Aalborg
Nytorv Square in Aalborg, Denmark
Seal Coat of arms
Nickname(s): "Paris of the North", locally "Double A"
Motto: "Seize The World" , In Danish "Vild med Verden"
Aalborg Location in Denmark
Coordinates: 57°3′N 9°55′E / 57.05°N 9.917°E / 57.05; 9.917
Country	Denmark
Region	North Denmark Region
Municipality	Aalborg Municipality
First mention	"Alabu" written at coins from 1035
Officiel birthday	Trade rights June 16, 1342
Government
• Mayor	Henning G. Jensen (S)
Area[1]
• Urban	139 km2 (54 sq mi)
• Municipal	1,144 km2 (442 sq mi)
Elevation	5 m (16 ft)
Population (2012)[2]
• City	126,556
• Density	888/km2 (2,300/sq mi)
• Municipal	201,142
• Municipal Density	174/km2 (450/sq mi)
• Demonym	Aalborggenser
Time zone	Central Europe Time (UTC+1)
Postal codes	9000, 9008, 9020, 9100, 9200, 9210, 9220, 9400
Website	http://www.aalborgkommune.dk/

Aalborg (or Ålborg) (Danish pronunciation: [ˈʌlb̥ɒːˀ] ( listen)) is a Danish industrial and university city in North Jutland. The city of Aalborg has a population of 104,885 ^[2] (126,556 including Nørresundby) making it the fourth largest city in Denmark in terms of population. The municipality of Aalborg has a population of 201,142 (2012)^[3] making it the third most populous municipality in the country after Copenhagen and Århus.^[4] The earliest settlements date back to around AD 700. Aalborg's location by the Limfjord made it an important harbour during the Middle Ages, and an industrial centre later. Today, the city is in transition from a working-class industrial city to a knowledge-based one.

History of Aalborg[link]

Early age[link]

Lindholm Høje, 2008

Aalborg traces its history back over 1000 years. It was originally settled as a trading post because of its position on the Limfjord. The sites of what were two settlements and a visible burial ground can be seen on Lindholm Høje, a hill overlooking the city. The sizes of these settlements emphasise the significance of this place as a crossroads. The first mention of Aalborg under its original name Alabu, is found on a coin dated to 1040. An alternative spelling is Alebu and an approximate translation of the name is The (dwelling) place by the stream.

Aalborg panelled room, first half 17th century (National Museum, Copenhagen)

Middle Ages[link]

During the Middle Ages, Aalborg prospered and became one of the largest cities in Denmark. This prosperity was further enhanced when in 1516 Aalborg was granted a monopoly in salt herring. The herring fishery linked Aalborg to the East coast of England, across the North Sea, both in commercial competition and cultural exchange. The panelled interior from an Aalborg house in the National Museum, Copenhagen (illustration), shares many details with Jacobean panelled rooms.

Aalborg received town privileges in 1342 and the bishopric dates from 1554.

World War II[link]

During the German invasion of Denmark in 1940, the Aalborg Aerodrome was captured by German paratroopers very early in the action and Aalborg is said to be the first city ever to be captured by paratroopers. The aerodrome was crucial for German aircraft to be able to reach Norway.

Geography[link]

Aalborg viewed from Skovbakken, 2005

Distances[link]

Aalborg is 120 km (74.6 mi) north of Aarhus, 82 km (51.0 mi) north of Randers and 50 km (31.1 mi) north of Hobro. Aalborg is 50 km (31.1 mi) south of Hjørring, 63 km (39.1 mi) south west of Frederikshavn and 90 km (55.9 mi) east of Thisted. It is 414 km (257.2 mi) (by Great Belt Fixed Link) to Copenhagen. The distance to Hamburg in Germany is 450 km (279.6 mi). To Gothenburg in Sweden, it is (by the Frederikshavn-Göteborg ferry) 150 km (93.2 mi). To Oslo in Norway, the distance is 363 km (225.6 mi) (by the Frederikshavn-Oslo ferry).

Climate[link]

Summers in Aalborg have average high temperatures of around 20 °C (68 °F) and lows of 12 °C (54 °F), but temperatures sometimes exceed 25 °C (77 °F) and occasional heatwaves are common during the summer.

