,135 of which 8,997 is seated. The capacity is 10,500 for international matches. The stadium consi ...
, won the Danish Superliga in the 1994–95 season, the 1998–99 season, the 2007–08 season, and the 2013–14 season. Other sports associations include the ice hockey club
Aalborg Pirates The Aalborg Pirates are a professional ice hockey team (previously known as Aalborg Ishockey and AaB Ice Hockey) playing in the Danish ice hockey league, Metal Ligaen. The ice hockey team first appeared in 1967 as AaB Ice Hockey organized under ...
, the men's handball team
Aalborg Håndbold Aalborg Handball () is a professional handball club from Aalborg, Denmark that competes in the Danish Handball League. Aalborg Håndbold play their home games in the Gigantium arena in Aalborg – known as Jutlander Bank Arena for sponsorship rea ...
, the rugby club
Aalborg RK Aalborg RK is a Danish rugby club in Aalborg. History The club was founded in 1964. Players Current squad External links Aalborg RK Rugby clubs established in 1964 Rugby union teams in Denmark Sport in Aalborg 1964 estab ...
, and Aalborg Cricket Club. Aalborg Railway Station, on John F. Kennedys Plads has connected the city to
Randers Randers () is a city in Randers Municipality, Central Denmark Region on the Jutland peninsula. It is List of cities and towns in Denmark, Denmark's sixth-largest city, with a population of 64,511 ().Aalborg Airport Aalborg Airport () is a dual-use (civilian/military) airport located in Nørresundby, Aalborg Municipality, Denmark, which is northwest of Aalborg. History Aalborg Airport was opened in 1938 as the second national airport. During World War II, ...
is just northwest of the city centre, and the E45, a European route from
Alta Alta or ALTA may refer to: Acronyms * Alt-A, short for Alternative A-paper, is a type of US mortgage * American Land Title Association, a national trade association representing the land title industry * American Literary Translators Association, ...
, Norway, to
Gela Gela (Sicilian and ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the regional autonomy, Autonomous Region of Sicily, Italy; in terms of area and population, it is the largest municipality on the southern coast of Sicily. Gela is part of the Province o ...
, Italy, passes through Aalborg. A 2014 survey by the
European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the primary Executive (government), executive arm of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with a number of European Commissioner, members of the Commission (directorial system, informall ...
found that the citizens of Aalborg are the most satisfied people in Europe with their city.


Name

The name of Aalborg can be traced back to coins from the 11th century in the form of ''Alabu'' or ''Alabur''. Like
Aabenraa Aabenraa (; , ; South Jutlandic: ''Affenråe'', also known as Åbenrå) is a town in Southern Denmark, at the head of the Aabenraa Fjord, an arm of the Little Belt, north of the Denmark–Germany border and north of German town of Flensburg. It ...
, there has been dissent regarding the spelling of the city's name. In current times, the modern name of Aalborg is nearly always written with a double-a instead of the Danish standard letter for that sound, å. Å was implemented to replace "aa" in all Danish place names on 22 March 1948 as a result of a Danish
spelling reform A spelling reform is a deliberate, often authoritatively sanctioned or mandated change to spelling rules. Proposals for such reform are fairly common, and over the years, many languages have undergone such reforms. Recent high-profile examples a ...
. However, the
city council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough counc ...
in Aalborg made the unanimous decision to ignore the new law and keep the old way of spelling, stating:
"Upon receiving a copy of the Ministry of Education's notice of 22 March 1948 about changes to orthography, according to which Aalborg's name henceforth shall be spelled Ålborg, the executive committee relays, that the city council – regardless of the notice – enacts that the city's name – as up until now – is spelled Aalborg, since the city's name with this way of spelling is known world-over. This was agreed upon unanimously."
In 1984, then Minister of Education
Bertel Haarder Bertel Geismar Haarder (born 7 September 1944) is a Danish writer, teacher and politician, who was a member of the Folketing for the Venstre political party. He has served as minister several times, including Minister of Education from 1982 to 1 ...
and Minister of Culture
Mimi Jakobsen Mimi Jakobsen (born 19 November 1948 in Copenhagen) is a Danish former politician and government minister and secretary general of the Danish chapter of the International Save the Children Alliance. After 15 years she resigned from her positio ...
, decided that the
municipalities of Denmark Denmark is divided into five regions of Denmark, regions, which contain 98 municipalities (, ; , ). The Capital Region of Denmark, Capital Region has 29 municipalities, Region of Southern Denmark, Southern Denmark 22, Central Denmark Region, Ce ...
could decide for themselves which way of spelling they preferred. This went against the Danish Language Council and the
Toponomy Toponymy, toponymics, or toponomastics is the study of '' toponyms'' (proper names of places, also known as place names and geographic names), including their origins, meanings, usage, and types. ''Toponym'' is the general term for a proper nam ...
Committee's advice. Both spellings are included in the official list of placenames. It is never orthographically wrong to write Ã…lborg though it might upset local residents, many of whom identify strongly with the traditional spelling of the name. Aalborg is locally known as "Dobbelt A" (''Double A'') and the local rapper Niarn has even made a song about the city of the same name. The city has also been nicknamed "Nordens Paris" ('' Paris of the North'').


History

The area around the narrowest point on the Limfjord attracted settlements as far back as the
Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...
, leading to a thriving
Viking Vikings were seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded, and settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9â ...
community until around the year 1000 in what has now become Aalborg. In the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
, royal trading privileges, a natural harbour and a thriving
herring Herring are various species of forage fish, belonging to the Order (biology), order Clupeiformes. Herring often move in large Shoaling and schooling, schools around fishing banks and near the coast, found particularly in shallow, temperate wate ...
fishing industry contributed to the town's growth. Despite the difficulties it experienced over the centuries, the city began to prosper once again towards the end of the 19th century when a bridge was built over Limfjord and the railway arrived. Aalborg's initial growth relied on heavy industry but its current development focuses on culture and education.


Beginnings

Aalborg traces its history back over a thousand years. It was originally settled as a trading post because of its position on the
Limfjord The Limfjord ( common Danish: ''Limfjorden'' , in northwest Jutlandish dialect: ''Æ Limfjord'') is a shallow part of the sea, located in Denmark where it has been regarded as an inlet ever since Viking times. However, it now has entries both ...
. The sites of what were two settlements and a burial ground can be seen on
Lindholm Høje Lindholm Høje (Lindholm Hills, from Old Norse ''haugr'', hill or mound) is a major Viking burial site and former settlement situated to the north of and overlooking the city of Aalborg in Denmark. About the area The southern (lower) part of Li ...
, a hill overlooking the city. These large settlements, one from the sixth-century
Germanic Iron Age The archaeology of Northern Europe studies the prehistory of Scandinavian Peninsula, Scandinavia and the adjacent North European Plain, roughly corresponding to the territories of modern Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Northern Germany, Poland, the Net ...
, the other from the
Viking Age The Viking Age (about ) was the period during the Middle Ages when Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonising, conquest, and trading throughout Europe and reached North America. The Viking Age applies not only to their ...
in the 9th to 11th centuries, evolved at the narrowest point on Limfjord as a result of the traffic between
Himmerland Himmerland is a peninsula in northeastern Jutland, Denmark. It is delimited to the north and the west by the Limfjord, to the east by the Kattegat, and to the south by the Mariager Fjord. The largest city is Aalborg; smaller towns include Hobro, ...
to the south and
Vendsyssel Vendsyssel () is the northernmost traditional district of Denmark and of Jutland. Being divided from mainland Jutland by the Limfjord, it is technically a part of the North Jutlandic Island which also comprises the areas Hanherred and Thy. Vendsy ...
to the north. The first mention of Aalborg under its original name ''Alabu'' or ''Alabur'' is found on coins from 1040, the period when King Harthacnut (Hardeknud) settled in the area. In 1075,
Adam of Bremen Adam of Bremen (; ; before 1050 – 12 October 1081/1085) was a German medieval chronicler. He lived and worked in the second half of the eleventh century. Adam is most famous for his chronicle '' Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum'' ('' ...
reported that ''Alaburg'', as he called it in German, was an important harbour for ships sailing to Norway. In Valdemar's
Danish Census Book The Danish Census Book or the Danish book of land taxation (, ) dates from the 13th century and consists of a number of separate manuscripts. The original manuscripts are now housed in the Danish National Archives (''Rigsarkivet'') in Copenhage ...
from 1231 it was called ''Aleburgh'', possibly meaning "the fort by the stream" as in
Old Norse Old Norse, also referred to as Old Nordic or Old Scandinavian, was a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants ...
''all'' meant a stream or current and ''bur'' or ''burgh'' a fort or a castle. The Church of Our Lady in Aalborg was originally built in the early 12th century but was demolished during the Reformation. The Franciscan friary, or Greyfriars, on the east side of Østerå, was probably built around 1240; it was documented in 1268, but like many other Roman Catholic monasteries and convents was shut down in 1530 as a result of the Reformation.


