Kungshamn

Kungshamn

Kungshamn
Kungshamn
Coordinates: 58°22′N 11°15′E / 58.367°N 11.250°ECoordinates: 58°22′N 11°15′E / 58.367°N 11.250°E
Country Sweden
Province Bohuslän
County Västra Götaland County
Municipality Sotenäs Municipality
Area[1]
 • Total 2.08 km2 (0.80 sq mi)
Population (31 December 2010)[1]
 • Total 2,814
 • Density 1,350/km2 (3,500/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)

Kungshamn is a locality and the seat of Sotenäs Municipality in Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 3071 citizens (measured in 2011).[2] However during summers the population rate is doubled multiple times, as Kungshamn is a popular tourist visit.[3]

The town consists of the former towns of "Gravarne", "Bäckevik" and "Fisketången". Kungshamn is situated on a peninsula just north of the town Lysekil and on the same longitude as Uddevalla, Skövde and Linköping. Since the year 1970 the town is via a bridge connected to the island of Smögen.

Kungshamn is famous for its fishing industry. Here the famous company Abba seafood is located almost next to Smögenbron. It is in Kungshamn where all products for Abba seafood are being manufactured and especially in Kungshamn it has been that way all since around year 1920.[4]

Panorama

Name

The English translation of Kungshamn would be “King’s harbor”. By hearing by the name, you perhaps think the little village has something in the past to do with a king. However the name formation is unfamiliar. The locality’s name Kungshamn is pretty fresh considering it was named Kungshamn only 40 years ago.[5] Before the locality was named Gravarne, Bäckevik and Fisketången. The locality had these names because they were titles of the different divided areas that were located in the “Kungshamn area”. However the name Gravarne was the most popular name to use a few decades ago. Especially, the fishermen had on their boats nametags named as Gravarne.[6]

History

Entire Bohuslän used to belong to Norway till a peace treaty was signed by Norway in 1658 and land that ones had belonged, that including Bohuslän, to Sweden were now Swedish.[7] During the Middle Ages, many foreigners were attracted by the big herring fishing and therefore came to the West Coast to fish herring and later export it. Tolls were established, where one of the biggest ones were established in Kungshamn. Due to a lot of attention from the herring fishing more and more people started to settle down in the locality Kungshamn. A more permanent village settlement took place here during the nineteenth century, due to the bigger herring fishing period that happened at this time.[8]

Nature

In the North Eastern part of Kungshamn you will find a huge forest. The nature is very typical for Bohuslän, with lots of bare granite mountains but also deep valleys with a shrub bog area with a rich birdlife.[9] In the forest, a 60 km walking trail exists.[5] However, the walking trail stretches out in not only Kungshamn but is also continues on into other localities related to Sotenäs Municipality.

Sports

The following sports clubs are located in Kungshamn:

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Tätorternas landareal, folkmängd och invånare per km2 2005 och 2010" (in Swedish). Statistics Sweden. 14 December 2011. Archived from the original on 10 January 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
  2. ↑ Sotenäs Kommun: Historia
  3. ↑ "Kungshamn: Fakta/Historia"
  4. ↑ "Abba Seafood: Om företaget"
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "VästSverige: Sotenäs Turistbyrå"
  6. ↑ "Bohusgillet.se: Kungshamn"
  7. ↑ "Bohuslän museum"
  8. ↑ " Sotenäs: Sotenäs Kommun"
  9. ↑ "VästSverige: Sotenäs Kommun: Natur"

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kungshamn.