Winters usually have temperatures of −3 to 2 °C (27 to 36 °F), rarely dropping below −10 °C (14 °F).

Transport[link]

Limfjordsbroen seen from Aalborg, 2004

On the north side of the Limfjord is Nørresundby, which is connected to Aalborg by a road bridge Limfjordsbroen, an iron railway bridge Jernbanebroen over Limfjorden, as well as a motorway tunnel running under the Limfjord Limfjordstunnelen.

Public transportation[link]

The city has one main train station Aalborg Railway Station on J. F. Kennedy-Square. Other stations in Aalborg are Skalborg Station, Aalborg Vestby Station and Lindholm Station. The inner city as well as the wider urban area is served by regular busses running frequently 24/7. Aalborg Airport is located 6 kilometres from the city centre.

Car transportation[link]

The European route E45, going from Finland to Italy, passes through Aalborg, and through Limfjordstunellen under the Limfjord in Aalborg.

Air transportation[link]

Aalborg Airport is the local airport with 20 routes to European destinations.

Aalborg Air Base—an important base of the Danish Air Force is located in Aalborg.

Port of Aalborg[link]

The Port of Aalborg is northern Denmark’s main import/export hub.^[6]

Visitor attractions[link]

Traditional housing in Aalborg, 2005

Historical attractions[link]

The old Aalborghus Castle (Aalborghus Slot) and some picturesque houses of the 17th century remain in the center of the town. The half-timbered (bindingsværk) castle was built in 1550 by King Christian III, and was converted to government administration offices in the 1950s.

Aalborghus Castle, 2008

Jens Bang's House, a five story building built in 1624 by the merchant Jens Bang is an example of Renaissance architecture. It is located on Nytorv next to the old Town Hall.

The present Budolfi Church dates from the end of the 14th century, although at least two earlier churches stood on the same spot. Budolfi Church was just a parish church until it became the seat of the Lutheran bishop of Aalborg in 1554.

Vor Frue Kirke ("Church of Our Lady") is a relatively modern church. The original Church of Our Lady from the early 12th century was pulled down after the Reformation because it was so old and unstable. The newer building in a different location was partially burned in 1894.

Underneath the main pedestrian shopping street is a newly opened museum of the excavation of a monastery from the 11th century.

Nørresundby is the site of the Lindholm Høje settlement and burial ground from the Germanic Iron Age and Viking times. There is also a museum on the site.

Aalborg Historical Museum is located in the city.

Newer attractions[link]

Aalborg Tower seen from Mølleparken, 2006

Aalborgtårnet is a tripod tower erected in 1933. The tower's height, 105 m (344.49 ft) above sea level, still provides an exquisite view over the fjord and the city.

The Aalborg Zoo was opened in 1935 and typically houses over 1200 animals.^[7]

Near the Aalborg Tower is KUNSTEN Museum of Modern Art Aalborg. The art museum was designed by the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto and built in 1972.

In 2008, the Utzon Center, dedicated to the work of the noted architect Jørn Utzon, was built next to the Limfjord at the central harbour front in Aalborg. Born in Copenhagen, Utzon grew up in Aalborg. The center contains an exhibition on Utzon's work, which includes the Sydney Opera House, as well as educational displays on architecture and design.

Nordkraft is a cultural centre in a former power plant near the harbour. It has theatres (opening in 2010), a cinema, and concert facilities. In its neighbourhood, a classical concert hall, Musikkens Hus, designed by Coop Himmelb(l)au, is under construction.

[edit] Jomfru Ane Gade

One of the most popular and famous streets in Aalborg, possibly even in Denmark, is Jomfru Ane Gade, or simply just Gaden ("The Street"). The name translates to "Virgin Ane's Street" in English.

Jomfru Ane Gade.

Jomfru Ane Gade is a café and restaurant street during the day which, at night, turns into clubs, discos and bars. During the 1990s, the street was infamous for being a 'hang out' of two biker gangs who were at war for some years all over Scandinavia, but as the bikers disappeared from the street it became even more popular among people of all ages.

