Aabenraa

The city of Aabenraa or Åbenrå (German: Apenrade, pronounced [aːpənˈʁaːdə], Sønderjysk: Affenråe), with a population of 15,760 (1 January 2011), is situated at the head of the Aabenraa Fjord, an arm of the Little Belt, in Denmark, 38 miles (61 km) north of the town of Schleswig. Its name originally meant "open beach" (Danish: åben strand). Aabenraa is located in Aabenraa Municipality. Aabenraa started growing in the early Middle Ages around Opnør Hus, the bishop's castle, and received status as a merchant town in 1240. 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. The town's glory days were during the...