Arhus, Denmark's Old Town

Step back in time and wander the streets of Den Gamle By, an old Danish market town.

Dec 15, 2006

Den Gamle By is an outdoor museum with actors, homes, stores, restaurants, cafes, and exhibitions designed to demonstrate what life was like in centuries gone by.

Arhus is the second largest city in Denmark. It has a large university, with 20,000 students adding to the population, nighttime activities, and cultural life. One of the highlights of a visit to Arhus is a trip to Den Gamle By (Old Town Arhus), which is home to 75 buildings collected from 20 market towns across Denmark, making it Denmark’s largest outdoor museum.

Visitors to Den Gamle By get a flavor for what it was like to live in a small, Danish town from the middle ages to the early 20th century, when market towns were replaced by industrial centers. Actors dressed in period costume wander the streets or go about their work in the shops and in homes, helping to bring history alive. Drop in on a woman boiling soup in her kitchen, see the organ grinder on a street corner, or pet some of the animals wandering around the grounds.

There are over 30 workshops, ten trade stalls and shops, 27 private rooms, a pharmacist with a medicinal herb garden, post office, school, and a theater. There is even a library in Den Gamle By, which contains 100,000 books and manuscripts about subjects featured in the outdoor museum.

All of the exhibitions feature an aspect of work or life from the past. Children might enjoy the toy and clock exhibitions. The Mayors House features middle class domestic culture from 1600-1850. Shop in the Merchant’s Shop to find household items from the late 1800s, buy a Danish pastry at the baker’s shop, pick up pottery at the vendors’ stalls. The beer cellar has an outdoor garden, perfect for enjoying a pint on a nice day. The tea house offers light snacks, and the restaurant, Prins Ferdinand, serves Danish lunches and dinner all year round from Tuesday – Sunday. Or, pack a picnic lunch and eat outside.

Details

Den Gamle By is open all year round but opening times and entrance fees vary according to the time of year. Check their website for details. Actors in period costume work during the Christmas holidays and the summer. Arhus is accessible from Copenhagen by express bus, train, or motorway.

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