The tall, pointed tower of Aarhus Cathedral(Aarhus Domkirke; aarhusdomkirke.dk), Denmark’s longest and tallest church, is a city landmark. The original Romanesque chapel at the eastern end dates from the 12th century, while most of the rest of the church is 15th-century Gothic.
Like other Danish churches, the cathedral was once richly decorated with frescoes that served to convey biblical parables to unschooled peasants. After the Reformation in 1536, church authorities, who felt the frescoes smacked too much of Roman Catholicism, had them all whitewashed, but many have now been uncovered and restored. This includes a 1497 likeness of St George, where an almost cartoonish dragon lies on its back, vanquished by the saint, as its young snarl in a nearby cave – proof of the regeneration of evil. There's a stunning gilt altarpiece dating from 1479 by late-Gothic German sculptor Bernt Notke – it can be folded in five different ways to display different narratives, according to the time of year.
You can climb the tower (closed during services; adult/child 20/5kr) for a view over the city rooftops. There are also regular concerts held in the church; check the website for listings.
