Avesta Municipality

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This page deals with both Avesta Municipality and the urban area (tätort) Avesta

**Avesta Municipality (*Kommun*)**
Avesta Municipality in Dalarna Map outlining municipalities of Sweden	Coat of arms
	Municipal facts
	Seat	Avesta
	60° 09´ N 16° 12´ E
	County	Dalarna County
	Province	Dalarna
	Area Rank	616 km² 153rd of 290
	Population Rank (2005)	22,102 x of 290
	Density	36/km²

Avesta Municipality is a Municipality in Dalarna, in central Sweden. Its seat is in Avesta with a population of 15,000.

The name is first found in 1303 as "Aghastadhum". Aghe (pronounced "ave") is of similar origin as the word å, meaning stream, in this case the Avestadfors, a tributary of the Dalecarlia River. Stadhum is of similar origin as stead, or farm.

1 History
2 Geography
- 2.1 Municipal towns
3 Notability
4 Sometimes confused with
5 External links

[edit] History

The Avestadfors settlement, cirka 1700, in Suecia antiqua et hodierna.

In the Scandinavian Middle Ages there was a blast furnace at the location. In 1636 the construction of a giant copper mine was initiated near the Avestadfors.

The town Avesta received partial privileges in 1641 as a town under the city of Falun, and in 1644 a copper mint was built. However, the privileges were withdrawn in 1688 due to complains of competition from its neighbour, mainly Falun. Copper coins were continued to be minted until 1831, and the copper works was in function until 1869.

Full city rights were regranted in 1919. The designated coat of arms depict the signs for copper and iron.

[edit] Geography

The town is located by the Dalecarlia River (Dalälven).

Avesta borders to the municipalities of:

Hedemora in Dalarna,
Hofors and Sandviken in Gävleborg County,
Norberg and Sala in Västmanland County

[edit] Municipal towns

Avesta
Krylbo - an important railway junction that has successfully been incorporated with the town Avesta.
Horndal
Fors

[edit] Notability

Near the town Avesta is a park of European bison.

The most successful sport team in Avesta is their speedway team Masarna, translating to "the men of Dalecarlia", competing in the highest division in Sweden.