Poised on Jutland's east coast, the earliest documented reference to Aarhus dates from the 10th Century, when Jute tribesmen had settled the fertile floodplain at a river's mouth where Aarhus now sits. Though for many years it was a relatively small town, Aarhus quickly grew in importance and size in the 19th and early 20th Centuries. Today it is Denmark's second city in size, population and economic importance, and it is the only major port city that is connected to the European mainland. It is know for its friendly, unpretentious citizenry, markers of its viking heritage, half-timbered houses, and its central location. Some of its most prominent landmarks include the AroS Aarhus Kunstmuseum, Moesgaard Museum, the Aarhus Botanical Gardens, and Marselisborg Palace.
