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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2014}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                    = Aabenraa
| native_name             = ''Affenråe'' ([[South Jutlandic]])<br>{{native name|de|Apenrade}}
| other_name              =
| settlement_type         = Town
<!-- images, nickname, motto -->
| image_skyline           = Vægterpladsen Aabenraa.jpg
| image_caption           = Aabenraa in mid-July 2006
| image_flag              =
| image_shield            = Coat of arms of Aabenraa.svg
| motto                   =
| nickname                =
| etymology               =
<!-- location -->
| subdivision_type        = Country
| subdivision_name        = [[Denmark]]
| subdivision_type1       = [[Regions of Denmark|Region]]
| subdivision_name1       = [[Region of Southern Denmark|Southern Denmark]]
| subdivision_type2       = [[Municipalities of Denmark|Municipality]]
| subdivision_name2       = [[Aabenraa Municipality|Aabenraa]]
<!-- maps and coordinates -->
| image_map               =
| map_caption             =
| pushpin_map             = Denmark#Denmark Region of Southern Denmark
| pushpin_relief          =
| pushpin_map_caption     = Location in Denmark
| coordinates             = {{coord|55|2|40|N|9|25|5|E|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes   =
<!-- established -->
| established_title       =
| established_date        =
<!-- area -->
| area_footnotes          =
| area_urban_km2          = 9.69
| area_total_sq_mi        =
| area_land_sq_mi         =
| area_water_sq_mi        =
<!-- elevation -->
| elevation_footnotes     =
| elevation_m             =
| elevation_ft            =
<!-- population -->
| population_as_of        = 2024
| population_footnotes    = <ref name=pop/>
| population_urban        = 16505
| population_density_urban_km2  = auto
| population_density_sq_mi =
| population_blank1_title  = Gender <ref>[https://m.statbank.dk/TableInfo/BY1?lang=en BY1: Population 1. January by urban areas, age and sex] The Mobile Statbank from [[Statistics Denmark]]</ref>
| population_blank1       = 7947 males and 8558
females
| population_demonym      =
<!-- time zone(s) -->
| timezone1               = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset1             = +1
| timezone1_DST           = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset1_DST         = +2
| timezone2               =
| utc_offset2             =
| timezone2_DST           =
| utc_offset2_DST         =
<!-- postal codes, area code -->
| postal_code_type        = Postal code
| postal_code             = DK-6200 Aabenraa
| area_code_type          =
| area_code               =
| geocode                 =
| iso_code                =
<!-- website, footnotes -->
| website                 = {{URL|http://www.aabenraa.dk/}}
| footnotes               =
}}
'''Aabenraa''' ({{IPA|da|ɔːpm̩ˈʁɔˀ}}; {{Langx|de|Apenrade}}, {{IPA|de|apn̩ˈʁaːdə|pron|De-Apenrade.ogg}}; [[South Jutlandic]]: ''Affenråe'', also known as '''Åbenrå''') is a town in [[Southern Denmark]], at the head of the Aabenraa Fjord, an arm of the [[Little Belt]], {{convert|26|km}} north of the [[Denmark–Germany border]] and {{convert|32|km}} north of German town of [[Flensburg]]. It was the seat of [[South Jutland County|Sønderjyllands Amt]] (South Jutland County)<ref name="EB">{{cite encyclopedia |editor-first=Dale H. |editor-last=Hoiberg |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |title=Åbenrå |edition=15th |year=2010 |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica Inc. |volume=I: A-ak Bayes |location=Chicago, Illinois |isbn=978-1-59339-837-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newencyclopaedia2009ency/page/26 26] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/newencyclopaedia2009ency/page/26 }}</ref> until 1 January 2007, when the [[Region of Southern Denmark]] was created as part of the 2007 Danish Municipal Reform. With a population of 16,505 (1 January 2024),<ref name=pop>[https://m.statbank.dk/TableInfo/BY3?lang=en BY3: Population 1. January by urban areas, area and population density] The Mobile Statbank from [[Statistics Denmark]]</ref> Aabenraa is the largest town and the seat of the [[Aabenraa Municipality]].
The name Aabenraa originally meant "open beach" ({{langx|da|åben strand}}).
