Right under Algade: Visit Aalborg’s old dungeon

Autumn break is just around the corner.

Yes… We also feel like the summer holiday has only just ended, but it’s true.

But what should you spend the holiday doing?

One option could be to visit one of the city’s most eerie places.

On Tuesday, October 15, and Thursday, October 17, Aalborg Historical Museum invites you to step into the medieval dungeon, Rakkerens Hule.

An extraordinary opportunity

Originally, this was the cellar of the medieval Vesterport, first mentioned in 1440. It lost its function as a city gate by the mid-1500s, but until the 1700s, the cellar was used as a dungeon.

Today, the dungeon is hidden under Algade, just outside the museum, and is usually not accessible to the public.

However, during the autumn holiday, you’ll have an extraordinary chance to walk down the old winding staircase made of brick—right under Algade—and visit the dungeon.

That is, if you dare!

Along the way, you’ll also hear more about the place’s history from one of the museum’s guides.

A dungeon for witches and beggars—and the city’s rakker

In the dungeon, one could find so-called dishonest prisoners, witches, beggars, the city’s rakker, and other people of low status.

A rakker is an old term for a person who did sanitation work and skinned dead animals—and they often assisted the city’s executioner as well.

Hence the name Rakkerens Hule, which is still used for the cellar today.

If you purchase a ticket to visit the dungeon, you also gain access to Aalborg Historical Museum on the same day.

So, if you’re interested in even more Aalborg history, you’ll also have the chance to see a stool sample left by the city’s bishop in the late 1600s or a mass grave from 1534—the possibilities are many.

Tickets for a tour of Rakkerens Hule can be purchased via the link here.