Middle Ages

Aalborg's earliest trading privileges date from 1342, when King Valdemar IV received the town as part of his huge
dowry A dowry is a payment such as land, property, money, livestock, or a commercial asset that is paid by the bride's (woman's) family to the groom (man) or his family at the time of marriage. Dowry contrasts with the related concepts of bride price ...
on marrying
Helvig of Schleswig Helvig of Schleswig (also erroneously Hedwig; 1320–1374) was the queen of Denmark as the spouse of King Valdemar IV. She was the mother of Queen Margaret I of Denmark. Life Helvig was the daughter of Eric II, Duke of Schleswig, and Adelaid ...
. The privileges were extended by
Eric of Pomerania Erik of Pomerania ( 1381/1382 – 24 September 1459) ruled over the Kalmar Union from 1396 until 1439. He was initially co-ruler with his great-aunt Margaret I of Denmark, Margaret I until her death in 1412. Erik is known as Erik III as King of ...
in 1430 and by
Christopher of Bavaria Christopher of Bavaria (Danish language, Danish and Norwegian language, Norwegian: ''Christoffer''; Swedish language, Swedish: ''Kristofer''; 26 February 1416 – 5/6 January 1448) was King of Denmark (1440–48, as Christopher III), King of Sw ...
in 1441. The town prospered, becoming one of the largest communities in Denmark. Its prosperity increased when the merchant- and trade association Guds Legems Laug was established in 1481, facilitating trade with the
Hanseatic League The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...
, especially from 1516 when
Christian II A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the world. The words ''Christ'' and ''Ch ...
granted it a
monopoly A monopoly (from Greek language, Greek and ) is a market in which one person or company is the only supplier of a particular good or service. A monopoly is characterized by a lack of economic Competition (economics), competition to produce ...
in salting Limfjord's herring. The king frequently visited the town, where he held court and stayed in the old
Aalborghus Aalborghus Castle () is a castle in Aalborg, Denmark. It is a half-timbered (''bindingsværk'') castle built by King Christian III from 1539 to around 1555 initially as a fortification. A building had existed at the site before Christian III's ...
. The herring fishery linked Aalborg to the East coast of England, across the North Sea, both in commercial competition and cultural exchange. During the Middle Ages a number of important institutions were established in Aalborg, including Budolfi Cathedral in the late 14th century and the Hospital of the Holy Ghost, a monastery and nunnery founded in 1451 to help those in need. It was converted into a hospital during the Reformation and is still in use today as a nursing home for the elderly. In 1530 a large part of the town was destroyed by fire, and in December 1534 it was stormed and plundered by the king's troops after a peasants' revolt known as the
Count's Feud The Count's Feud (), sometimes referred to as the Count's War, was a Danish war of succession occurring from 1534 to 1536, which gave rise to the Reformation in Denmark. In the broader international context, it was a part of the European wars of ...
led by
Skipper Clement Klemen Andersen "Skipper" Clement ( – 9 September 1536) was a Danish merchant, captain, privateer who led a peasant rebellion against the Jutlandish gentry that was part of the Count's Feud (''Grevens Fejde''), a civil war. Background Clement ...
. It resulted in the death of up to 2,000 people. The Danish Reformation, Reformation in 1536 brought about the demolition of the town's two monasteries. As a result of the Reformation, Aalborg became a Lutheran bishopric in 1554.


17th to 19th centuries

From the 1550s to the 1640s, as a result of increased foreign trade, Aalborg enjoyed great prosperity, second only to that of Copenhagen. The population grew in parallel with the development of many fine buildings in the city as merchants benefitted from their shipping routes from Norway to Portugal. In 1663, the city suffered yet another serious fire, which destroyed the tower of Budolfi Church. During the second half of the 18th century, Aalborg entered a further period of prosperity. In Erik Pontoppidan's ''Danske Atlas'' (Danish Atlas) it was described as "after Copenhagen, the best and most prosperous market town in Denmark". The population grew from 4,160 in 1769 to 5,579 in 1801. In 1767, the second newspaper ever published in Denmark appeared in the city. After Denmark ceded Norway to Sweden in 1814, Aalborg lost its important role as the country's centre for Norwegian trade. Its former prosperity also suffered as a result of difficulties with the herring industry as the fish disappeared after the sea breached the Agger Tange (which had linked Thy (district), Thy with the rest of Jutland at the western end of Limfjord) in the February flood of 1825, 1825 North Sea storm. The after effects of the state bankruptcy in 1813 also contributed to widespread poverty in the city. In the mid-19th-century, Aalborg was overtaken by
Aarhus Aarhus (, , ; officially spelled Ã…rhus from 1948 until 1 January 2011) is the second-largest city in Denmark and the seat of Aarhus municipality, Aarhus Municipality. It is located on the eastern shore of Jutland in the Kattegat sea and app ...
as the largest city in Jutland. Towards the end of the 19th century there was however an upturn. In 1865, the pontoon bridge over Limfjord was completed, and in 1869, the railway reached the city with a railway bridge over the sound to Vendsyssel three years later. The harbour facilities were also improved, making Aalborg Denmark's second port. Aalborg became the country's main producer of tobacco products and spirits, followed in the 1890s by fertilisers and cement. By 1901, the population had increased to almost 31,500.


20th century industrialisation

Around the beginning of the 20th century, as a result of decisions taken by the municipality, many of the city's half-timbered houses were torn down. They were replaced by hundreds of modern buildings, completely changing the look of the city. Factories with smoking chimneys became ever more prevalent in the outskirts. Among the most important were De Danske Spritfabrikker (spirits and liquors), De forenede Textilfabrikker (textiles), the East Asiatic Company (trading), Dansk Eternit (building materials) and C.W. Obel's tobacco factory (established in 1787). Aalborg Portland, run by FLSmidth, F.L. Smidth, was one of several cement factories operating in 1913, together employing some 800 workers. By the 1930s, Aalborg was being promoted as "Denmark's new centre for industry and workers". Replanning continued with additional thoroughfares cutting through the city. The port facilities were also improved with the help of a dredger and the opening of new docks. In 1933, Christian X of Denmark, Christian X inaugurated a new bridge over Limfjord to replace the fragile pontoon crossing. Aalborg Airport, officially opened in 1938 because of the success of the cement industry, had in fact operated flights to Copenhagen since 1936. During the Operation Weserübung, German invasion of Denmark in 1940, the airport was captured by German paratroopers on the night of 21 April as a base for German aircraft flying to Norway. On 13 August 1940, a dozen Bristol Blenheim bombers of No. 82 Squadron RAF were launched against the Luftwaffe airfield during one of the most disastrous Royal Air Force raids of the war. One turned back because of fuel problems, but all of the remaining 11 were shot down by enemy fighters and/or flak batteries within 20 minutes. After the war, the Royal Air Force destroyed all the Germany, German facilities including planes, hangars and equipment but left the passenger facilities intact. By 1960, Aalborg had become known as the "city of smoking chimneys", with half of the inhabitants working in industry or manufacturing. Ten years later, Aalborg's population had grown to around 97,000 inhabitants.


