Aalborg (pronunciation is the fourth-largest city in Denmark - after Copenhagen, Aarhus and Odense - with an urban population of 121,540 (2006). The earliest settlements date back to around 700 AD. Its location by the Limfjord made it an important harbour during the Middle Ages and an industrial centre later. Today the city is in a transition from a working-class, industrial city to a knowledge-based one. One of the driving forces in the transition is the University of Aalborg, founded in 1974.

It is the location of Aalborg Air Base, an important base of the Danish air force, and is the seat of a Lutheran bishop.

The old castle Aalborghus Castle (Aalborghus Slot) and some picturesque houses of the 17th century remain in the center of the town. The half-timbered (bindingsværk) castle was built in 1550 by King Christian III, and was converted to government administration offices in the 1950s.
Jens Bang's House, a five story building built in 1624 by the merchant Jens Bang is an example of renaissance architecture. It is located on Nytorv next to the old Town Hall.
Budolfi Church cathedral dates mostly from the middle of the 18th century, while Vor Frue Kirke (Church of Our Lady) was partially burnt in 1894. The foundations of both churches are from the 14th century or earlier.
Underneath the main pedestrian shopping street is a newly opened museum of the excavation of a monastery from the 11th century.
Aalborgtårnet is a tripod tower erected in 1933. The tower still gives an exquisite view over the fjord and the city from its 105 m rise over the sea level. Just below the hill of the tower is Aalborg Kunstmuseum (Aalborg museum of Art) in a building designed by Finnish architect Alvar Alto.
On the north side of the Limfjord is Nørresundby, which is connected to Aalborg by a road bridge, an iron railway bridge, as well as a motorway tunnel running under the Limfjord. Nørresundby is the site of the Lindholm Høje settlement and burial ground from the Germanic Iron Age and Viking times. There is also a museum on the site.
Aalborg Historical Museum is located in the city.

Carnival in Aalborg
The annual Carnival in Aalborg takes place in the weekend of week 21 (usually the last week in May). The Carnival is actually three events, the children's carnival (Børnekarneval), the battle of carnival bands, and the carnival itself.
During the carnival, Aalborg receives about 100,000 people. The children's carnival is a carnival dedicated to the children, with performances and activities for children. Friday “The Battle of Carnival Bands” is an exciting and colourful evening with processions through the city when all the participating groups compete to be the leading carnival group.
The carnival itself is the following Saturday – on this day the city centre is full of life. The streets are filled with gaily dressed people who are in a real spring mood. In Kilde Park concerts are given from various stages all day to midnight. The Carnival ends with a grand firework display.

Jomfru Ane Gade
 
Jomfru Ane Gade, 2006One of the most popular and famous streets in Aalborg, maybe even in Denmark and parts of Norway, Sweden and Germany is Jomfru Ane Gade, or simply just "Gaden" (The Street). The name translates to "Virgin Anne's Street" in English. The pubs and restaurants on this street offer beer and other spirits for some of the most competitive prices in Denmark.
Jomfru Ane Gade is a café and restaurant street during day and at night turns into clubs, discos and bars. During the 90s the street was infamous for being a hang out of two biker gangs who were at war for some years all over Scandinavia. But as the bikers disappeared from the street it became even more popular among all ages.
During the day tourists and employees in the city uses the street as a restaurant street, in the afternoon some of the cafés open. Around 11 pm the mood of the street changes into more of a party street where the younger people show up. Even during the workdays there is a fairly large crowd in the street, but during weekends it is hard to make the way through the enormous crowds.