Alingsås
Encyclopedia
Alingsås is a locality and the seat of Alingsås Municipality
in Västra Götaland County
, Sweden
. It had 22,919 inhabitants in 2005.
) between Stockholm
and Gothenburg
, and by motorway through the European route E20
. Next to Alingsås you can also find a small village called Sollebrunn
.
in 1619, which makes it older than Västra Götaland's largest city—Gothenburg
which was granted its charter in 1621.
Among its historical inhabitants is Jonas Alströmer
, who was born in Alingsås in 1685. Alströmer is credited for introducing the potato
plant to Sweden. He also established a large scale draper
's industry there, which before long became Sweden's largest. However, some too-optimistic calculations, devastating fires and political setbacks finally forced its closure in 1779.
Alingsås is known for its cafes, 26 in total (in 2010).
In different locations in Alingsås you can find several round craters carved in the rock. These are called Giant's Kettles, and can vary a lot in size and depth. The biggest ones you can find in Brobacka, which is located on the way to Gräfsnäs
. The Giant's Kettles are common visiting sites for schoolclasses in secondary school.
Gräfsnäs slottsruin is a castle ruin located by the lake Anten, just outside Alingsås. It was built 1550 by the count Sten Eriksson Leijonhufvud, whom already owned a castle on the other side of the lake, in Loholmen. After Erikssons death, 1568, his wife Ebba Månsson Leijonhufvud took care of the castle, and it stayed in the care of the family until 1724. 1634 the castle burnt to the ground, but was rebuilt as a magnificent castle late renaissance
style. 1734 it burned down again, but the current owner rebuilt it the way it was. 1834, exactly two hundred years later it had burnt for the first time, the castle was sold to Otto Ulfsparre for 110 000 barrels of schnapps. The day that the papers on the purchase were to be signed, the castle burnt - for the third time, with exactly 100 years between each of the three occasions. The last person living permanently in the castle was the fisherman Nils Andersson, who paid his rent in fish. when he died, the roof was removed due to the partying that the youths in the village were doing in the old castle. 1911 it was restored by Västergötland-Göteborgs Järnvägs AB, and since 1930 it is cared for by Alingsås Municipality
.
Alingsås museum was founded in 1928, and contains memorial collections of photographs, the archive of the municipality and host several exhibitions. It is since the spring 2010 closed for the public, due to rearrangement with the premises.
Karin Boye
was a swedish writer, born the 26th of October
, 1900. She then lived in Gothenburg with her parents, but later moved to Stockholm
, and there studied arts and history. 1940 she had moved to Alingsås, and committed suicide in a forest in the city district Nolby. The place is now a memorial site, and a popular visiting site for schoolclasses, taking the "Karin Boye tour".
In the summer, a festival is hosted by Alingsås Kommun, called Potatisfestivalen. It is a city festival with different activities, such as concerts and performances.
AHK, the handball association of Alingsås, yearly hosts a tournament where teams from all over the country can join and play against each other. It is, according to the city's history and nickname, called Potatiscupen (the potato tournament). The teams use the different schools in the area for accommodation.
Holmalunds IF
and Alingsås IF
football clubs play in Division 3 Mellersta Götaland.
Alingsås Municipality
Alingsås Municipality is a municipality in Västra Götaland County in western Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Alingsås....
in Västra Götaland County
Västra Götaland County
Västra Götaland County is a county or län on the western coast of Sweden.The county is the second largest of Sweden's counties and it is subdivided into 49 municipalities . Its population of 1,550,000 amounts to 17% of Sweden's population...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. It had 22,919 inhabitants in 2005.
Geography
Geographically the city is situated by the outlet of the small rivulet Säveån into lake Mjörn. Communications is provided by the western main line railroad (Västra stambananVästra stambanan
The Western Main Line is the main railway line between Stockholm and Gothenburg in Sweden. The line is electrified and consists entirely of double track, except the four-track sections between Gothenburg Central Station and Olskroken , in Järna Station , and south of Stockholm, between...
) between Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
and Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, and by motorway through the European route E20
European route E20
The European route E 20 is part of the United Nations International E-road network.It runs roughly west-east through Ireland, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, Estonia and finally Russia. The length is . The road is not continuous, at three points, a sea crossing is required. ...
. Next to Alingsås you can also find a small village called Sollebrunn
Sollebrunn
Sollebrunn is a locality situated in Alingsås Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 1,434 inhabitants in 2005....
.
History
Alingsås was founded as inhabitants from the city Nya Lödöse were made homeless as Danish troops burnt it down. Gustavus Adolphus granted Alingsås its Royal CharterRoyal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
in 1619, which makes it older than Västra Götaland's largest city—Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
which was granted its charter in 1621.
Among its historical inhabitants is Jonas Alströmer
Jonas Alströmer
Jonas Alströmer was a pioneer of agriculture and industry in Sweden.Born Jonas Toresson in the town of Alingsås in Västergötland, in 1707 he became a clerk for Stockholm merchant Alberg in London...