Recent history

The significance of Aalborg's industry began to decline in the 1970s, precipitating a fall in the city's population until about 1990, when it began to increase again. By the year 2000, the service and education sectors accounted for about 60 percent of the workforce, partly as a result of the founding of
Aalborg University Aalborg University (AAU) is an international public university with campuses in Aalborg, Esbjerg, and Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 1974, the university awards bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and PhD degrees in a wide variety of subje ...
(AAU) in 1974. Since 1970, Aalborg and the northern suburb of Nørresundby have become a major administrative centre, thanks in part to the offices of the North Jutland Region, Region Nordjylland established in the east of the city. In addition to large industrial companies including Aalborg Portland, the only cement-producing company in the country, and the building products company Eternit, many small and medium-sized enterprises have been established. The telecommunications and information technology sector has developed with the support of Aalborg University and the North Jutland knowledge park NOVI. The First European Conference on Sustainable Cities and Towns took place in Aalborg in 1994. It adopted the Aalborg Charter, which provides a framework for the delivery of local sustainable development and calls on local authorities to engage in Local Agenda 21 processes. The Fourth European Sustainable Cities and Towns Conference, held in Aalborg in 2004, adopted the more binding Aalborg Commitments on local sustainable development. The commitments have now been signed by 650 local authorities while over 2,500 have signed the earlier Aalborg Charter. Downtown Aalborg, along with some eastern districts, was List of tornadoes striking downtown areas of large cities #Europe, hit by a strong tornado on August 10 2009. The tornado caused severe roof damage to many buildings, snapped and uprooted trees & tossed caravans over hedges along its 6.6 kilometer long path. The European Severe Storms Laboratory ''(ESSL)'' rated it F2 on the Fujita scale. A 2014 survey by the
European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the primary Executive (government), executive arm of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with a number of European Commissioner, members of the Commission (directorial system, informall ...
found that the citizens of Aalborg are the most satisfied people in Europe with their city.


Geography

Aalborg is in North Denmark Region, North Jutland (northwestern Denmark), at the narrowest point of the
Limfjord The Limfjord ( common Danish: ''Limfjorden'' , in northwest Jutlandish dialect: ''Æ Limfjord'') is a shallow part of the sea, located in Denmark where it has been regarded as an inlet ever since Viking times. However, it now has entries both ...
, a shallow sound (geography), sound that separates North Jutlandic Island (Vendsyssel-Thy) from the rest of the Jutland Peninsula and connects Aalborg to the Kattegat about to the east. Aalborg is north of
Aarhus Aarhus (, , ; officially spelled Ã…rhus from 1948 until 1 January 2011) is the second-largest city in Denmark and the seat of Aarhus municipality, Aarhus Municipality. It is located on the eastern shore of Jutland in the Kattegat sea and app ...
, north of
Randers Randers () is a city in Randers Municipality, Central Denmark Region on the Jutland peninsula. It is List of cities and towns in Denmark, Denmark's sixth-largest city, with a population of 64,511 ().Frederikshavn Frederikshavn () is a Danish town in Frederikshavn municipality, Region Nordjylland, on the northeast coast on the North Jutlandic Island in northern Denmark. Its name translates to "Frederik's harbor". It was originally named Fladstrand. The ...
. It is by Great Belt Fixed Link to
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
, by the Frederikshavn-Göteborg ferry to Gothenburg in Sweden, and by the Frederikshavn-Oslo ferry to Oslo in Norway. The area close to the waterfront is low-lying, with an elevation averaging about , but there are many hills in and around city, some reaching over ."Aalborg - Nørresundby: Bakker"
, Danmarks største bakker. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
Nørresundby, on the northern side of the sound, is also a hilly area. Villages to the south of Aalborg from west to east include Frejlev, Svenstrup, Aalborg Municipality, Svenstrup, and Gistrup (which contains extensive woodland to the south as well as a golf club). Klarup and Storvorde lie to the southeast along the 595 road, which, flanking a stretch of the Limfjord known as Langerak, leads to the town of Hals, Denmark, Hals. Nibe, with a harbour on the Limfjord, is to the southwest, past the village of Frejlev. The Nibe Broads (Nibe Bredning) in the Limfjord not only has the largest Zostera, eelgrass belts in Danish waters but is an important sanctuary for thousands of migratory birds. To the north of the city, villages include Vadum, Aabybro, Vestbjerg, Sulsted, Tylstrup, Vodskov, and Hjallerup. There is an extensive plantation, Branths Plantage - Møgelbjerg, immediately north of Vodskov. The
Himmerland Himmerland is a peninsula in northeastern Jutland, Denmark. It is delimited to the north and the west by the Limfjord, to the east by the Kattegat, and to the south by the Mariager Fjord. The largest city is Aalborg; smaller towns include Hobro, ...
region to the south still has a number of moors which once formed a vast area of heathland extending to the Rold Skov, Rold Forest near Arden Municipality, Arden. Rebild Hills in the Rold Forest stretch over of rolling heath country about south of Aalborg. Lille Vildmose, to the southeast, is reported to be the largest raised bog in north-western Europe.


The city

The city centre, dating from the Middle Ages, lies on a series of clay banks between the former streams of Vesterå and Lilleå, which used to run into the sound. Despite effective drainage, the main streets, including Algade, still run east to west while the side streets run north to south. The Budolfi Church and the old town hall line Gammeltorv, the old market square. The main shopping streets are Algade and Bispengade, the latter lying in between the modern Vesterbro thoroughfare and Nytorv square. Østerågade, once the old harbor, is noted for its merchants' mansions. The city cemetery, the Kilden park and the modern art museum, Kunsten, are in the modern commercial and administrative area around the railway station to the west. Beyond this, Hasseris has become a residential district with a number of large villas and detached houses. The city's main development area is now to the east of the centre although in addition to the university and new areas of housing, it still contains the shipping harbor, Østhavnen, and the cement factory. The waterfront to the northeast of the centre is being transformed from a harbour into a recreational area with the Utzon Center and Musikkens Hus.


Egholm

Off the northwestern side of the city in the sound is the island of Egholm, reached via ferry. The island, with a population of 51 , covers an area of and consists mainly of farmland although there are still a few untilled areas of salt marshes and woodland. Dikes have been built along the coastline to protect the island from flooding. The Kronborg Forest on the island, covering an area of , was acquired by the municipal government in 1945. A restaurant in the vicinity was established in 1918 but rebuilt in 1946 following a fire. To the west of Egholm is the smaller uninhabited Fruensholm, and there are also three small islands to the north.


