1: The Viking Museum

2: The Merchant

3: The Smithy

4: The First Church  

5: The Tannery

6: The Skull

7: The Collapsed Church

8: The Rampart

9: The Burial Place

10: A Street from the Viking Age

11: The Comb Maker

12: The Rampart

Here's where the story ends...

Burnt down by Harold Hårderåde in 1050 A.D. The Church of Our Lady was the first cathedral in Århus. It was dedicated to Saint Nicolai, and is probably on the site where the town´s first stave church was erected in the 10th century. This is probably the church that the Norwegian king Harold Hårderåde burnt down in 1050 A.D., when he attacked the town. The Church of Saint Nicolai was probably erected outside the town centre because the new faith originally had many opponents. It is unlikely that they would have accepted a siting at the centre of town. It is assumed that around the year 965 A.D., when king Harold Bluetooth made Christianity the official state religion, a stave church stood on the site. This is probably the church that the Norwegian king Harold Hårderåde burnt down in 1050 A.D., when he attacked the town. Around 1060-1070 A.D. a stone church was erected on the site. This church is partially preserved to this day. It is visible in large parts of the crypt under the church, and in parts of the north wall of the church. We have here the oldest standing brickwork in present-day Denmark. That the Church of Saint Nicolai was erected outside the town centre, is a feature known from several of the earliest towns. The new faith originally had many opponents, and a siting somewhat outside town was an acceptable solution for all. In the 1190s work began on the present Saint Clement Cathedral. When that was ready for consecration a couple of decades into the 13th century, Saint Nicolai lost its status as cathedral, and around 1239 was given to an order of Dominican friars.