Salem Municipality

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**Salem Municipality (*Kommun*)**
Salem municipality and seat in the county Map outlining municipalities of Sweden	Coat of arms Image:Salem City Arms.png
	Municipal facts
	Seat	Salem
	{{{locationReadable}}}
	County	Stockholm County
	Province	Södermanland
	Area Rank	54 km² 281st of 290
	Population Rank (2005)	14,612 155th of 290
	Density	260/km²

Salem Municipality is a Swedish municipality in Stockholm County, in central Sweden. The name traces its original from Slaem in the 16th century, but was later changed to Salem, the Biblical name of Jerusalem.

[edit] History

Like the rest of the areas around lake Mälaren, Salem has a significant amount of ancient remains, as far back as the Stone Age. The church of Salem traces its foundation to the 12th century.

Just like its eastern municipal neighbour Botkyrka, Salem traces its history back to the legendary Saint Botvid who lived in the area sometime between 1050-1120. In the medieval tradition, a spring would always be found in connection to the death of a saint. According to legend, when the remains of Saint Botvid were transported to the church in today's Botkyrka, the casket was temporarily put down near the shore of Bornsjön, where a spring poured up. It is still today providing clear water.

[edit] Today

Salem was united with the municipality of Botkyrka during the Swedish municipal reform between 1971-74. However, in 1983, after energetic protests, theý were split apart, and Salem became the 9th smallest municipality by area in the country.