Denmark is the smallest of the Scandinavian states but also the most “Latin”. This country with almost six million inhabitants is renowned for its quality of life and its inimitable style. We have done for you a tour of the largest cities of Denmark.
The list of the top main cities of Denmark
1. Copenhagen, a fantastic city
It no longer presents Copenhagen, the most media-rich capital of the Scandinavian countries. The population of the city is estimated at 602 000 inhabitants, but with its agglomeration, Copenhagen brings together more than two million people.
2. Aarhus
At the last census in 2017, there were 336,111 inhabitants in Aarhus. The second-largest city in Denmark is a must-stop before exploring the beautiful landscapes of the north of the country.
3. Odense, one of the largest cities in Denmark
Located on a neighboring island of Copenhagen, Odense is one of the most typical cities in the country. And for a good reason, the famous Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen was born and lived a good part of his life in Odense. The other renowned inhabitant of Odense is none other than Arthur Nielsen, a famous Danish painter.
But beyond this celebrity scrapbook of the city, Odense is one of the oldest towns in Denmark since its foundation dates back to the very end of the 10th century. Legend has it that the city was created by an ambitious and conquering man who gave him the name Odin, a God of Norse mythology. As a reminder “Odin” among the Vikings is the god of war, it is the prerogative of all the gods and the most powerful of all. By naming the city, the founder of Odense wanted to make the city the undisputed capital of all Scandinavia.
There are about 177,000 inhabitants in Odense, a town in southern Denmark. It is in this respect that the city ranks third in the ranking of the largest cities in Denmark.
4. Aalborg, a beautiful city in the north
This city is the largest in the north of the country, a must before going to discover the beautiful landscapes of the north of the country. Aalborg is one of the largest cities in Denmark, with 130 853 inhabitants, and is ranked fourth in the rankings. Be aware that this figure is likely to move as a merger with the neighboring town of Norresunby in 2014.
What to do in Aalborg?
This city was historically an important center where lived the ancestors of the Danes, the property named Vikings. Ten kilometers north of Aalborg city center is a Viking cemetery. Today Aalborg could almost be considered a test center for modern architecture. The Kunsten, the city’s contemporary art museum or the Music Hall, and the Utzon architectural center, are three emblematic buildings of the city’s revival. Today the most famous citizen of the city of Aalborg is none other than Jorn Utzon, the architect who designed the Sydney Opera House. Apart from the modernism of Aalborg, the historic city center of the city is also superb and worth the detour.
5. Esbjerg
This sizeable Danish city has the distinction of being the only one to be on the East Coast. Esbjerg is a city whose development has always been assured by its vast port. It is also the most important commercial port in Denmark. The other unique feature of Esbjerg is that it is located around 30 kilometers from the largest offshore wind farm in the world. The fifth-largest city in Denmark has Just over 72,100 inhabitants.
To do around Esbjerg
Esberg is located just north of the Vadehavet National Park. A park better known as the Wadden Sea National Park. It is a site of almost 1,500 km2 which includes a marine reserve of more than 1,150 km2. One of the gateways to this park is Ribe, one of the most beautiful cities in Denmark.
6. Kolding
There are 60,300 inhabitants in Kolding, a city at the crossroads between the East and the mainland of Denmark.
What to do in Kolding?
This city is not the most popular tourist destination in the country, however, if you are passing through the town do not hesitate to go for a detour through the Kolding Castle, the Botanical Garden, or the Museum of Fine Arts Kolding.
7. Horsens
The population of the city of Horsens is 58 646 inhabitants. The people of the agglomeration is about 90,000 inhabitants. This mid-Jutland town dates from the twelfth century and extends over nearly 190 square kilometers. Geographically it is about fifty kilometers south of Aarhus and about thirty kilometers north of Vejle, which is also one of the biggest cities in Denmark.
8. Randers
This northeastern Danish city lies in the Jutland central region. It is an important economic center, turned to the industry. Moreover, it is in Randers that the headquarters of Vestas. It is a large manufacturer of wind turbines that employs around fifteen thousand people and each year generates more than 9 billion euros in turnover. Randers brings together nearly 56,000 inhabitants, and it occupies eighth place in the ranking of the largest cities in Denmark.
9. Vejle
Located in the center of Denmark, Vejle is a medium-sized town that was for a long time considered an industrial center of Denmark. This city had 52,573 inhabitants at the time of the last census.
10. Herning
This city in the center of the country is located inland. In 2017, there were 49,230 inhabitants. But with its agglomeration, the figure is almost doubled with about 87,000 inhabitants.
Source: data UN
Photo credits: Yann Vernerie