== History ==
Aabenraa was first mentioned in historic accounts in the 12th century, when it was attacked by the [[Wends]].<ref name="EB" />
Aabenraa started growing in the early [[Middle Ages]] around Opnør Hus, the bishop's castle, and received status as a merchant town in 1240, and in 1335 it received a charter.<ref name="EB" /> During the Middle Ages the town was known for its fishing industry and for its production of [[hops]].
Between 1560 and 1721 the town was under the rule of the [[Dukes of Holstein-Gottorp]].
[[File:Jessen - Ceres af Aabenraa - 1826.jpg|thumb|Jessen - Ceres af Aabenraa - 1826]]
The town's glory days were during the period of the 1750s to c. 1864, when ship traffic was at a high growth rate with trade to the [[Mediterranean Sea]], [[China]], [[South America]], and [[Australia]].  It possessed a good harbour, which afforded shelter for a large carrying trade, Aabenraa having the Danish monarchy's third-largest trade fleet, after [[Copenhagen]] and [[Flensburg|Flensborg]].  The city had a number of [[shipbuilding]] yards, which were known for their fine ships.  The best known being the [[clipper]] ''Cimber,'' which in 1857 sailed from [[Liverpool]] to [[San Francisco]] in 106 days.  Fishing and various small factories also provided occupations for the population.
From 1864 as a result of the [[Second War of Schleswig]] it was part of [[Prussia]], and as such part of the [[North German Confederation]], and from 1871 onwards, part of the [[German Empire]]. In the 1920 [[Schleswig Plebiscite]] that brought [[Northern Schleswig]] to Denmark, 55.1% of Aabenraa's inhabitants voted for remaining part of Germany and 44.9% voted for the cession to Denmark. However, since a plurality of votes in the surrounding [[Aabenraa municipality]] voted to join Denmark, the town was thus ceded to the Danish crown.<ref>[http://www.dhm.de/lemo/forum/kollektives_gedaechtnis/082/nachher.html Kollektives Gedächtnis: Volksabstimmung in Schleswig-Holstein 1920<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
<!-- Fra 1864 blev byen centrum for det danske nationale arbejde. (Translate, but need a bit more information on this.-->
<!-- Ved folkeafstemningen i 1920 var der 2323 danske og 2734 tyske stemmer.  (Translate, but need a bit more information on this.-->
[[File:Aabenraa 1923.jpg|thumb|Map of Aabenraa in 1923.]]
After the 1948 Danish [[spelling reform]], which abolished the digraph Aa in favor of [[Å]], there was fervent resistance in Aabenraa. The town feared, among other things, to lose its status as first in alphabetical listings (and reputedly the first town alphabetically anywhere in the world),<ref>Jennings, K., "[https://www.cntraveler.com/story/why-the-danish-town-of-aabenraa-refuses-to-change-its-name Why the Danish Town of Aabenraa Refuses to Change Its Name]," ''Conde Nast Traveler'', 13 November 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2022.</ref> because the letter ''Å'' is the last letter in the [[Dano-Norwegian alphabet]]. A later revision of the spelling rules allowed for retaining the Aa spelling as an option. While the municipality of Aabenraa and most local citizens use the Aa spelling, Åbenrå remains the option recommended by the [[Dansk Sprognævn|Danish Language Board]].<ref>[http://sproget.dk/raad-og-regler/retskrivningsregler_mv/retskrivningsregler/a7-1-6/a7-3-a-og-dobbelt-a Orthography rules, §&nbsp;3.2] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100513222810/http://sproget.dk/raad-og-regler/retskrivningsregler_mv/retskrivningsregler/a7-1-6/a7-3-a-og-dobbelt-a |date=13 May 2010 }}, sproget.dk (in Danish)</ref>