Lakes and chalk deposits

There are several man-made lakes nearby: Lindholm Kridtgrav lies to the northwest of Skanse Park on the northern side of Limfjord, while Nordens Kridtgrav to the northwest of Mølleparken is on the southern side. The Aalborg area is one of three in Denmark where chalk deposits are found (the others being Møns Klint and Stevns Peninsula, Stevns). The largest quarry is at Rørdal in Øster Sundby ( to the east of the city centre), while Vokslev ( to the west) has also provided chalk. Clay is also quarried in Østerådalen in the southern outskirts, making the area ideal for cement production.


Parks and green spaces

The Østre Anlæg (Aalborg), Østre Anlæg park is one of the oldest in Aalborg, visited by up to 175,000 people a year. It was used as a dumping ground in the 1920s before being cleaned up and made into a recreational area in the 1930s and 1940s. It contains lawns, flowers, tall trees, bushes, and a lake, overlooked by St. Mark's Church on the eastern side. The lake is on the site of a former clay pit. Fifty-one species of bird have been recorded in the park. Lindholm Fjordpark, to the south of the Lindholm's industrial park, forms part of the green sector of the city known as 'RyÃ¥kilen' along the coast of the sound, covering roughly . Like Østre Anlæg, it once served as a waste site with landfill, and a housing estate was built on its northeastern side. Its use as a landfill site was gradually discontinued in the 1990s, and in 1996, extensive restoration work began. Today it has woodlands and open areas with grass and herbaceous vegetation, notably buckthorn. It is also a habitat for many species of migratory birds such as brant goose, pale-bellied brent geese, Eurasian curlew, curlews, and songbirds. The park is also used by the Nordjysk Windsurfing Club and has a six-hole golf course. Aalborg has a number of additional civic parks and recreational facilities. Among them are Kildeparken, which hosts the annual Aalborg Carnival, Mølleparken, which contains a pond, statues, an outdoor exercise facility, and a 2.5 kilometre (1.6 mi) jogging trail (within the trail lies the ''Lysløjpen'', a 45-metre [148 ft] gradient), SohngÃ¥rdsholmpark, a wooded area containing trails for both walking/jogging and biking and a six-hole golf course (free to the public), the Aalborg Open Air Swimming Pool, also free to the public, BundgÃ¥rdsparken, and Lindholm Strandpark. The Aalborg Zoo was opened in 1935 and typically houses 1,300 animals from 138 different species, including tigers, Common chimpanzee, chimpanzees, zebra, elephants, giraffes, penguins and polar bears. It is one of the area's major tourist attractions with over 300,000 visitors a year. Within the zoo an African savannah has been created where exotic animals are housed. Aalborg was home to an amusement park, Karolinelund, founded in 1946. In 2005, still owned by the founding family, it was sold to an entrepreneur who resold it to the city the following year. When the park closed in 2010, it was home to 17 attractions. Recently, the city has reopened the park to volunteers who wish to return it to operating status. The park is once again open to the public as a leisure facility but without rides and attractions. The association, Platform4, a non-profit user-driven project-oriented venue that experiments with technology (electronics) in combination with artistic genres is now located in the park. Volunteers frequently arrange seminars, exhibitions, films, music concerts, and more which are open to the public.


Climate

Aalborg has a Oceanic climate, maritime climate (Köppen climate classification, Cfb), just above the humid continental climate Köppen climate classification, classification (Dfb) with short, mild summers and long, moderately cold winters. Aalborg is cool most of the year, with average high temperatures of around and lows of during the summer, and average temperatures of during the coldest months of January and February, rarely dropping below . The warmest months are typically July and August, with an average temperature of , but by October the temperature averages . June has the highest number of hours of sunshine on average at 218, closely followed by May and July. Precipitation is rather evenly distributed all year around, with an average of during October, normally the wettest month with an average 14 days with rainfall, and an average of during February, normally the driest month with an average of eight days of precipitation, closely followed by April.


Politics and government

Henning G. Jensen, a Social Democrats (Denmark), Social Democrat, was the long-serving Mayor of Aalborg from 1998 until 2013. He was succeeded by Thomas Kastrup-Larsen, also a Social Democrat, who was elected to the City Council in 1998. The current mayor is Lasse Frimand Jensen from the Social Democratic Party who was elected on the 19th of June 2023. The civic government in Aalborg consists of seven departments: the Mayor's Department (responsible for the titular position, the four Citizen Service Centres in Aalborg, the Financial Services division, the Commercial Services division, the General Services division, and the Fire and Rescue Centre); the Technical and Environmental Department (responsible for urban planning, transportation oversight, the Parks and Nature division, and the Environmental Division); the Department of Family and Employment (responsible for Children and Family services, social services, and the city's "Job Centre"); the Department of Care of the Elderly and Disabled (responsible for social benefits, senior citizen care, and disabled citizen care); the Department of Education and Cultural Affairs (responsible for the municipal schools, the public libraries, the Cultural Affairs division, and the city archives); the Health and Sustainable Development Department (responsible for public health, the Occupational Health and Safety Division, the Public Transportation division, and the Sustainable Development division); and the Utilities Department (responsible for gas, heating, water, sewage, and refuse collection). Aalborg City Council consists of 31 members, including a mayor. As of September 2013, 11 of the council seats are held by the Social Democrats (Denmark), Social Democratic Party, nine by Venstre (Denmark), Venstre, three by the Socialist People's Party (Denmark), Socialist People's Party, two by the Danish People's Party, and two by the Conservative People's Party (Denmark), Conservative People's Party, while three members are professed independent politician, independents. The council is mandated to hold a minimum of two meetings per month, with meetings of a public forum format.


Demographics

Aalborg was the largest town in Jutland until it was surpassed by Aarhus in the mid-19th century. In 1672, it had 4,181 inhabitants, growing slowly during the 18th century, with 4,425 in 1769, 4,866 in 1787 and 5,579 by 1801. an
Danmarks Statistik
, Retrieved on 5 September 2013.
By 1845, there were 7,477 inhabitants, increasing to 10,069 by 1860. Dramatic growth began in the late 19th century, with an increase from 14,152 in 1880 to 31,457 in 1901. By 1930, the population had grown to 59,091, although the figure was boosted by the merging of Nørre Tranders, Rørdal Fabriksby, Øster Sundby, and Øster Uttrup into Aalborg. In 1950, it reached 87,883, which grew to 100,587 by 1970. There was a temporary decline in population to 94,994 in 1976 but in 1981, following the incorporation of Nørresundby, it grew to 114,302. The population has increased steadily since then; according to the census of 1 January 2009, Aalborg had a total of 122,461 inhabitants, 101,497 of them living in the town and 20,964 in the independent suburb of Nørresundby. , the town had a total population of 142,561 (118,871 in the city proper and 23,690 in Nørresundby) making it the fourth most populous in Denmark after Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Odense. Statistics for 2016 showed there were 210,316 people living in the Municipality of Aalborg.


Economy

Aalborg is North Denmark Region, North Jutland's major industrial and commercial centre, exporting
grain A grain is a small, hard, dry fruit (caryopsis) – with or without an attached husk, hull layer – harvested for human or animal consumption. A grain crop is a grain-producing plant. The two main types of commercial grain crops are cereals and ...
,
cement A cement is a binder, a chemical substance used for construction that sets, hardens, and adheres to other materials to bind them together. Cement is seldom used on its own, but rather to bind sand and gravel ( aggregate) together. Cement mi ...
, and spirits. Heavy industry was behind the city's prosperity until fairly recently. Many of the factories have now closed, to be replaced by developments in the knowledge-based and green-energy sectors. Mobile and wireless communications industries have grown substantially since the 1990s, as has rotor production for wind turbines. In January 2011, there were some 9,200 enterprises in Aalborg, employing around 109,000 people or approximately 35% of the workforce of the Northern Region. In the 2010s, the city is set on increasing its participation in the global economy through both existing companies and new entrants. Its efforts are focused on four areas: energy and environment, information technology, health support systems and "Arctic business". The latter covers trade with Greenland as the Port of Aalborg handles over 60% of all goods shipped to Greenland. Four harbours dot the waterfront, Marina Fjordparken, Skudehavnen, Vestre Badehavn, and Østre Havn. Tourism is also growing, with a considerable rise in the number of passengers at Aalborg Airport. Aalborg Municipality has Denmark's second highest revenue from tourism and is the only municipality in the north of Denmark where overnight stays are increasing.