During the day, tourists and employees in the city come to Jomfru Ane Gade, especially for its restaurants. In the afternoons some of the cafés open. Around 11 pm, the mood of the street changes into more of a party street when younger people arrive.

Aalborg Carnival[link]

The annual Aalborg Carnival takes place in the weekend of week 21 (usually the last week in May).^[8] The Carnival is actually three events, the children's carnival (Børnekarneval), the battle of carnival bands, and the carnival itself. During the carnival, Aalborg receives about 100,000 people. This makes it the biggest carnival in Scandinavia. The children's carnival is a carnival dedicated to the children, with performances and activities for children. On Friday "The Battle of Carnival Bands" is an exciting and colourful evening with processions through the city when all the participating groups compete to be the leading carnival group.

The carnival itself is the following Saturday – on this day the city centre is full of life. The streets are filled with gaily dressed people who are in a real spring mood. In Kildeparken concerts are given from various stages all day to midnight. The Carnival ends with a grand firework display.

Sport[link]

Aalborg BK[link]

The city is home to the Danish sports club Aalborg BK, established in 1885 and known as "AaB" for short. The major division in Aalborg Boldspilklub is football division AaB Fodbold, which competes in the Danish Superliga championship. They play their games at Nordjyske Arena. The club has won the Danish Superliga in the 1994–95 season, the 1998–99 season and the 2007–08 season. The team qualified for the group stages of the 1995–96 and 2008–09 UEFA Champions League seasons.

Aalborg DH in Gigantium Isarena, 2009

Other clubs[link]

Aalborg is also known for the women's handball club Aalborg DH. They are established in 2001 and play their games in Gigantium. Rugby in Aalborg is represented by Aalborg RK Lynet (Lightning), established in 1964. This City also has a Cricket club named Aalborg Cricket Club that is part of Danish Cricket League. They are established in 2000 and have players from various nations.

Education[link]

University of Aalborg[link]

Aalborg University, 2009

The major university in Aalborg is the University of Aalborg, founded in 1974. It has more than 14,000 students and more than 2,000 employees.^[9]

Other colleges[link]

Aalborg Business College, Tech College Aalborg, Royal School of Library and Information Science, University College of Northern Denmark and Trænregimentet.

One of the two colleges of Profession School University College North Jutland (Danish: Professionshøjskolen University College Nordjylland) can also be found in Aalborg.

Industry[link]

Aalborg is still an industrial and commercial centre in North Jutland, exporting grain, cement and fish. Many of the traditional industries in the city have been closed in recent years and new knowledge based industries have arisen. Especially mobile and wireless communications industries has been dominant in Aalborg since the 1990s.

Traditional industries[link]

Aalborg is home to De Danske Spritfabrikker's ("Danish Distillers") akvavit snaps, production facility for the distillation of the Aalborg family of akvavits consisting of 17 different brands. Danish Distillers is Scandinavia's largest producer and supplier of spirits for consumption, and is the world's largest producer and exporter of akvavit, supplying over 140 geographic markets. It also produces Frïs Vodka.

Aalborg Industries, the world's largest manufacturer of marine boilers, is headquartered here.

Modern industries[link]

It is the centre of the telecommunications industry originating from the University of Aalborg.

Religion[link]

Budolfi Church, 2006

Aalborg is the seat of a bishop within the Lutheran State Church of Denmark.^{[citation needed]}

Environmentalism[link]

Windmill from Aalborg Østhavn (Aalborg Eastharbour), 2006

The First European Conference on Sustainable Cities and Towns took place in Aalborg, in 1994. The Conference 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 (Aalborg +10), held in Aalborg in 2004, adopted the Aalborg +10 Commitments. These commitments are an important step forward in turning "sustainable urban development" from mere words into real actions.

International relations[link]

Twin towns — sister cities[link]

Aalborg maintains cultural, economic and educational ties with 29 cities around the globe.^[10] Thus, Aalborg has the most twin cities in Denmark. Every four years Aalborg gathers youth from the majority of its twin cities for a week of sports games, known as Ungdomslegene (The Youth Games).

