Mouth of the River

Text and photo: Niels Christian Vilmann

The river flowing through the city of Aarhus and out into the sea is significant both historically and contemporarily. Ever since the age of the Vikings, it has been of great value to the inhabitants. The name Aarhus has been derived from the old word Árós, which means the mouth of the river, the area that Dokk1 now occupies.

During Aarhus Festival the importance of the access to the sea is being portrayed in various ways.

“The Blue Bridge” ferries passengers through the city, from one end of the river to the tip of Aarhus Ø, while the ship “Jakob” takes you on a tour in and around the entirety of the port of Aarhus. Two sea kayaks are also available for exploring the port on your own, free of charge.

With the largest container port in Denmark, the continued effort to bring back natural wildlife to the area around the bay, and the river, serving as the innate core of the city life, it is only natural to experience the city from the water.