Showing 1-17 of 17 results
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Århus Domkirke
With a lofty nave spanning nearly 100m in length, Århus Domkirke is Denmark's longest church. Its construction began around 1200 and took 100 years to complete. In the 15th century the cathedral was transformed from its original Romanesque style to its current Gothic character. At that time the roof was raised over the nave, the landmark clock tower was erected, high Gothic windows were installed and the chancel extended.
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ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum
The towering, cubist, red-brick walls of this art museum look rather uninspiring from the outside, but inside it's nine floors of sweeping curves, soaring spaces and white walls. Intriguingly, the museum's main theme is Dante's The Divine Comedy ; the entrance is on level 4, and from there you either descend into Hell (on the bottom floor) or climb towards Heaven, which finishes at the rooftop terrace with views of the red rooftops of Århus.
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Besættelsesmuseet
For those interested in the German Occupation of Denmark during WWII, the small Besættelsesmuseet is inside the building that the Germans once used to interrogate and house prisoners (the entrance is just behind Kvindemuseet). It has well-presented displays of military equipment, Nazi and Danish propaganda, and insights into everyday life during the war. Labels are in Danish - be sure to ask for the explanatory guide in English when you enter.
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Botanisk Have
Ye-olde attraction Den Gamle By (the Old Town) is surrounded by the Botanisk Have, or Botanical Gardens, with its greenhouses and re-created Jutland environments. The garden can be reached through an exit from Den Gamle By or directly from Vesterbrogade.
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Den Gamle By
The Danes' limitless enthusiasm for dressing up and recreating history reaches its zenith at Den Gamle By (The Old Town). It's an engaging open-air museum of 75 half-timbered houses brought here from all over Denmark and reconstructed as a provincial town, complete with a functioning bakery and assorted craftspeople practising their trade. There's a real feeling of authenticity here, and activities for visitors throughout the year.
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Den Permanente
If the weather's good and you're keen to get sand in your shorts, popular family-friendly beaches lie on the town's outskirts and feature clean, calm (but often cool) waters. The best-loved spots to the north are the traditional sea baths known as Den Permanente in Risskov not far from the hostel. There are also segregated areas here for swimming sans swimsuit.
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Dyrehaven
About 1.5km southeast of the Marselisborg Palace & Park is Dyrehaven - Deer Park - which, as the name suggests, has an abundance of deer (along with wild boar). The wooded park makes for a relaxing stroll on a sunny day.
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Kvindemuseet
Denmark is today a model for equality between the sexes, but it hasn't always been the case. In a remarkably fresh and engaging exhibition inside the old town hall, Kvindemuseet charts women's lives in Denmark and their hard-won achievements. It's pretty inspiring stuff, but it's not just one for the chicks - families will also love the hands-on kids' exhibits in the 'History of Childhood' section.
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Marselisborg
A green belt begins 2km south of the city centre and runs nearly 10km south - a great place for hiking and cycling. It's divided into three sections, with the northern end known as Marselisborg, the midsection Moesgård and the southern end Fløjstrup - names taken from the former estates that they were once part of.
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Marselisborg Palace & Park
Marselisborg Palace & Park is a summer home of the royal family, and when they're not in residence the public is allowed to explore the English-style grounds and rose garden (free entrance). When the blue-bloods are here on vacation, you can watch the changing of the guard at midday from a vantage point on the road. The palace can be reached by buses 1, 18 and 19.
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Moesgård
Visit Moesgård, 10km south of the city centre, for its glorious beech woods and the trails that lead through them to sandy beaches, and for the well-presented history exhibits at the Moesgård Museum of Prehistory. There's an enjoyable walking trail, dubbed the 'Prehistoric Trackway' or Oldtidsstien, leading from behind the museum across fields of wildflowers, past grazing sheep and through beech woods down to Moesgård Strand, one of Århus' best sandy beaches.
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Moesgård Museum of Prehistory
The Moesgård Museum of Prehistory is home to well-presented history exhibits from the Stone Age to the Viking era But above all else, you should visit Moesgård for the museum's most dramatic exhibit: the 2000-year-old Grauballe Man, or Grauballemanden, whose astonishingly well-preserved body was found in 1952 at the village of Grauballe, 35km west of Århus.
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Naturhistorisk Museum
There are two museums in Universitetsparken, the grounds of Århus University, north of the city centre. Buses to the university include routes 2, 3, 11 and 14. Naturhistorisk Museum delves into the evolution of the Danish landscape since the Ice Age, and has a comprehensive collection of stuffed birds and animals from all corners of the globe.
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Steno Museet
There are two museums in Universitetsparken, the grounds of Århus University, north of the city centre. Buses to the university include routes 2, 3, 11 and 14. Steno Museet showcases the history of science and medicine (more interesting than it sounds), and features a medicinal herb garden and small planetarium.
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Tivoli Friheden
Neither as big nor as fabulous as Copenhagen's major drawcard, Århus' Tivoli Friheden is still a fun, wholesome family attraction, full of childhood favourites - Dodgem cars and a Ferris wheel - as well as newer, faster rides. It's a good way to break up the cultural bombardment if museums are wearing a little thin. You can buy a multi-ride pass and go hard, or pay for each ride individually.
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Vikingemuseum
There's more than the expected vaults in the basement of Nordea Bank, a stone's throw from the cathedral. In the mid-1960s this site was excavated and impressive artefacts from the Viking era were unearthed. The musty Vikingemuseum is not nearly as slick as others in town, but is charming for its old-school ways.
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Vor Frue Kirke
This cathedral is like a Russian matryoshka doll, opening to reveal multiple layers beneath the surface. The original cathedral was erected here shortly after 1060 and stood until about 1240, when it was replaced by the current Vor Frue Kirke. There's a triptych altar carved by Claus Berg in 1530, but the main treasure here is in the church basement - the vaulted crypt of the original cathedral (the oldest surviving church interior in Denmark).
Showing 1-17 of 17 results