Major private companies

Telenor Denmark, part of the Norwegian Telenor telecommunications and mobile phone company, has a workforce of about 1,100 in Aalborg, making it one of the city's largest new employers. Siemens Wind Power has rotor-blade production and testing facilities in Aalborg. In 2012 and 2013, there were additions in both areas. The new testing plant is the world's largest research test centre for wind turbine technology. In 2012, the company shipped a record 570 wind turbine blades from the Port of Aalborg, mainly to England and Ireland, up 45% on the previous year. Aalborg was home to De Danske Spritfabrikker or Danish Distillers (now owned by the Norwegian company Arcus (company), Arcus), which produces numerous brands of akvavit, until 2014. The company is the world's largest akvavit producer and exporter. Alfa Laval, Aalborg Industries, the world's largest manufacturer of marine boilers, has been established in Aalborg since the 1920s. It has recently expanded into Floating production storage and offloading, floating production systems for the offshore market. Employing 2,600 people, in December 2010 it was acquired by the Swedish
Alfa Laval Alfa Laval AB is a Swedish company, founded in 1883 by Gustaf de Laval and Oscar Lamm. The company started by providing centrifuges to dairies to be used to separate cream from milk. It now deals in the production of specialised products ...
, also a specialist in the area. Aalborg Portland, a subsidiary of the Italian Cementir since 2004, was founded in 1889 with the support of FLSmidth. Able to draw on the chalk deposits from Rørdal to the east of the city, it rapidly became a major cement producer. Today it is the world's largest supplier of white cement, which it exports around the globe.


Facilities

Aalborg has a wide selection of shops and restaurants. In the city centre, there are both large department stores and smaller speciality shops. One of the largest shopping malls in Denmark, the Aalborg Storcenter, is to the south of the city in Skalborg. It has about 75 stores, including a large Bilka supermarket. The city has over 300 restaurants, catering in Danish, European and Asian dishes. Notable establishments include ''Irish House'', a pub in the 17th-century Jens Olufsen's House. While Aalborg is renowned for its alcohol and nightlife, there are also a number of coffee shops. Aalborg has 12 large hotels, most within walking distance of the city centre. The Helnan Phønix Hotel is the largest, occupying what was originally built as a lavish private residence in 1783 for a Danish brigadier. It was converted into a hotel in 1853, and in 2011 had 210 rooms, furnished with dark oak. The Chagall was established in the 1950s and has reproductions of Marc Chagall paintings in the rooms. Radisson Blu Limfjord Hotel, operated by the Radisson Hotels chain, contains 188 rooms and has the Italian restaurant ''Vero Gusto''. The Park Hotel, opposite the railway station, was established in 1917. Other hotels include Cabinn Aalborg, Hotel Hvide Hus, Hotel Krogen and Prinsen Hotel. Several banks including Danske Bank, Forex, Jyske Bank, Spar Nord and Nordea have branches in Aalborg.


Landmarks

Despite its industrial background and the factories along its waterfront, the city has gained popularity for tourism in recent years, offering a wide variety of attractions and historic buildings in addition to its museums, churches and parks. See the religion section for details on churches.


Historic buildings

Jens Bang's House (), on ØsterÃ¥gade near the old town hall, is one of Denmark's best examples of 17th-century domestic architecture. Built in 1624 by the Aalborg merchant Jens Bang in the Renaissance in the Low Countries, Dutch Renaissance style, the four-story sandstone building is noted for its rising gables and sculpted auricular style, auricular window decorations. For over 300 years, it has housed the city's oldest pharmacy. Jørgen Olufsen's House (''Jørgen Olufsens GÃ¥rd'') on ØsterÃ¥gade is Denmark's best preserved merchant's mansion in the Renaissance architecture, Renaissance style. Built mainly of sandstone in 1616, it also has a half-timbered section. The style is reminiscent of similar buildings in the north of Germany and in the Netherlands. Olufsen, Jens Bang's half brother, was not only a successful merchant but also mayor of Aalborg. When it was built, the residence with its integrated warehouse was on the ØsterÃ¥, an inlet from the sound with access for barges. The old iron bar with a hook for scales can be seen in the portico. Aalborghus Castle (''Aalborghus Slot'') is a Timber framing, half-timbered building with red-painted woodwork and whitewashed wall panels. It was built in the mid-16th century by King Christian III of Denmark, Christian III for his vassals who collected taxes and is the only remaining example of its kind in the country. The park, dungeon and casemates, but not the castle itself, are open to the public in the summer months. In the 1950s, the castle was converted into administrative offices. Old City Hall (Aalborg), Aalborg's old city hall in Gammeltorv, in service until 1912, was built in 1762. It is now only used for ceremonial and representative purposes. Designed in the Baroque architecture, Late Baroque style, the building with its black-glazed tile roof consists of two storeys and a cellar. The yellow-washed façade is decorated with white pilasters and a Frontispiece (architecture), frontispiece featuring the Coat of arms of Denmark, Danish coat of arms and a bust of King Frederick V of Denmark, Frederick V. His motto, ''Prudentia et Constantia'', is also seen above the main entrance. The well-preserved door is an example of the Rococo architecture, Rococo style. The building was listed by the Danish Heritage Agency in 1918. Another old building of note is the half-timbered HÃ¥ndværkerhuset (at Kattesunded 20) from  1625, which originally housed a number of warehouses. It is now used as a centre for arts and crafts. Finally, the headquarters of Danish Distillers (''De Danske Spritfabrikker''), to the west of the Limfjord Bridge, is noted for its Neoclassical architecture, Neoclassical appearance. Completed in 1931 by the architect Alf Cock-Clausen, it combines functionality with decorative classical symbolism. Considered a masterpiece of Danish factory design, it is now a Danish National Heritage site. When the factory closed in 2014, was the area bought by an investor, who will use the buildings to create an international culture city with museums, theatres, apartments etc.


Other landmarks

Jomfru Ane Gade (literally Virgin Anne's Street) is one of the most famous streets in Aalborg if not in Denmark. Popular for its cafés and restaurants during the day, it is even busier at night with its clubs, discos and bars. During the 1990s, the street was infamously a 'hang out' of two Outlaw motorcycle club, biker gangs who were at war for some years all over Scandinavia. As the bikers disappeared it became increasingly popular for people of all ages."Jomfru Ane Gade"
, VisitAalborg. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
The pedestrian hubs of Nytorv Square and John F. Kennedys Plads, John F. Kennedy Square in the central city area are also part of the cityscape. Aalborgtårnet is a tripod tower erected in 1933 with a restaurant on the top. The tower itself is high; but as it stands on the top of the Skovbakken hill, it reaches a total height of above sea level, providing a view over the sound and the city. Designed by Carlo Odgård, it was erected in 1933 in connection with the North Jutland Fair. In 2008, the Utzon Center, its art, architecture and design credited to the noted architect Jørn Utzon, is also dedicated to him. It was built next to the
Limfjord The Limfjord ( common Danish: ''Limfjorden'' , in northwest Jutlandish dialect: ''Æ Limfjord'') is a shallow part of the sea, located in Denmark where it has been regarded as an inlet ever since Viking times. However, it now has entries both ...
at the central harbour front in Aalborg. Born in
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
, Utzon grew up in Aalborg. The centre contains an exhibition on Utzon's work, which includes the Sydney Opera House, as well as educational displays on architecture and design. The centre consists of several individual buildings creating a special place around a courtyard on a platform. The tall sculptural roofs of the auditorium and the boat-hall, both on the harbour front, and the library facing the park area and the city are set off by the lower roofs of the exhibition and workshop areas inside the complex.


