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Aalborg

Coordinates: 57°3′N 9°55′E / 57.050°N 9.917°E / 57.050; 9.917
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Aalborg
Nytorv Square in Aalborg, Denmark
Nytorv Square in Aalborg, Denmark
Official seal of Aalborg
Seal
Coat of arms of Aalborg
Coat of arms
Nickname(s): 
"Paris of the North", locally "Double A"
Motto(s): 
"Loves The World" , In Danish "Vild med Verden"
CountryDenmark
RegionNorth Denmark (Nordjylland)
MunicipalityAalborg
First mention"Alabu" written at coins from 1035
Official birthdayTrade rights June 16, 1342
Government
 • MayorHenning G. Jensen (S)
Area
[1]
 • Urban
139 km2 (54 sq mi)
 • Municipal1,144 km2 (442 sq mi)
Elevation
5 m (16 ft)
Population
 (2012)[2]
 • City126,556
 • Density888/km2 (2,300/sq mi)
 • Municipal
201,142
 • Municipal density174/km2 (450/sq mi)
 • Demonym
Aalborggenser
Time zoneUTC+1 (Central Europe Time)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2
Postal codes
9000, 9008, 9020, 9100, 9200, 9210, 9220, 9400
Websitewww.aalborgkommune.dk

Aalborg (or Ålborg) (Danish pronunciation: [ˈolb̥ɒːˀ] ⓘ) 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

Early age

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

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

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.

On August 13, 1940 a dozen Bristol Blenheim bombers of No. 82 Squadron RAF were launched against a Luftwaffe airfield near Aalborg during one of the most disastrous Royal Air Force raids of the war. One aircraft turned back because of fuel problems but the remaining eleven aircrafts pressed on; all eleven Blenheims were shot down by enemy fighters and/or flak batteries within 20 minutes.[5][6]

Geography

Aalborg viewed from Skovbakken, 2005

Distances

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

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).

Climate data for Aalborg
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 2
(36) 		2
(36) 		5
(41) 		10
(50) 		15
(59) 		19
(66) 		20
(68) 		20
(68) 		16
(61) 		12
(54) 		7
(45) 		3
(37) 		10.9
(51.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) 0
(32) 		0
(32) 		2
(36) 		6
(43) 		11
(52) 		14
(57) 		16
(61) 		16
(61) 		12
(54) 		9
(48) 		4
(39) 		1
(34) 		7.5
(45.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −3
(27) 		−3
(27) 		−1
(30) 		2
(36) 		6
(43) 		10
(50) 		12
(54) 		11
(52) 		9
(48) 		6
(43) 		2
(36) 		−1
(30) 		4.0
(39.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 54
(2.1) 		35
(1.4) 		44
(1.7) 		38
(1.5) 		49
(1.9) 		54
(2.1) 		64
(2.5) 		67
(2.6) 		72
(2.8) 		76
(3.0) 		75
(3.0) 		62
(2.4) 		689
(27.1)
Average precipitation days 11 8 10 8 9 8 9 10 12 13 14 12 124
Mean monthly sunshine hours 39 72 117 167 209 218 209 186 130 87 57 42 1,534
Source: DMI (Danmarks Meteorologiske Institut)[7]

Transport

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

View of Aalborg railway station from J.F. Kennedy's Square, 2004

The city has one main train station Aalborg Railway Station on J.F. Kennedy's 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

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

Air transportation

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

The Port of Aalborg is northern Denmark’s main import/export hub.[8]

Visitor attractions

Traditional housing in Aalborg, 2005

Historical attractions

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

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.[9]

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.

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

Carnival in Aalborg, 2008.

The annual Aalborg Carnival takes place in the weekend of week 21 (usually the last week in May).[10] 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

Aalborg BK

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

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

University of Aalborg

Aalborg University, 2009

The major university in Aalborg is the University of Aalborg, founded in 1974. It has more than 17.000 students and more than 3,000 employees.[11]

Colleges and other institutions

  • University College of Northern Denmark (Danish: Professionshøjskolen University College Nordjylland) is one of seven new regional organizations of different study sites in Denmark (Danish: professionshøjskoler) offering bachelor courses of professional relevance, normally at bachelor level.
  • Royal School of Library and Information Science (RSLIS) is an institution that provides higher education in the field of Library and information science. One of the two departments of the The Royal School of Library and Information Science can be found in Aalborg.
  • Tech College Aalborg is a technical school in the city of Aalborg, in North Jutland in Denmark. It offers a wide spectrum of vocational training and runs Aalborg Tekniske Gymnasium. The school has about 4500 yearly students and 700 employees.

Military education and training

  • Trænregimentet is the Danish regiment for army supply and emergency medical personnel. It is located in Aalborg.

Industry

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

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

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

Religion

Budolfi Church, 2006

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

Environmentalism

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

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Denmark

Twin towns — sister cities

Aalborg maintains cultural, economic and educational ties with 29 cities around the globe.[12] 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

Born in Aalborg

No longer resident in Aalborg

See also

References

  • Thomas, Andrew. "Over All Things Everywhere: The story of 82 Squadron, Royal Air Force". Air Enthusiast, No 66, November/December 1996. Stamford, UK: Key Publishing. ISSN 0143 565

Notes

  1. ^ Statistik om Folketal 2009 statistics from Aalborg Municipality
  2. ^ a b BEF44: Population 1 January, by urban areas database from Statistics Denmark
  3. ^ "Hypergenic WebNize Virtual Signpost - Hele Kommunen - 1 års aldersklasser". Aalborgkommune.dk. Retrieved 2012-06-11.
  4. ^ [1][dead link]
  5. ^ www.flensted.eu.com Retrieved August 2012
  6. ^ Thomas 1996, p.35.
  7. ^ "Weather Information for Aalborg" (in Danish). Danmarks Meteorologiske Institut. Retrieved May 12, 2009.
  8. ^ Aalborg Havn
  9. ^ About the Zoo. Aalborg Zoo. Accessed on July 2, 2010.
  10. ^ Aalborg Carnival
  11. ^ "Aalborg University: History – Aalborg University". en.aau.dk. Retrieved 2009-10-08. [dead link]
  12. ^ "Aalborg Kommune – Venskabsbyer". Web.archive.org. 2007-11-14. Archived from the original on 2007-11-14. Retrieved 2009-07-26.
  13. ^ "Edinburgh – Twin and Partner Cities". © 2008 The City of Edinburgh Council, City Chambers, High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1YJ Scotland. Archived from the original on 4 February 2009. Retrieved 2008-12-21. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help) [dead link]
  14. ^ Kaliningrad information
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aalborg.

57°3′N 9°55′E / 57.050°N 9.917°E / 57.050; 9.917

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