The Business Archives and the National Archives

Distance: 10.09 Km

The Business Archive is one of Aarhus' many great architectural works. It was built in the years 1898 - 1902 and designed by Hack Kampmann.

The building functioned from the start as a state library, then as an archive from 1948 to 2015, in the last year however with the name Rigsarkivet, Aarhus. The archive was part of the State Archives, but from 2016 the tasks were transferred to the National Archives, Viborg, which meant that the Commercial Archive has today been transformed into a part of the Court in Aarhus. But the building still stands at Vester Alle 12 and stands out in the company of prominent buildings such as the art museum ARoS and Aarhus Court Building.

Hack Kampmann and the Business Archive

Hack Kampmann's buildings are reminiscent of something. They arose on the basis of the architect's associations, and are therefore loaded with content and moods. From a distance, the Business Archive presents itself as an inaccessible box that closes in on its treasures. It is a low and inviting façade that meets you almost Renaissance-like with the richly decorated entrance portal. The archive is reminiscent of the Parthenon, the temple on the Acropolis, because the tall windows divide the building as if it were a row of columns.

Ingenious details and symbols

The detail decoration is partly carried out in collaboration with the visual artist K.Hansen Reistrup. The building is full of symbolism that tells about its interior: the owl frieze is obvious in its symbolism. Note also that the Spanish corbels supporting the overhang of the roof are designed as stacked scrolls, and the entrance is guarded by Assyrian lions.

The business archive is currently only possible to see from the outside.