Denmark, Aarhus

Aarhus is the second largest city and the principal port of Denmark, situated on the peninsula of Jutland. Aarhus is the seat of the council of Aarhus municipality and claims the unofficial title "Capital of Jutland".

Demographics

Aarhus city holds almost 300,000 citizens, but the local area of the East Jutland region around Aarhus has an estimated 800,000 inhabitants, out of the regional total of 1,200,000 making it the second most-populated area in Denmark, after the Copenhagen area.

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

Geography

The city lies roughly in the geographical centre of Denmark in the peninsula of Jutland.The city is built mostly around the harbour, which is predominantly industrial, although a large recreational marina is situated south of it as an extension.

While some of the highest points of Denmark are close to the city, the general landscape is typically hilly interspersed with forests and meadows; the city itself is very hilly in the north of the center.

The city lies at the junction of railway lines from all parts of the country.

Aarhus Airport, a local airport of Aarhus, is located 40 km (25 mi) north-east of Aarhus, in Tirstrup. There have been plans for constructing a new, bigger airport for a long time, but so far, the plans haven't been realized.

History

The bishopric of Aarhus dates back to at least 951, and archaeological findings date back some 1300 years to Viking times. The city itself is presumably older than 770 A.D., making Aarhus the oldest big city in Scandinavia.

The city did not outgrow Randers until the late 1800s and Aalborg remained the largest city on the peninsula until the 1920s. The relatively fast, albeit late, growth of the city can be ascribed to the general tendencies of moving from rural to urban areas during the industrial revolution.

Culture

Aarhus is a centre for education on the peninsula of Jutland drawing students from a large area, especially from the western and southern parts of the peninsula. The relatively large influx of young people and students creates a natural base for cultural activities and there are many cafes and restaurants - around 500 in the city- as well as discoteques, cinemas, museums, amusement parks and various other venues of entertainment.

The city has an active and visible gay and lesbian community which the city officially attempts to promote and nurture. The Aarhus Festuge festival usually includes several exhibits, concerts or events specifically designed for these communities. There are several clubs, discos and cafes aimed at gays and lesbians: Danish D-lite (sports), Diskotek Blender (disco) or Gaia Vandreklub (hiking club) are a few examples.

Sports

In the southern-Aarhus Marselisborg Park, the sports center named Atletion is located comprises athletics, the football NRGi Park and the indoor sports NRGi Arena. Several sport clubs have their home ground in Atletion, including Aarhus Gymnastik Forening, the first division football team, and Aarhus GF handball team, the 1960 European Cup runner-up.