Aalborg

Aalborg is Denmark's fourth-largest city, after Copenhagen, Aarhus and Odense, with a town population of around 120,000 and a considerably larger urban and municipal population. It lies in North Jutland on the Limfjord, and its position at the narrowest point of that waterway made it an important harbour during the Middle Ages and later a major industrial centre. The earliest settlements in the area date to around AD 700. Architecturally, the city is known for the half-timbered mansions built by its prosperous Renaissance merchants; among its landmarks are Budolfi Church, now a cathedral, which dates from the end of the 14th century, and Aalborghus Castle, a royal residence built in 1550. Historically a working-class industrial hub and a major exporter of grain, cement and spirits, Aalborg has in recent decades transformed into a knowledge-based city, home to a university and to companies such as Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, Alfa Laval and Aalborg Portland. Today the revitalised waterfront, lively cultural scene and historic old town make Aalborg a rewarding destination and the natural gateway to the wider North Jutland region.