The two cities chosen to represent European culture in 2017: Aarhus in Denmark and Paphos in Cyprus, could not be more different from each other. The former to the north and the latter to the south. The Danish city is an exponent of history on the shores of the Baltic, and the Cypriot city is the fruit of the millenary cultures of the Mare Nostrum. Aarhus, a paradigm of the quality of life in the Scandinavian region, and Paphos, an example of a Mediterranean that is focused on tourism.
Very different, but both are semi-recognised destinations. Nevertheless, both surprising and much more over the next twelve months.
Aarhus, Denmark’s university city
One sixth of the population of Aarhus are students. That’s an indication of the vitality of this city on the Jutland peninsula. There are always interesting cultural offerings in Aarhus. There are also interesting tourist attractions, such as the Old Town or Den Gamle. This area is a village within the city, made up of hundreds of houses, brought stone by stone from all parts of the country, to recreate here a sort of open-air museum that represents the whole of Denmark.
The open-air museum in Den Gamle, also known as Old Town
The Den Gamle, however, is a lifeless, after-hours scene. By contrast, the more vibrant Aarhus is in the Latin Quarter area , the city’s epicenter of antique dealers, gallery owners, designer shops and quality restaurants, as well as its greatest monumental attractions. Some as old as the grandiose 13th century Cathedral and others as modern as the Moesgaard Museum, a contemporary installation by Henning Larsen Architects designed to showcase the city’s Viking origins.
Moesgaard Museum
Your rainbow Panorama by Olafur Eliasson in the ARoS building
There are more examples of contemporary architecture in Aarhus. The ARoS building, which houses a contemporary art museum and a multi-coloured rooftop designed by artist Olafur Eliasson, is also worth discovering. And of course you should also visit the harbour area, which is the subject of such interesting developments as the Iceberg housing blocks, designed by four European architectural firms, which give a futuristic touch to the place, and contrast with the Den Gamle area could not be greater.
Iceberg Building, designed by JDS Architects, CEBRA of Aarhus, SeArch and Louis Paillard
“Let’s rethink”, the motto of the Capital of Culture
Aarhus invites us to rethink, to rethink culture, our society, our leisure. That is the purpose of the extensive program designed for 2017. A calendar with more than 350 events, which will begin on 21 January, when a large luminous caravan of cyclists arrives in the city, to be the spark that ignites the cultural capital.
From then on, a wide range of possibilities will open up, from dance to sport, from literature to opera, from theatre to gastronomy. All of this is centered on the streets of Aarhus and neighboring towns. Incidentally, half of the events are free of charge.
Spring appearance of Aarhus
Paphos, the birthplace of Aphrodite
Yes, this town on the southwest coast of Cyprus was chosen by the ancients to be the birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, who emerged from the sea and landed on the nearby beach of Petra tou Rimiou. A place where it is impossible not to be reminded of Botticelli’s famous painting: the Birth of Venus.
Petra tou Rimiou beach, near Paphos
These legendary, mythological and classical cultural airs abound throughout the city and its surroundings. Paphos and its surroundings are rich in monuments and archaeological remains, so much so that it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with such impressive sites as the Sepulchre of the Kings and the ancient Sanctuary of Aphrodite, which dates back to no less than the 12th century BC.
Sanctuary of the Kings
This is not the end of Paphos’ monumental claims to fame. There are many more. Temples that bear witness to the Greek and Hellenistic occupation of the island. Villas that tell us about the presence of the Romans, when Paphos was the capital of Cyprus. Or monasteries that reflect the establishment of Orthodox beliefs in this country. And all of this, on the shores of a placid Mediterranean Sea.
Archaeological sites from Roman times
First Cypriot city to be European Capital of Culture
Paphos is the fruit of its geographical location in the Eastern Mediterranean and its very long history with episodes involving all the civilisations that have sailed these waters. This location and its historical vicissitudes inspire the motto of its cultural capital: “Bridging continents, building bridges between cultures“.
This laudable objective aims to unite cultural expressions from Europe, the Middle East and North Africa in the same place. And it inspires a vast program of music, theatre, cinema, exhibitions, art, media and environmental performances, and lots and lots of street entertainment.
The Odeon of Paphos, built in ancient times, will be used for cultural capital events
In fact, many of the events scheduled for the coming months will take place outdoors, in front of the great monuments of Paphos, but also indoors, in the streets and squares of the city or on the surrounding beaches. It would be unforgivable not to take advantage of this historical and geographical setting.
Port of Paphos and Ottoman castle
All in all, 2017 is going to be the year of Paphos in Cyprus, and also of Aarhus in Denmark. Two fantastic destinations for a getaway in the coming months. At Horse, we firmly believe that either of these two trips will be a pleasant surprise. But in addition to its charms, there are also the events scheduled for its European capital. So don’t hesitate to check the calendar of cultural events beforehand.