On June 14, 2019, a low-end IF2/F2/T4 [[tornado]] touched down in Aabenraa.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eswd.eu/cgi-bin/eswd.cgi?lang=en_0&lastquery=20253051719&force_dynamic_map=true|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211103202656/https://eswd.eu/cgi-bin/eswd.cgi?lang=en_0&lastquery=20253051719&force_dynamic_map=true|archive-date = 3 November 2021|title = European Severe Weather Database}}</ref> Two vehicles were flipped on the local hospital's parking lot.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://vejr.tv2.dk/2019-06-22-biler-blev-vaeltet-rundt-aabenraa-var-ramt-af-tornado|title=Biler blev væltet rundt - Aabenraa var ramt af tornado - TV 2|date=22 June 2019}}</ref> Another primarily rated High-end IF1/F1/T3 tornado struck åbenrå on July 13, 2023, causing moderate damage. Some trees were downed & some buildings were damaged, including one commercial building that had its roof severely blown away. 6 cars were damaged with one being moved 50 Centimetres.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://eswd.eu/cgi-bin/eswd.cgi?lang=en_0&lastquery=19253794835 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230713192802/https://eswd.eu/cgi-bin/eswd.cgi?lang=en_0&lastquery=19253794835 | archive-date=2023-07-13 | title=European Severe Weather Database }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://jv.dk/aabenraa/skypumpe-haerger-i-aabenraa-trae-blev-revet-op-med-roedder | title=Se videoen og vejrfænomenets rute gennem Aabenraa: Skypumpe hærgede - træer blev revet op med rødder, og bil blev flyttet 50 centimeter &#124; jv.dk | date=13 July 2023 }}</ref>
== Today ==
The town has a {{convert|7.5|m|ft|adj=mid|-deep|sp=us}} harbour, with a significant shipping trade.  There is various industry in the city, including [[Marcussen & Søn|Marcussen]]'s Organ Building (''Marcussens Orgelbyggeri'') and Callesens Machineworks (''Callesens Maskinfabrik'').  The city is the administrative center for the county. [[Danmarks Radio]] has an office in the city. A [[North Schleswig Germans|German]] minority live in Aabenraa and they publish ''[[Der Nordschleswiger]]'' newspaper in German.
Some noteworthy buildings in the town are {{ill|St. Nicholas Church, Aabenraa|lt=St. Nicholas Church|da|Sankt Nicolai Kirke (Aabenraa)|de|Nicolaikirche (Aabenraa)}} (''Sankt Nicolai Kirke'') from the time of King [[Valdemar II of Denmark|Valdemar]] with construction beginning ca. 1250, and restored from 1949 to 1956.<ref name="EB" /> {{ill|Brundlund Castle|da|Brundlund Slot|pl|Brundlund}} (''Brundlund Slot''), erected by Queen [[Margaret I of Denmark|Margaret I]] 1411, and rebuilt in 1807,<ref name="EB" /> today is home to the Brundlund Slot Art Museum (''Kunstmuseet Brundlund Slot''). The town is a bathing resort, as is [[Elisenlund]] close by.
The city has several preserved neighborhoods from the 1800s including ''Slotsgade'', ''Store Pottergade'', ''Lille Pottergade'', ''Nygade'', ''Nybro'', ''Skibbrogade'' and ''Gildegade''.
== Education ==
A branch of [[University College South]] ({{langx|da|University College Syd}}) can be found in Aabenraa.
== Transport and Infrastructure ==
The [[Port of Aabenraa]] is the only remaining active commercial port in [[Southern Jutland]]. With a depth of 18 meters it is the deepest port in the eastern part of the [[Baltic Sea]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aabenraaport.dk/en|title=The Port of Aabenraa|publisher=[[Port of Aabenraa]]|access-date=5 July 2024|language=en}}</ref>
Aabenraa is located close to [[European route E45]] motorway.