Culture

The annual Aalborg Carnival usually takes place in the last weekend of May. It consists of three events: the children's carnival (), the battle of carnival bands, and the carnival proper. Attracting about 100,000 visitors, it is the biggest carnival in Scandinavia and one of the largest in northern Europe. Hjallerup Market in Hjallerup, about northeast of Aalborg is one of the oldest and largest markets in Denmark and is the largest horse market in Europe. Held for three days in the beginning of June, it annually attracts more than 200,000 people and 1200 horses. In 1999, Aalborg was for the first time one of the four host ports in The Tall Ships Race (then Cutty Sark Tall Ships Race) of that year. The city hosted the world's largest event for sailing vessels again in 2004, 2010, and 2015.


Major venues

Aalborghallen, Aalborgs Kongres & Kultur Center, designed in a functional style by Otto Frankild, was completed in 1952. The centre's main component, the Aalborg Hall, can be divided into sections. The complex also contains a hotel, restaurant, bowling alley, and a number of meeting rooms. The smaller Europahallen was added in 1991, making the centre the largest in Scandinavia. With over 100 theatrical and musical presentations per year, it offers international stars, opera, ballet, musicals, classical concerts, productions for children as well as pop and rock concerts. It can accommodate audiences of up to 2,500. Aalborg Teater, built in 1878 and subsequently modified by Julius Petersen, seats 870 in the main auditorium. First privately owned, the theatre is now controlled and owned by the Danish Ministry of Culture. While most productions are housed in the main hall, the building can accommodate up to four shows at once in halls of varying sizes. Over the years, the theatre has produced a wide selection of drama and musicals. Nordkraft (Aalborg), Nordkraft is a cultural centre in a former power plant near the harbour. It has theatres, a cinema, and concert facilities. Kunsthal Nord, established in the centre in 2009, arranges up to five exhibitions a year of all forms of contemporary art, especially of local origin but also from other parts of Denmark and beyond. It serves as the exhibition centre for KunstVærket, the North Jutland centre for the arts, and also works in collaboration with the modern art museum KUNSTEN Museum of Modern Art Aalborg, Kunsten designed by the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto. In the same neighbourhood, a huge concert hall, Musikkens Hus, designed by Coop Himmelb(l)au, opened in 2014. It is Aalborg's most ambitious construction project in recent years. The city also has a wide selection of galleries and arts and crafts outlets operated by local artists. The The Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus/Aalborg, Academy of Music also has a presence in Aarhus. There are several glass workshops; others produce jewelry, sculptures or exhibit paintings.


Museums

There are various museums in the city. The Aalborg Historical Museum was established in 1863, making it one of the earliest provincial museums in the country. The North Jutland Historical Museum conducted a series of archaeological excavations in the 1950s at Lindholm Høje, revealing ancient burial sites. In 1992, the Lindholm Høje Museum was opened there and extended in 2008. In 1994 and 1995, excavations at the site of the Greyfriars Monastery resulted in the creation of the underground Gråbrødrekloster Museum in the city centre. Several organisations now collaborate under the leadership of the North Jutland Historical Museum. The Aalborg Søfarts- og Marinemuseum, Springeren - Marine Experience Center is a marine museum on the city's wharf with a wide range of exhibits including "Springeren", an old Danish submarine, whence its name. The Aalborg Defence and Garrison Museum documents Danish defences during the World War II, Second World War as well as the history of Aaborg's garrison since 1779. The KUNSTEN Museum of Modern Art Aalborg was built from 1958 to 1972; the collection consists of around 1,500 art objects, including paintings, sculptures and other media.


Music

The Aalborg Symphony Orchestra () founded in 1943 presents about 150 concerts a year, frequently playing in the Musikkens Hus. It also plays for the Jutland opera company (, also based in Aalborg), and at the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen. It is one of the main organisers of the 10-day Aalborg Opera Festival held every March. Aalborg has the jazz club Jazzclub Satchmo and an annual jazz and blues festival (), also known as the Mini New Orleans Festival. Over four days in mid-August, concerts are performed on squares, in the streets, and in cafés and restaurants. Since 2012, the Egholm Festival, a small music festival on the island of Egholm near Aalborg has been organized in the first weekend of August.


Religion


Lutheranism

The principal religion in Aalborg as in the rest of Denmark is Christianity. Aalborg is the seat of a bishop within the Church of Denmark, Lutheran State Church of Denmark. The cathedral of this bishopric is the
Budolfi Church Budolfi Church (''Budolfi Kirke'') is the cathedral church for the Lutheran Diocese of Aalborg in north Jutland, Denmark. History Aalborg was already a town in the mid-10th century, with a fine position on the east-west Limfjord that served ...
, originally built no later than 1132 by Viborg, Denmark, Viborg's Bishop Eskil. This church was considerably smaller than the current one, as it was merely a parish church. The existing structure was completed in the late 14th century, on the grounds of the former church, and was listed for the first time in the Atlas of Denmark in 1399. The church was named after St Botolph, an English abbot and saint."Kirkens Historie" Aalborg Domkirke@www.aalborgdomkirke.dk The church is constructed in the Gothic architecture, Gothic style. In 1554 Aalborg was made a diocese and, after consideration, St Budolfi Church was made the seat of the Bishop of Aalborg. Aalborg is also home to the former Catholic church, the Abbey of Our Lady, Aalborg, Abbey of Our Lady, converted from a Rule of Saint Benedict, Benedictine nunnery.


Churches

The present
Budolfi Church Budolfi Church (''Budolfi Kirke'') is the cathedral church for the Lutheran Diocese of Aalborg in north Jutland, Denmark. History Aalborg was already a town in the mid-10th century, with a fine position on the east-west Limfjord that served ...
, which has the status of a cathedral, dates from the end of the 14th century, although at least two earlier churches stood on the same spot. Built in the Gothic architecture, Gothic style, it consists of a nave flanked by two aisles, a tower, and a porch. After the original tower was destroyed by fire in 1663, the striking new Baroque tower, based on that of an earlier Copenhagen City Hall (1728–1795), Copenhagen city hall, was completed in 1779. The church has 16th-century frescoes and an intricately carved early Baroque altarpiece from 1689 created by Lauridtz Jensen. Abbey of Our Lady, Aalborg, Abbey of Our Lady (''Vor Frue Kirke'') was designed in 1878 by Johannes Emil Gnudtzmann, J.E. Gnudtzmann in the Neo-Romanesque style. The original Church of Our Lady from the early 12th century was pulled down after the Reformation because it was old and unstable, but the 12th-century tower and the original portal with sculpted decorations can still be seen. The carved pulpit dates to around 1581. As a result of the considerable population increase from the end of the 19th century, a number of new churches were built in various styles. Next to Aalborg Hall, Ansgar's Church with its tall tower was built in 1929 to a design by Hother August Paludan in a modern Baroque style. St Mark's Church (''Sankt Markus Kirke''), completed in 1933, was designed by Einar Packness. Its tower is crowned by an imposing spire. The Biblical figures known as the Johannes Group (based on Christ's meeting with John the Baptist in Gospel of St Matthew, Matthew, Chapter 3) sculpted by Bertel Thorvaldsen are displayed around the interior. The Margrethe Church with its steeply sloping roof reaching is the work of Carlo Odgaard and Aaby Sørensen. Bent Exner designed some of the artefacts in the church including the crucifix over the altar.


