Aarhus Theatre is a house with secrets in every corner

When you stand in front of Aarhus Theatre, it's easy to be dazzled by the impressive facade. But behind every detail are hidden stories, which archivist Marianne Ninna Philipsen unfolded during the theatre's 125th anniversary. It became a journey into a house where everything is thought out, from the swans in the ceiling to the devil on the roof.

Who built Aarhus Theatre?

Architect Hack Kampmann was commissioned to design Aarhus Theatre, but he was not alone. His close collaborator, the artist Karl Hansen Reistrup, left his mark on everything from the frieze on the gable to the ceramic details. Together they created a building that was both monumental and full of little stories.

The two had already worked together on Marselisborg Castle and parts of the Cathedral, among other things. In the theater they combined everything they could: architecture, art and symbolism in one.

Swans, stars and fire

Inside the Main Stage, everything is built around the four elements – earth, water, air and fire. The large chandelier in the ceiling symbolizes the sun, surrounded by stars and flames. Swans from Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale The Wild Swans fly around, each with a small gold-crowned detail.

On the walls you can see seagulls and fish, drawing the sea and the city into the house. Nothing is accidental, everything is created to reflect both nature and Aarhus as a port city.

Why is there a devil sitting on the roof of Aarhus Theatre?

Perhaps the most talked about detail is the devil on the roof. Rumors have long said that it was placed there as a provocation against the Cathedral right next door. But the truth is probably a little different: the figure is a guardian, a symbol that was supposed to protect the house.

When it was hoisted a few days before the opening in 1900, hundreds of Aarhusians crowded in front of the theater to see it find its place. And since then it has sat there as the guardian of the house and a bit of a secret to everyone who looks up.

When you visit the theater, you should also take time to admire the architecture, and you will find lots of exciting background information in our theme about experiences at Aarhus Theatre, where both building and acting are in focus.

What is Aarhus Theatre made of?

The building stands on a granite foundation and is clad with French Safrian stone, a light sandstone that makes the house recognizable from a long distance.

Reistrup was responsible for all the ceramics, both outside and inside. The gable frieze is made of glazed tiles from Kähler in Næstved. In fact, it was the work of hitting the right colors in the firing that delayed the construction. And it is precisely small details like that that help give the facade its special expression.

Even in the foyer and on the balconies, the whole is thought of. Here, it was originally intended that portraits of great playwrights would adorn the walls, a plan that was never completed, but which testifies to the great ambitions with which the theater was born.

How many people can sit in Aarhus Theatre?

Store Scene could originally accommodate around 1.000 people, with both benches and standing space. Today there is room for around 700. The space is still the same, with golden wallpaper, colors from the opening year and chairs that follow Kampmann's original design.

Even when the hall is renovated, work is being done to bring it back to its original state. So that today, 125 years later, you can still walk into a room that feels like it did back then, just with a little more comfort.

What role does Aarhus Theatre play today?

Marianne Ninna Philipsen's presentation reminded us that Aarhus Theatre is not just a place where performances are performed. It is a performance itself, with the facade, the ceiling, the ceramics and the symbols as backdrops. A building that in itself is a story about the city's ambitions, the role of art and all that we can see if we take a second look.

When you stand on Bispetorv today, 125 years after the opening, it is still possible to feel the energy that the citizens of Aarhus put into the project.

And perhaps that is precisely why the theater feels so much like the city's own, a house that still tells a story.

How to see the details yourself

The next time you pass by Aarhus Theatre, remember to look up and around:

• The swans in the ceiling
• The Devil on the Roof
• The eagles on the facade
• Ceramic details from Kähler

They are still there, ready to remind you that Aarhus Theatre has always been more than just a building. It is a piece of living urban history, where even the walls tell stories.

Source: Presentation at Aarhus Theatre's 125th anniversary History Festival, September 14, Marianne Ninna Philipsen, archivist at Aarhus Theatre.