Old Town, Aalborg

In the center of the Old Town of Ålborg lies Budolfi Square (Budolfi Plads), to the north of which in Algade stands St Botolph's Church (Sankt Budolfi Kirke), named after a British seafaring saint. The Gothic building, which has been altered on several occasions, was erected about 1430 when the remains of an old Romanesque church were incorporated into the new edifice. The helm of the tower (ca. 1780) of this whitewashed brick church retains the Baroque style, and the spire has been adopted as the town's symbol. The church was rebuilt in the first half of the 20th C. The carillon plays on the hour every hour between 9am and 10pm. In the vestibule of the church, formerly a Catholic chapel, can be seen some excellent frescoes. In the interior itself visitors can admire an impressive reredos and a carved pulpit (1689-92, by Laurids Jensen), a marble tablet and - in the northern aisle - a Renaissance gallery with illustrations of the Ten Commandants. In the south aisle are representations of the Way of the Cross and inscriptions with the names of men who held important positions in Ålborg in 1650.

Not far northwest of St Botolph's Church in Algade (house No. 48) stands the Ålborg Historical Museum (Aalborg Historiske Museum). Its collections include interesting items from prehistoric times, an illustrated history of the town with emphasis on commerce and levels of society, as well as a beautiful collection of North Jutland glass. The Ålborg Room of 1602 with its Renaissance interior is of special interest.

North of the Alborg Historical Museum lies C.W. Obels Plads where the C.W. Obel tobacco factory stood until 1896. At the northeast corner of the square will be found the former Monastery of the Holy Ghost (Heiligåndsklosteret), founded in 1431 as the House of the Holy Spirit and later designated a monastery. The purpose of the monastery was and is to care for the old and the sick. It is Denmark's oldest social foundation; today it is a care center, and guided tours are available. In the excellently preserved buildings will be seen frescoes dating from 1500 and some beautiful stepped gables. The frescoes depict a mermaid, the Crucifixion, an angel with a trumpet, a monk and a bishop. On the square in front of the building stands a fountain (Dragon Fountain).

Gravensgade, to the west of the Ålborg Monastery, forms part of the busy pedestrian zone, with its stores, banks and boutiques.

North of St Botolph's Church lies Gammel Torv, the market square on which the Old Town Hall of Alborg (1762) stands. The name "Gammel Torv" indicates that this is the oldest marketplace in the town. At one time the town was governed from here, and there were gallows and stocks to prove it! The granite obelisk on the square is still the point from which the lengths of roads leading out of Ålborg are measured.

On Østergade can be seen one of the town's most impressive buildings, known as Jens Bangs Stenhus, a beautiful mansion built in 1624 by the prosperous merchant Jens Bang, a lover of ostentation and grandeur. With its five stories it is the largest Renaissance mansion in Northern Europe. Built of brick, it has a roof with curved gables. The whole building is covered with sandstone ornamentation which shows a Dutch Renaissance influence. Although he was the richest man in Ålborg Jens Bang was never elected on to the town council. This rankled, and so he had a stone figure of himself built on the gable of the house with its tongue sticking out at the town hall.The Jens Bang house is the home of one of the oldest pharmacies in Aalborg.

A few yards from Jen Bangs Stenhus on Østergade in Alborg stands Jørgen Olufsens Gård, a well-preserved half-timbered property with a gabled stone front (1616). It was formerly owned by a merchant.

Near the harbor of Alborg stands the former Ålborghus Castle, built in 1539 and now occupied by various authorities. The castle courtyard and parts of the ramparts are open to visitors in summer (from 8am to sunset).

On Niels Ebbesensgade in Alborg stands the Church of Our Lady (Vor Frue Kirke), one of the oldest churches in the town. Built about 1100 in granite blocks as a monastery church, it was completely altered in 1878. In the course of the rebuilding the original north door with its granite relief was placed at the main west entrance. In the tympanum can be seen two scenes from the Childhood of Christ surrounding a Majestas Domini (Christ in Majesty).Inside the church, the 17th and 18th C. monuments, font, pulpit and a Late Gothic crucifix are all worthy of note.There are a number of old houses near the church, and an historic pottery in Hjelmerstald Lane. In Geviert, which is bordered by Norregade and Fjordgade, nine houses 150 to 400 years old from various parts of the town have been re-erected and restored.

Near the Church of Our Lady at Peder Barkesgade 5 in Alborg can be found the Danish Emigrant Archive, where a collection of books, letters and photographs on the subject of Danish emigrants can be seen.

The Medborgerhus, a town house at Nytorv 26 in Ålborg, now houses the North Jutland Regional Library, which boasts a large collection of Danish and foreign books as well as a children's library. The building also contains a council chamber, conference rooms and a cafeteria.

On the southeastern periphery of Ålborg's Old Town lies Tivoliland, a pleasure park with beautiful gardens, fountains and flowers. Its 80 or so attractions include a "loop-the-loop" switchback, a ghost train and a "China Town". On the open-air revolving stage musical shows with international artistes can be seen from April to mid-September. There are also restaurants and picnic site.