Cemeteries

Aalborg's cemeteries have a history dating to the end of the Middle Ages. Sankt Jørgens Kirkegård (St George's Cemetery) was on the corner of Hasserisgade and Kirkegårdsgade. The site was chosen in a district outside the city as it provided isolation for those affected by the plague, many of whom died in the neighbouring hospice, Sankt Jørgens Gårde. In 1794, a new cemetery was opened in Klostermarken, immediately to the south of Sankt Jørgens Kirkegård. It was further extended in 1804, 1820 and 1870. It is now known as Aalborgs Almen Kirkegård (meaning "common cemetery") and contains the graves of many of the city's most notable citizens.


Judaism

Aalborg had a synagogue, built in 1854; and the Judaism, Jewish rabbi Salomon Mielziner served it for 35 years. Services were no longer offered after Mielziner died, and in 1924 the synagogue was donated to the city government, which began using it to store the city archives (Stadsarkivet). It was burned down by the Schalburg Corps in April 1945 towards the end of World War II, destroying its centuries-old Torahs. Antisemitism continues to exist in Denmark, and in 1999, an unlicensed Nazi radio station began operating from a neo-Nazi stronghold in Fynen, Nørresundby, within Aalborg municipality. The activity has been widely denounced with organized opposition in Aalborg and the rest of Denmark, and in February 1999, 12 anti-fascists were arrested for possession of explosives at their base in Fynen.


Education

The major university in Aalborg is the Aalborg University, University of Aalborg (AAU), founded in 1974. It has more than 17,000 students and more than 3,000 employees. In 2012, 3,000 new students started at the university. In 1995 it merged with Esbjerg Engineering College. The university has attempted from the outset to "develop a more "relevant" form of education than was then being offered by the established universities". It has sought to develop what is known as "contextual knowledge", a form of problem-based learning based around the project work conducted by students, rather than the curriculum focusing on traditional academic disciplines. The
University College of Northern Denmark University College of Northern Denmark () were formed under the Danish act on university colleges for higher education, which was adopted by the Danish parliament in 2007. Today, the sector is composed of six university colleges. Formally, UCN h ...
is one of seven new regional organisations (''professionshøjskoler'') of different study sites in Denmark offering courses normally at the Bachelor's degree, bachelor level. The
Royal School of Library and Information Science The Royal School of Library and Information Science (abbr. RSLIS, ) is a school under the University of Copenhagen that provides higher education in the field of library and information science. It has now merged with another department to Departm ...
(RSLIS) provides higher education in library and information science; one of its two departments is in Aalborg. With about 4,500 students a year and 700 employees, Tech College Aalborg offers a wide spectrum of vocational training and runs Aalborg Tekniske Gymnasium. Aalborg Business College provides basic training in retail and trading for private enterprises and the public sector, with courses which cover information technology, economics, sales and communication, and languages. The island of Egholm contains the former Egholm Skole, which was closed in 1972 when a ferry service to Aalborg was established and children on the island began attending the Vesterkæret Skole in Aalborg. Today the old school on Egholm is run as a school camp by the City of Aalborg, with 18 beds and facilities for 60 people. Skipper Clement International School is a private school for children between 6 and 16. The international department conducts its classes in both Danish and English, the first to be established in the Jutland peninsula.


Sport

The city is home to Aalborg Boldspilklub, Aalborg BK, established in 1885 and known as "AaB" for short. The club has won the Danish championship (Danish Superliga, Superliga) four times in recent years; 1995, 1999, 2008 and 2014. The team qualified for the group stages of the 1995–96 UEFA Champions League, 1995–96 and 2008–09 UEFA Champions League, 2008–09 UEFA Champions League seasons. Aalborg Chang is a Danish amateur association football club, previously known as FC Nordjylland. Aalborg is also known for the women's handball club Aalborg DH, and the men's handball club
Aalborg Håndbold Aalborg Handball () is a professional handball club from Aalborg, Denmark that competes in the Danish Handball League. Aalborg Håndbold play their home games in the Gigantium arena in Aalborg – known as Jutlander Bank Arena for sponsorship rea ...
. Established in 2001 and 2011, respectively, they both play their games in the Gigantium. Rugby in Aalborg is represented by
Aalborg RK Aalborg RK is a Danish rugby club in Aalborg. History The club was founded in 1964. Players Current squad External links Aalborg RK Rugby clubs established in 1964 Rugby union teams in Denmark Sport in Aalborg 1964 estab ...
''Lynet'' (Lightning), established in 1964. The city also has the Aalborg Cricket Club, which is part of the Dansk Cricket Forbund, Danish Cricket League. They were established in 2000 and have players from various nations. Aalborg Tennisklub is located along the Kastetvej road in the centre of Aalborg. About to the southwest of the city, near the hamlet of Restrup Enge, is Aalborg Golf Klub. Aalborg Golf Klub is the second oldest golf club in Denmark, and was originally established in 1908 in the eastern part of Aalborg. In 1929 it moved to Sohngaardsholm, but 30 years later the course had to again move because of developments with the university. The present course to the southwest of Aalborg was designed in 1968 by Graham Lockey and Commander John Harris as a 9-hole course, later expanded to 18 holes in 1976 and 27 in 2006. In 2010 the club hosted the European Girls Team Golf Championships. Another course, Ørnehoj Golfklub, is at the southeastern limits of the city, in the village of Gistrup. On 11 September 1977, Aalborg hosted the Final of the Individual Long Track World Championship, Long Track World Championship for Motorcycle speedway, which was won by Swedish people, Swedish rider Anders Michanek.


Transport

On the north side of the Limfjord is Nørresundby, connected to Aalborg by the Limfjordsbroen road bridge, which was inaugurated in 1933, replacing a pontoon bridge which dated to 1865. The iron Jernbanebroen over Limfjorden, Limfjord Railway Bridge, inaugurated in 1938, is a nine-span bascule bridge. It opens 4,000 times a year, allowing around 10,000 vessels to sail under it. Opening in 1969 as the first motorway tunnel to be built in Denmark, the Limfjordstunnelen, Limfjord Tunnel is long and has three lanes in each direction. It forms part of the E45, stretching from
Alta Alta or ALTA may refer to: Acronyms * Alt-A, short for Alternative A-paper, is a type of US mortgage * American Land Title Association, a national trade association representing the land title industry * American Literary Translators Association, ...
, Norway, to
Gela Gela (Sicilian and ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the regional autonomy, Autonomous Region of Sicily, Italy; in terms of area and population, it is the largest municipality on the southern coast of Sicily. Gela is part of the Province o ...
, Italy.
Aalborg Airport Aalborg Airport () is a dual-use (civilian/military) airport located in Nørresundby, Aalborg Municipality, Denmark, which is northwest of Aalborg. History Aalborg Airport was opened in 1938 as the second national airport. During World War II, ...
is northwest of the city centre. With its two runways, it has 20 direct routes to destinations in Denmark, Norway, Ireland, the Netherlands, the UK, USA, Spain, and Turkey, along with seasonal flights to additional Spanish destinations and the Faroe Islands. Processing 1.4 million passengers a year, the airport is the third largest in Denmark. The Aalborg Air Base, an important Royal Danish Air Force, Danish Air Force facility, occupies part of the extensive airport area. The Port of Aalborg is northern Denmark’s main import/export hub, operated by Aalborg Havn A/S on the Limfjord. Two additional private harbours serve the cement factory, Aalborg Portland, Aalborg Portland A/S, and the power station, Vattenfall A/S. The city's main train station, Aalborg Railway Station, is on John F. Kennedys Plads. It opened in 1869, when the Randers–Aalborg railway line, Aalborg to Randers railway line was inaugurated. The original station building was designed by N.P.C. Holsøe while the present building, which opened in 1902, was designed by Thomas Arboe. Aalborg Railway Station is operated by Banedanmark and the railway companies DSB (railway company), DSB and Nordjyske Jernbaner. Other rail stations in Aalborg are Skalborg Station, Aalborg Vestby Station and Lindholm Station. There are regular bus services covering the inner city as well as the wider urban area. Cycling is also relatively popular in Aalborg. Statistics for 2012 indicate 44% of the population use their bicycles several times a week while 27% of the workforce cycle to work. The municipal authorities hope to increase the use of bicycles by providing better cycle tracks and parking facilities, as well as improved support services. Starting from 2009, city bikes were provided free of charge in Aalborg and Nørresundby from April to November with numerous stands throughout the area, however the city bike system was closed down in 2014 when funding ran out. In 2008, plans were made to build a :da:Aalborg Letbane, light rail system to serve Aalborg, similar to Odense Letbane and Aarhus Letbane. In 2014, the government committed funding to light rail in Aalborg, only to retract the funding after a new cabinet was elected in the 2015 Danish general election, 2015 general election. In 2017, government funding was approved to build a bus rapid transit system instead of the light rail. The system known as :da:Plusbus, Plusbus eventually opened on 23 September 2023.