The nearest railway station is [[Rødekro railway station]] which is located on the [[Fredericia–Padborg railway line]] {{circa}} 8 km northwest of Aabenraa.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dsb.dk/kundeservice/stationer/rodekro/|title=Rødekro Station|publisher=DSB|language=da|access-date=5 July 2024|website=dsb.dk}}</ref>
== Notable people ==
[[File:Maleren C.W. Eckersberg. (1832).jpg|thumb|140px|C.W. Eckersberg, 1832]]
=== The arts ===
* [[Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg]] (1783 in Blåkrog – 1853) Danish painter, laid the foundations for the [[Golden Age of Danish Painting]]<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Eckersberg, Kristoffer |volume= 08 |short=x}}</ref>
* [[Anna Christiane Ludvigsen]] (1794 – 1864), poet who gained popularity in Southern Jutland
* [[Magda von Dolcke]] (1838 in Åbenrå – 1926), Danish stage actress, known for her relationship with King [[Oscar II of Sweden]]
* [[Emil Nolde]] (1867 in Burkal – 1956), German-Danish painter and printmaker, one of the first [[Expressionists]]
* [[Karl Clausen]] (1904 in Åbenrå – 1972), Danish pianist, conductor, composer, and musicologist
* [[Lisbeth Balslev]] (born 1945 in Åbenrå), operatic soprano, especially in Wagnerian operas<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0051149/ IMDb Database] retrieved 28 April 2020</ref>
=== Public thinking and public service ===
[[File:Eva-Kjer-Hansen.jpg|thumb|140px|Eva Kjer Hansen, 2008]]
* [[Andreas du Plessis de Richelieu]] (1852 in Åbenrå – 1932), Danish naval officer and businessman, became a Siamese admiral and minister
* [[Ernst Reuter]] (1889 in Apenrade – 1953), the German [[Governing Mayor of Berlin|Mayor of West Berlin]] from 1948 to 1953
* [[Frits Clausen]] (1893 in Åbenrå – 1947), leader of the [[National Socialist Workers' Party of Denmark]] (DNSAP)
* [[Camma Larsen-Ledet]] (1915 – 1991 in Åbenrå), politician, Mayor of Aabenraa 1970–1986
* [[Bertel Haarder]] (born 1944 in Rønshoved), politician, longest serving Danish minister since 2001
* [[Jens-Peter Bonde]] (1948 – 2021 in Åbenrå), former politician and [[Member of the European Parliament|MEP]]
* [[Poul Mathias Thomsen]] (born 1955 in Aabenraa), Danish economist working for the [[International Monetary Fund|IMF]]
* [[Eva Kjer Hansen]] (born 1964 in Hellevad), Danish politician - [[Venstre (Denmark)|Venstre]]
=== Science and business ===
* [[Christian Friedrich Ecklon]] (1795 – 1868), botanical collector and apothecary, came from Åbenrå
* [[Michael Jebsen]] (1835 in Apenrade – 1899) ship's captain and ship owner, progenitor of the [[Jebsen Group]] in HongKong
* [[Niels Jacobsen]] (1865 in Åbenrå - 1935), architect and politician, Chairman of [[The Lego Group]]
[[File:Hansen curt 20061029 berlin bundesliga.jpg|140px|thumb|Curt Hansen, 2006]]
* [[Jes Peter Asmussen]] (1928 in Åbenrå – 2002), Danish [[Iranologist]]
* [[Birte Melsen]] (born 1939 in Åbenrå), [[orthodontist]]
=== Sport ===
* [[Morten Bruun]] (born 1965 in Åbenrå), retired footballer, played 464 games for [[Silkeborg IF]]
* [[Curt Hansen (chess player)|Curt Hansen]] (born 1964 in [[Bov municipality|Bov]]), Danish chess Grandmaster
* [[Sidsel Bodholt Nielsen]] (born 1989 in Åbenrå), Danish handball player
== Gallery ==
<gallery mode=packed>
File:Aabenraa Museum Sønderjyllands Søfartsmuseum.jpg|Maritime Museum
File:Rådhus Aabenraa.JPG|Town Hall
File:Storetorv, Aabenraa 2009.jpg|Storetorv
File:Aabenraa - Sct. Nicolai Kirke.jpg|St. Nicholas Church
File:AabenraaBeach.jpg|Beach
File:Vægterpladsen 1A, Aabenraa 01.jpg|Handwerkerhaus
File:Vægterpladsen Aabenraa.jpg|Vægterpladsen Aabenraa
File:Aabenraa - Storegade.JPG|Storegade
</gallery>
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
{{Wikivoyage|Åbenrå}}
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.aabenraa.dk/ Aabenraa Kommune ('''Danish''')]
* [http://www.aabenraaugeavis.dk/ Aabenraa Ugeavis ('''Danish''')]
* [http://www.aabenraaport.dk/en Port of Aabenraa ('''English''')]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080407215754/http://www.visitaabenraa.dk/home.htm Aabenraa Tourism ('''English''')]
* [http://www.jv.dk/aabenraa Jydske Vestkysten Aabenraa] Newspaper ('''Danish''')
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071208074131/http://www.nordschleswiger.dk/SEEEMS/2.asp Der Nordschleswiger] Newspaper ('''German''')
* {{cite EB1911|wstitle=Apenrade |volume=2 |short=x}}
{{Aabenraa Municipality}}
{{Municipal seats of Denmark}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Municipal seats of the Region of Southern Denmark]]
[[Category:Municipal seats of Denmark]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in the Region of Southern Denmark]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns of the Baltic Sea]]
[[Category:Aabenraa Municipality]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns in Denmark]]