Notable people[link]

Born in Aalborg[link]

• John of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, King of Denmark, Norway and Sweden
• Søren Lodberg Hvas, former bishop of Aalborg diocese
• Preben Kaas, actor and comedian
• Henning Munk Jensen, footballer
• Henning Jensen, footballer
• Ebbe Sand, footballer
• Britta Thomsen, Danish politician and Member of the EU Parliament
• Hanne Dahl, Danish politician and Member of the EU Parliament
• Helle Michaelsen, Playboy playmate
• Benny Nielsen, butterfly swimmer
• Jens Larsen, volleyballer
• Joachim Olsen (31 May 1977), shot putter
• Peter Gade, badminton player
• Anne Van Olst, dressage rider
• Camilla Dallerup, ballroom dancer
• Lone Drøscher Nielsen, wildlife conservationist
• Malene Espensen, glamour model

No longer resident in Aalborg[link]

• Jens Munk (1579–1628), navigator and explorer
• Frederik Ferdinand Tillisch (1801–1889), Danish statesman
• Jørn Utzon, architect grew up in Aalborg
• Bjørn Lomborg, statistician and author grew up in Aalborg
• Bent Flyvbjerg, researcher at Oxford University longer engagement at Aalborg University
• Frank Jensen, politician and former Danish Minister grew up in Aalborg
• Ole Stavad, politician and former Danish Minister educated in Aalborg
• Daniel Kandi, Trance producer and DJ currently living in Aalborg

See also[link]

• Category Aalborg
• Category Neighbourhoods in Aalborg
• Category Towns and settlements in Aalborg Municipality
• Category Aalborg Municipality

References[link]

Notes[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Aalborg

• Satellite image from Google Maps
• About Aalborg from Nordjyske Medier (A local Media Group)
• Aalborg Kommune (Aalborg Municipality's official website)
• VisitAalborg (Aalborg Tourist Office)
• Aalborg University in English
• Aalborg University in Danish (Danish)
• Aalborg Cricket Club
• Public Transport in Aalborg and surroundings (Danish)
• Aalborg Akvavit
• Ålborgtårnet (Danish)
• Aalborg Carnival Information
• Texts on Wikisource:
  • James Wood (1907). "Aalborg". The Nuttall Encyclopædia. 
  • Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Aalborg". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 
  • "Aalborg". Collier's New Encyclopedia. 1921. 

v t e 50 most populous urban areas in the Nordic countries  Denmark  Finland  Iceland  Norway  Sweden 1.  Stockholm 1,372,565 2.  Copenhagen 1,199,224 3.  Helsinki 1,061,798 4.  Oslo 907,288 5.  Gothenburg 549,839 6.  Malmö 280,415 7.  Turku 253,332 8.  Aarhus 252,107 9.  Bergen 234,800 10.  Stavanger 221,616 11.  Tampere 215,337 12.  Reykjavik 195,000 13.  Odense 167,615 14.  Trondheim 160,072 15.  Oulu 144,114 16.  Uppsala 140,454 17.  Jyväskylä 132,115 18.  Fredrikstad 126,971 19.  Aalborg 124,921 20.  Västerås 110,877 21.  Örebro 107,038 22.  Linköping 104,232 23.  Lahti 102,383 24.  Drammen 100,023 25.  Kuopio 97,610 26.  Helsingborg 97,122 27.  Jönköping 89,396 28.  Kouvola 87,548 29.  Norrköping 87,247 30.  Skien 86,923 31.  Pori 83,156 32.  Lund 82,800 33.  Umeå 79,594 34.  Joensuu 73,807 35.  Lappeenranta 72,156 36.  Esbjerg 71,576 37.  Gävle 71,033 38.  Kristiansand 67,547 39.  Hämeenlinna 67,293 40.  Tromsø 66,669 41.  Borås 66,273 42.  Eskilstuna 64,679 43.  Södertälje 64,619 44.  Karlstad 61,685 45.  Täby 61,272 46.  Rovaniemi 60,699 47.  Randers 60,656 48.  Vaasa 60,491 49.  Seinäjoki 58,836 50.  Halmstad 58,577

Coordinates: 57°3′N 9°55′E / 57.05°N 9.917°E / 57.05; 9.917