Jørgen Olufsens House

Jørgen Olufsen was the half-brother of Jens Bang, who allegedly looked at this merchant's house and said, "Do you call that a house? Now I will show you how to build a house!" He then built Jens Bang's Stone House, which has become the most photographed house in Aalborg.

Architecture of the Merchant's House

However, Jørgen Olufsen's house is still worth a visit. The merchant's house consists of crooked warehouses in three stories with hoisting beams and long rows of hatches for the grain magazines. In the gateway to Østerågade, there is an iron bar with a sturdy hook. Here, all weighing in and out took place, allowing customers to verify that everything was done honestly.

The building consists partly of a stone house with its gable facing the street and a half-timbered wing, often called Hamborggården. The large cellar doors of the gable house indicate that there was once both a stream and a harbor.

360 Years and Still Beautiful

The stone house with the high steps is richly decorated. The sandstone portal with male and female herms bears the initials of the builder, Mayor Jørgen Olufsen, and the year 1616. In a niche higher up stands a lovely lady. Despite her great age, over 360 years, she has maintained her beauty remarkably. According to legend, her youthful appearance is due to bees using the figure as a beehive over time, which impregnated the woodwork with beeswax