, who was born in Alingsås in 1685. Alströmer is credited for introducing the potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
plant to Sweden. He also established a large scale draper
Draper
Draper is the now largely obsolete term for a wholesaler, or especially retailer, of cloth, mainly for clothing, or one who works in a draper's shop. A draper may additionally operate as a cloth merchant or a haberdasher. The drapers were an important trade guild...
's industry there, which before long became Sweden's largest. However, some too-optimistic calculations, devastating fires and political setbacks finally forced its closure in 1779.
Alingsås is known for its cafes, 26 in total (in 2010).
Historical sites
Gräfsnäs
Gräfsnäs is a locality situated in Alingsås Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 387 inhabitants in 2005....
. The Giant's Kettles are common visiting sites for schoolclasses in secondary school.
Gräfsnäs slottsruin is a castle ruin located by the lake Anten, just outside Alingsås. It was built 1550 by the count Sten Eriksson Leijonhufvud, whom already owned a castle on the other side of the lake, in Loholmen. After Erikssons death, 1568, his wife Ebba Månsson Leijonhufvud took care of the castle, and it stayed in the care of the family until 1724. 1634 the castle burnt to the ground, but was rebuilt as a magnificent castle late renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
style. 1734 it burned down again, but the current owner rebuilt it the way it was. 1834, exactly two hundred years later it had burnt for the first time, the castle was sold to Otto Ulfsparre for 110 000 barrels of schnapps. The day that the papers on the purchase were to be signed, the castle burnt - for the third time, with exactly 100 years between each of the three occasions. The last person living permanently in the castle was the fisherman Nils Andersson, who paid his rent in fish. when he died, the roof was removed due to the partying that the youths in the village were doing in the old castle. 1911 it was restored by Västergötland-Göteborgs Järnvägs AB, and since 1930 it is cared for by Alingsås Municipality
Alingsås Municipality
Alingsås Municipality is a municipality in Västra Götaland County in western Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Alingsås....
.
Alingsås museum was founded in 1928, and contains memorial collections of photographs, the archive of the municipality and host several exhibitions. It is since the spring 2010 closed for the public, due to rearrangement with the premises.
Karin Boye
Karin Boye
was a Swedish poet and novelist.- Career :Boye was born in Gothenburg , Sweden and moved with her family to Stockholm in 1909. She studied at Uppsala University from 1921 to 1926 and debuted in 1922 with a collection of poems, "Clouds"...
was a swedish writer, born the 26th of October
October
October is the tenth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars and one of seven months with a length of 31 days. The eighth month in the old Roman calendar, October retained its name after January and February were inserted into the calendar that had originally been created by the...
, 1900. She then lived in Gothenburg with her parents, but later moved to Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, and there studied arts and history. 1940 she had moved to Alingsås, and committed suicide in a forest in the city district Nolby. The place is now a memorial site, and a popular visiting site for schoolclasses, taking the "Karin Boye tour".
Yearly events
Alingsås has a rich cultural life, and hosts a few different cultural events throughout a year. In October, Lights in Alingsås is held for one month; 6 European lightning designers get to light up selected sections of the city as they please. To their help, they get about 65 international students of architecture, and together they have one week to create the vision of the lightning designers, whom act as workshop leaders. The buplic can then either walk the tour themselves or in guided groups, and it has over the years become very popular internationally. The project is a cooperation between Alingsås Kommun and Professional Lighting Designers' Association since 2000.In the summer, a festival is hosted by Alingsås Kommun, called Potatisfestivalen. It is a city festival with different activities, such as concerts and performances.
Sports
Alingsås has several sports associations. Swimming, figure skating, ice hockey, track and field, orienteering, soccer, handball and floorball are some of the more popular sports. There are two health centres, whom host different types of group training as well as providing training machines.AHK, the handball association of Alingsås, yearly hosts a tournament where teams from all over the country can join and play against each other. It is, according to the city's history and nickname, called Potatiscupen (the potato tournament). The teams use the different schools in the area for accommodation.
Holmalunds IF
Holmalunds IF
Holmalunds IF is a Swedish football club located in Alingsås.-Background:Since their foundation in 1933 Holmalunds IF has participated mainly in the middle and lower divisions of the Swedish football league system. The club currently plays in Division 3 Mellersta Götaland which is the fourth tier...
and Alingsås IF
Alingsås IF
Alingsås IF is a Swedish football club located in Alingsås in Västra Götaland County. -Background:Alingsås Idrottsförening were formed in 1906 and are one of the oldest and most prestigious clubs in Alingsås...
football clubs play in Division 3 Mellersta Götaland.
City districts
- Hjälmared
- Röhult
- Rosendal
- Dammhultet
- Västra Ängabo
- Gråbo
- Dammen
- Prästeryd
- Klinten
- Hjortgården
- Alefors
- Grimsholmen
- Nolby Kapell
- Kristineholm
- Holmalund
- Stampen
- Brogården
- Nolby
- Noltorp
- Enehagen
- Tegelbruket
- Nolhaga
- Sörhaga
- Kulingsberg
- Alfhem
- Lövekulle
- Eriksberg
- Mariedal