ARHUS

amtskommune (county commune), eastern Jutland, Denmark. Occupying 1,761 square miles (4,561 square km), it was created in 1970 from the former county communes of rhus, Randers, and part of Skanderborg. It extends along Jutland's eastern coast between Mariager and Horsens fjords. The northern part of the county commune is dominated by the Djursland Peninsula, an area of castles and estates, including Rosenholm Castle (home of the Rosenkrantz nobles) and Gammel Estrup, an early 17th-century manor house converted into the Museum of the Jutland Estates. In the southwest, between Silkeborg and Skanderborg, lie the Silkeborg Lake district and the Hill of Heaven. Most of the county commune is fertile lowland forming a prosperous agricultural region. Pop. (1989 est.) 594,184. also spelled Aarhus, city, seat of rhus amtskommune (county commune), eastern Jutland, Denmark. It lies along rhus Bay and has an extensive harbour. Its origin is unknown, although traces of a Viking settlement have been found near the outflow of the now-covered rhus stream. The oldest existing charter for the town (1441) refers to a still-earlier charter. rhus became a bishopric in 948 and prospered during the European Middle Ages, having many religious institutions at that time, but the city declined after the Reformation. Beginning in the 19th century, industrialization, the extension of the Danish railway system, and the expansion of its harbour stimulated the city's growth to the point that rhus is now Jutland's foremost city and the second largest city in Denmark. It is a busy port and is the centre of commerce and industry in Jutland. rhus' manufactures include metals, chemicals, machinery, beer, and tobacco products, and there are shipbuilding facilities. Many old buildings can be found in the Old Town section of the city. Medieval landmarks include the 11th-century crypt of St. Nicholas under the Church of Our Lady and the 13th-century rhus Cathedral dedicated to St. Clement, which has a 312-foot- (95-metre-) high tower and is the longest church (305 feet ) in Denmark. It was built in the Flamboyant Gothic style. The town hall (193842) and the university buildings (193346) are examples of modern Danish architecture. The rhus Art Museum (1858) includes a display of runic stones, and Den Gamle By is a unique open-air museum (1909) of an early Danish town. The Viking Museum contains exhibits of Viking artifacts. In addition to Aarhus University (opened 1928), there are several specialized colleges and an academy of music in the city. Pop. (1990 est.) 261,437.