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Gothenburg
KNOWLEDGE OF Gothenburg
There have been many wars between Sweden and Denmark throughout history, and the Danes have occupied the fortress Älvsborgs fästning outside of Gothenburg many times. In 1613, Swedish and Danish delegates met in Knäred in the county of Halland for peace negotiations. This time, Denmark had occupied both Älvsborgs fästning and the areas which today constitute the city of Gothenburg. Sweden had to buy them back for the tidy sum of one million rixdollars.
But all of this happened before Gothenburg existed as a city. The town is one of many that were founded by the government in the 17th century. This was part of their economic policy, because urbanization made it much easier for the king to exert control over businesses and collect taxes from the citizens. The inspiration for this came from Holland.
The Dutch had a lot of influence in Gothenburg. In the late 16th century, king Karl IX improved relations with Holland and in 1603, while staying at Älvsborg Castle, he decided to build a town on the island of Hisingen. The king wanted to create a miniature Dutch colony and construction began in 1604. This made the Danes rather nervous, however, and in 1611 the Kalmar war broke out. The Danes occupied Älvsborgs fästning, and you know the rest of the story.
In 1619, the new king Gustav Adolf II was staying Älvsborg Castle. The Danes had reduced Gothenburg on Hisingen to ashes, but the Swedes would not give up. Instead, they planned a new site for Gothenburg on the mainland, a location which would be much easier to defend. It is said that Gustav Adolf II looked out from a hill in the marshlands, where Gothenburg now rests, pointed and said: "This is where we will build the town." This event is represented by a statue on Gustav Adolfs torg. But this statue is actually a copy of the original one, which fell into the sea off the Danish coast, after which it was melted down in Germany in 1942.
Göta älv, the river which runs through Gothenburg, has always played an important role in Swedish history. Archeologists have found the remains of an early Stone Age settlement from c. 7000 BC in the district of Kungsladugård near the river. In the 11th century, the river constituted the border between Sweden and Norway.
in the 17th century, Gothenburg boasted the most advanced defence system in Europe. It had a water-filled moat, a wall around the entire city, and two fortified towersSkansen Kronan and Skansen Lejonet. Amsterdam, with its regular blocks and canals with trees and bridges, served as the prototype for the city planners. A large part of the city area was marshlands with deep layers of mud. This required a lot of draining, but piling-works were also employed. It is because of the mud that there is no subway in Gothenburg.
Today, the district inside the moat is considered extremely attractive, but that has not always been the case. King Gustav Adolf had such trouble populating the area that he gave tax reductions to those who settled there. And those who still resisted found their houses burned down.
But all of this happened before Gothenburg existed as a city. The town is one of many that were founded by the government in the 17th century. This was part of their economic policy, because urbanization made it much easier for the king to exert control over businesses and collect taxes from the citizens. The inspiration for this came from Holland.
The Dutch had a lot of influence in Gothenburg. In the late 16th century, king Karl IX improved relations with Holland and in 1603, while staying at Älvsborg Castle, he decided to build a town on the island of Hisingen. The king wanted to create a miniature Dutch colony and construction began in 1604. This made the Danes rather nervous, however, and in 1611 the Kalmar war broke out. The Danes occupied Älvsborgs fästning, and you know the rest of the story.
In 1619, the new king Gustav Adolf II was staying Älvsborg Castle. The Danes had reduced Gothenburg on Hisingen to ashes, but the Swedes would not give up. Instead, they planned a new site for Gothenburg on the mainland, a location which would be much easier to defend. It is said that Gustav Adolf II looked out from a hill in the marshlands, where Gothenburg now rests, pointed and said: "This is where we will build the town." This event is represented by a statue on Gustav Adolfs torg. But this statue is actually a copy of the original one, which fell into the sea off the Danish coast, after which it was melted down in Germany in 1942.
Göta älv, the river which runs through Gothenburg, has always played an important role in Swedish history. Archeologists have found the remains of an early Stone Age settlement from c. 7000 BC in the district of Kungsladugård near the river. In the 11th century, the river constituted the border between Sweden and Norway.
in the 17th century, Gothenburg boasted the most advanced defence system in Europe. It had a water-filled moat, a wall around the entire city, and two fortified towersSkansen Kronan and Skansen Lejonet. Amsterdam, with its regular blocks and canals with trees and bridges, served as the prototype for the city planners. A large part of the city area was marshlands with deep layers of mud. This required a lot of draining, but piling-works were also employed. It is because of the mud that there is no subway in Gothenburg.
Today, the district inside the moat is considered extremely attractive, but that has not always been the case. King Gustav Adolf had such trouble populating the area that he gave tax reductions to those who settled there. And those who still resisted found their houses burned down.
Chapi