Karlskrona
| Karlskrona | |||
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  Karlskrona
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Sweden | ||
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| Municipality | Karlskrona Municipality | ||
| County | Blekinge County | ||
| Province | Blekinge | ||
| Charter | 1680 | ||
| Area [1] | |||
| - Total | 21.36 km² (8.2 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2005-12-31)[1] | |||
| - Total | 32,606 | ||
| - Density | 1,526/km² (3,952.3/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| Naval Port of Karlskrona* | |
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| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| State Party |  Sweden |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | ii, iv |
| Reference | 871 |
| Region** | Europe and North America |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 1998 (22nd Session) |
| * Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. ** Region as classified by UNESCO. |
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Karlskrona is a city in the province of Blekinge in south-eastern Sweden. It is the seat of Karlskrona Municipality and the captital of Blekinge County. Karlskrona is known as Sweden's only baroque city and is host to Sweden's only remaining naval base and the HQ of the Swedish Coast Guard . The city has a population of about 32,600 out of municipal total of 62,000.
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Geography
The city centre is located on the islet of Trossö. The islet of Stumholmen was formerly property of the Navy and today it houses the National Naval Museum (Marinmuseum).
History
The city was founded in 1680 when the Royal Swedish Navy was relocated from the mainland to the island which had up until then been used chiefly for farming and grazing. At the time Sweden was the dominant military power in the Baltic sea region. The island had a very strategic position with short sailing distances to the German and Baltic provinces. Its name means Karl's Crown in honour of King Karl XI of Sweden, the name being inspired by the name of the city Landskrona.
The city grew quickly and by 1750 Karlskrona had about 10,000 inhabitants. It was then one of the biggest cities in the country. Most of the baroque buildings from this era are still standing, which is why the city centre is architecturally uniform. There are three important churches in Karlskrona, the first being Fredrikskyrkan (The Frederick church). It was designed by Nicodemus Tessin the Younger, who was influenced by European architecture. The foundation of that church were laid in 1720, and it was inaugurated in 1744. It differs from usual Swedish churches in its yellow color and its adornment.
The church Heliga Trefaldighetskyrkan (Church of Holy Trinity), also called The German Church, was built between 1697-1709, following Tessin's drawings. It is likewise located at the market square in the centre core. The dome-shaped roof takes its influence from Italian architecture and is rarely seen on Swedish churches.
The third city church is the Karlskrona Admiralty Church (Amiralitetskyrkan). The church was built in 1685 in red-painted wood. Outside the church there is a well-known statue called "Rosenbom".
The shipyard in Karlskrona was established almost at the same time as the city. It was a necessity because of the heavy losses the Swedish navy had suffered in 1689. In 1711, the shipyard was Sweden's largest industrial employer with 1,100 workers. The oldest dock, the Polhem dock, is cut in the cliff itself and is still in use. It got its name from Christopher Polhem ("The Swedish DaVinci", a famous scientist with several inventions still in use).
The city has kept its street structure since its foundation. Since the streets all follow a grid pattern the winds can blow freely from the ocean right into the heart of the city.
The naval installations there has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In 1981 the Soviet submarine U137 stranded in the archipelago just outside Karlskrona. This triggered a serious situation between Sweden and the Soviet Union at the time. Despite speculation the incident was most likely caused by heavy alcohol consumption.
Today
The most important day in Karlskrona is the day before midsummer's eve. On that day a big fair takes place and attracts tens of thousands to visit Karlskrona. The fair is called Lövmarknaden (The Leaf Fair) and is very popular among the locals.
The main square of Karlskrona is the biggest in Scandinavia, and actually the second biggest in Europe, after the Red Square of Moscow.
Every year in late July/early August a popular festival called The Sail takes place in the harbor of Karlskrona. Usually it is a place where families go to have something to eat and drink, and perhaps watch the sailing boats lined up at the pier. During the sail, the seascouts of Karlskrona will row a boat carrying torches along the docks while playing the national anthems for the visiting ships.
The old architecture together with the naval installations comprise the major tourist attractions of Karlskrona. The city has a pleasant atmosphere and is one of the highlights of south-east Sweden. Outside the city lies the archipelago of Karlskrona, the most southern of the Swedish archipelagos. Several islands are connected to the city by ferries.
Parishes
- Karlskrona City Parish (from 10 August 1680)
- Karlskrona German Parish (from 10 August 1680 to 1 November 1846)
- Karlskrona Prisoner's Parish (from 1808 to 4 July 1866)
- The Mosaic Parish in Karlskrona (around 1785 to 1994)
- Royal Karlskrona Admiralty Parish (from 1681, a non-territorial parish)
Education
- Blekinge Institute of Technology
- Hyper Island
See also
- U 137
- Swedish Coast Guard
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Tätorternas landareal, folkmängd och invånare per km2 2000 och 2005" (xls) (in Swedish). Statistics Sweden. Retrieved on 2008-05-15.
External links
- Karlskrona Municipality - Official site
- The Naval City of Karlskrona
- Photos from Karlskrona
- The Karlskrona site in the Swedish Wikipedia
- (Swedish) article Karlskrona (from online version of Nordisk familjebok)
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Karlskrona is one of 133 towns with the historical City status in Sweden. |
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