Juuls Gård (Juul's House), Aarhus

Juul's House is a historic structure located in Aarhus. Constructed in 1629, this building is officially recognized and preserved as part of the national Danish registry of protected buildings and places, under the supervision of the Danish Heritage Agency. It stands as one of the oldest buildings in the city. Since 1842, it has operated as a paint shop, making it the oldest of its kind in Denmark.

Originally constructed as two separate houses around 1600, these buildings were merged into one entity in 1629. For the first 200 years, it served dual functions as both a store and residence, although specific details from this period remain sparse.

In 1830, the building's story shifted when Abraham Lewis, a Jewish merchant, bought it and opened a store. By 1837, financial troubles led to his bankruptcy and imprisonment for debt, after which he vanished from public records. In 1842, I.C. Juul took over, starting a new era by selling various items such as herring, cigars, and cognac, before eventually specializing in imported and mixed paint.

To this day, the establishment continues to operate as a paint shop and retains the Juul name. The building's long history is palpable to visitors, exemplified by a paint bucket autographed by most employees since 1880 and a collection of paint samples spanning a century.

Architecturally, Juul's House is a quintessential example of a half-timbered Renaissance house. The structure features four wings arranged around a central courtyard, each constructed in different periods. The main facade on Mejlgade Street was formed by joining two earlier houses in 1629. The wing along the neighboring property at no. 23 dates back to around 1600, while the main building was erected slightly later. The back building was added in the late 1700s, and in 1851, a lower, narrower wing was built along Graven Street, completing the estate's four-winged layout with its internal courtyard.

Juul's House not only reflects the architectural styles and urban development of its time but also offers a vivid slice of Danish commercial history, preserved within the heart of Aarhus.