Healthcare

Aalborg University Hospital, the largest in the north of Jutland, was founded in 1881. , it consists of two large buildings in Aalborg, the hospital in Dronninglund and smaller departments in Hobro and Hjørring. It is the largest employer in the area with around 6,500 on the payroll. The hospital has traditionally undertaken research but from the beginning of 2013 it has had a formal collaboration with Aalborg University. A new building, designed by schmidt hammer lassen, schmidt hammer lassen architects and to be completed by 2020, will provide for hospital buildings and for the university's Faculty of Health. The Aalborg University Hospital, section south, is on Hobrovej and has a 24-hour emergency ward. The northern section is in Reberbanegade, which is in the western part of the city centre. Trænregimentet, the Danish regiment for army supply and emergency medical personnel, is also in Aalborg.


Media

''Nordjyske Stiftstidende'', published in Aalborg, is Denmark's second oldest newspaper founded in 1767 as ''Nyttige og fornøyelige Jydske Efterretninger''. It was later known as ''Aalborg Stiftstidende'' (until 1999). In 1827, it merged with Aalborg's second newspaper ''Aalborgs Stifts Adresse-Avis''. The paper now serves the whole of
Vendsyssel Vendsyssel () is the northernmost traditional district of Denmark and of Jutland. Being divided from mainland Jutland by the Limfjord, it is technically a part of the North Jutlandic Island which also comprises the areas Hanherred and Thy. Vendsy ...
and most of
Himmerland Himmerland is a peninsula in northeastern Jutland, Denmark. It is delimited to the north and the west by the Limfjord, to the east by the Kattegat, and to the south by the Mariager Fjord. The largest city is Aalborg; smaller towns include Hobro, ...
and has local editions in Aalborg, Hjørring, Hobro,
Frederikshavn Frederikshavn () is a Danish town in Frederikshavn municipality, Region Nordjylland, on the northeast coast on the North Jutlandic Island in northern Denmark. Its name translates to "Frederik's harbor". It was originally named Fladstrand. The ...
, Fjerritslev, Skagen, and Brønderslev. ANR (also Aalborg Nærradio and Alle Nordjyders Radio) is a local radio station operated by Nordjyske Medier, owner of ''Nordjyske Stiftstidende''. The TV news channel, 24Nordjyske, is operated by the same firm.


Notable people

Among those who contributed to Aalborg's prosperity in the 19th century were Poul Pagh (1796–1870) who significantly developed trade and shipping, and Christen Winther Obel (1800–1860) who increased production at the C.W. Obel tobacco factory until it became the city's main employer. Another important figure of the times was Marie Rée (1835–1900) who ran the local newspaper ''Aalborg Stiftstidende'' until 1900, often promoting women's rights. More recently, the actor and script-writer Preben Kaas (1930–1981), who was born in Aalborg, starred in over 50 Danish films. Among the city's many sporting figures, Peter Gade (born 1976) stands out as one of the world's most successful badminton players. On the cultural side, Jørn Utzon (1918–2008), designer of the Sydney Opera House, grew up in Aalborg; the iconic Utzon Center which he inspired now serves as a museum for his architectural designs and offers courses of study based on his approach."Utzon and Aalborg"
, Utzon Center. Retrieved 5 September 2013.


Gallery

File:AAU 20210406 3 ubt.jpg, Aalborg University, Campus East File:Hjelmerstald - panoramio.jpg, Hjelmerstald File:The northwestern part of Gabels Torv, Aalborg.jpg, The northwestern section of Gabels Torv File:Old Aalborg restaurant.jpg, One of the old restaurants (and wine cellars) File:The eastern part of Korsgade (Aalborg).jpg, The eastern part of Korsgade File:John F Kennedys Plads.JPG, John F. Kennedy Square near the train station File:Aalborg Post og Telegraf, Aalborg.jpg, A historical building in the town centre of Aalborg, namely Aalborg's Post and Telegraph (listed by the Agency for Culture and Palaces (Denmark), Heritage Agency of Denmark) File:Holbergsgade 1 and Korsgade, Aalborg.jpg, Holbergsgade 1 and Korsgade File:Courthouse in Aalborg.jpg, The Courthouse in Aalborg and Aalborg University's Basis compus File:Aalborg Station, Photo 2, Aalborg.jpg, The train station in Aalborg File:Østerågade 23 and 25, Aalborg.jpg, Østerågade 23 and 25 File:Buildings in Vesterbro, Aalborg.jpg, Vesterbro in Aalborg's town centre File:Aalborg Kiosk.jpg, A historical kiosk in Aalborg's town centre File:Aalborg sty 2012 (ubt).JPG, Aalborg's town centre, on the way towards the central campus of Aalborg University File:Vesterbro Aalborg 2012 ubt.JPG, Aalborg's town centre, towards the Limfjordsbroen, Limfjords bridge linking the town with its satellite smaller town Nørresundby File:Vor Frelser Kirke in Aalborg, 2006 ubt.jpg, Vor Frelser Kirke in Aalborg's town centre File:Aalborg 2010 - 114 ubt.JPG, Aerial view of part of Aalborg, showcasing the area in the proximity of Vor Frelser Kirke File:DSB Aalborg Tog 2012 ubt.JPG, The train station in Aalborg (view towards the railways)


Notes


References

Notes Bibliography * * * * * * * * * * * *


External links


Satellite image from Google MapsAbout Aalborg from Nordjyske Medier (local media group)Aalborg Kommune (Aalborg Municipality's official website)VisitAalborg (Aalborg Tourist Office)Aalborg UniversityAalborg University

Aalborg Cricket Club

Public Transport in Aalborg and surroundings

Aalborg AkvavitÅlborgtårnet



Aalborg Carnival Information
* {{good article Aalborg, Municipal seats of the North Jutland Region Municipal seats of Denmark Cities and towns in the North Jutland Region Port cities and towns in Denmark Port cities and towns of the North Sea Viking Age populated places Limfjord Aalborg Municipality