Bollnäs
Encyclopedia
Bollnäs is a locality
and the seat of Bollnäs Municipality
, Gävleborg County
, Sweden
with 12,455 inhabitants in 2005.
," referring to the isthmus into a nearby lake.
Before becoming known as Bollnäs, its name was Bro By (lit. Bridge Village).
Bollnäs became a city in 1942, nowadays an honorary title without administrative significance. Bollnäs has a station along the Northern Railline (Norra Stambanan
), which was connected to it in 1878. The town became a main base for further expanding the railroad northwards, and in 1884 it became a large primary maintenance and repair workshop for the railroad. The railroad was the largest employer of the town for the greater part of a century, up until the 1990s when it was finally closed down after being under threat of such for decades already because of its no longer optimal location.
Bollnäs is twinned with Shepton Mallet, England.
is the most popular sport. Bollnäs GIF
play in the highest division Elitserien
. In 2010 they reached the Swedish final
for the 1st time since 1956. In 2011 they also reached the finals but lost in overtime after a controversial offside penalty.
The church holds a larger collection of wooden medieval sculptures than any other parish church in the Nordic countries
. Three of the altarpiece
s are major works of art from the late 15th century or early 16th century, including an altarpiece dedicated to Virgin Mary, made by Haaken Gulleson
c. 1520. Also dating from late 15th century or early 16th century is the most valuable eucharistic chalice
, with its paten
.
Urban areas in Sweden
Urban area is a common English translation of the Swedish term tätort. The official term in English, used by Statistics Sweden, is, however, locality. There are 1,940 localities in Sweden . They could be compared with census-designated places in the United States.A tätort in Sweden has a minimum of...
and the seat of Bollnäs Municipality
Bollnäs Municipality
Bollnäs Municipality is a municipality in Gävleborg County, east central Sweden. Its seat is located in Bollnäs.The municipality evolved during a series of local government reforms in the 1950s and 1970s...
, Gävleborg County
Gävleborg County
Gävleborg County is a county or län on the Baltic Sea coast of Sweden. It borders to the counties of Uppsala, Västmanland, Dalarna, Jämtland and Västernorrland. The capital is Gävle.- Administration :...
, 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....
with 12,455 inhabitants in 2005.
History
In written sources Bollnäs is traced from 1312, by a vicar named Ingemund who referred to it as Baldenaes, which means "the large isthmusIsthmus
An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas usually with waterforms on either side.Canals are often built through isthmuses where they may be particularly advantageous to create a shortcut for marine transportation...
," referring to the isthmus into a nearby lake.
Before becoming known as Bollnäs, its name was Bro By (lit. Bridge Village).
Bollnäs became a city in 1942, nowadays an honorary title without administrative significance. Bollnäs has a station along the Northern Railline (Norra Stambanan
Norra stambanan
The Northern Main Line is long electrified railway in Sweden, between Gävle or Storvik and Ånge. The railway consists of single track except the parts between Mo grindar and Holmsveden, Kilafors and Bollnäs, and Ramsjö and Ovansjö, a total of double track....
), which was connected to it in 1878. The town became a main base for further expanding the railroad northwards, and in 1884 it became a large primary maintenance and repair workshop for the railroad. The railroad was the largest employer of the town for the greater part of a century, up until the 1990s when it was finally closed down after being under threat of such for decades already because of its no longer optimal location.
Bollnäs is twinned with Shepton Mallet, England.
Sports
BandyBandy
Bandy is a team winter sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal.The rules of the game have many similarities to those of association football: the game is played on a rectangle of ice the same size as a football field. Each team has 11 players,...
is the most popular sport. Bollnäs GIF
Bollnäs GIF
Bollnäs GoIF/BF , "Giffarna", is a bandy club founded in 1895 from Bollnäs in Sweden who play at Sävstaås Idrottspark. The club won the World Cup in 2005. The club has played fifty seasons in the Elitserien and has twice won the league in 1950 and 1956.-External links:* bollnäs gif at...
play in the highest division Elitserien
Elitserien (bandy)
The Elitserien is since the 2007–08 season the highest bandy league in Sweden. It consist of 14 teams. The season ends with a final on Studenternas IP in Uppsala. From 2013 the final will be played in Swedbank Arena, Solna....
. In 2010 they reached the Swedish final
Swedish bandy champions
Swedish bandy champions is a title held by the winners of the final of the highest Swedish bandy league played each year, Elitserien. The final is played in March. From the 2007-2008 season, Saturday replaced Sunday as the final date, but was changed back in 2010...
for the 1st time since 1956. In 2011 they also reached the finals but lost in overtime after a controversial offside penalty.
Points of interest
- Bollnäs church was built in the 14th and 15th centuries. One opening is known to have taken place November 3, 1468, probably concerning the church tower. Later alterations include the addition of the north and south transepts, built 1753-1755.
The church holds a larger collection of wooden medieval sculptures than any other parish church in the Nordic countries
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
. Three of the altarpiece
Altarpiece
An altarpiece is a picture or relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the altar of a church. The altarpiece is often made up of two or more separate panels created using a technique known as panel painting. It is then called a diptych, triptych or polyptych for two,...
s are major works of art from the late 15th century or early 16th century, including an altarpiece dedicated to Virgin Mary, made by Haaken Gulleson
Haaken Gulleson
Haaken Gulleson was a Swedish painter and workshop leader in the early 1500s. His signature is found on six sculptures in southern Norrland. He has long been considered to be solely a sculptor, but recent research has seen him as a painter. He didn't work alone but ran a workshop where his...
c. 1520. Also dating from late 15th century or early 16th century is the most valuable eucharistic chalice
Chalice (cup)
A chalice is a goblet or footed cup intended to hold a drink. In general religious terms, it is intended for drinking during a ceremony.-Christian:...
, with its paten
Paten
A paten, or diskos, is a small plate, usually made of silver or gold, used to hold Eucharistic bread which is to be consecrated. It is generally used during the service itself, while the reserved hosts are stored in the Tabernacle in a ciborium....
.
Notable people
- OrienteeringOrienteeringOrienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they...
competitor Emma EngstrandEmma EngstrandEmma Claesson is a Swedish orienteering competitor from Borlänge. She received a silver medal on the relay at the 2007 World Orienteering Championships in Kiev, and a bronze medal in 2005...
(b. December 14, 1977) was born in, and grew up in, Bollnäs. - Ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player Anders Eriksson (b. January 9, 1975) was born in, and grew up in, Bollnäs. - JazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
clarinetist Åke "Stan" HasselgårdStan HasselgårdÅke "Stan" Hasselgård was Swedish jazz clarinetist. Hasselgård was heavily influenced by Benny Goodman, and played swing jazz in his early years before exploring bebop shortly before his death.Hasselgård grew up in Bollnäs, Sweden, and began playing clarinet at age 16...
(October 4, 1922 - November 23, 1948) grew up in Bollnäs, where his grave can be found. - Former politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
C H Hermansson was born in Bollnäs on December 14, 1917. - Swimmer Anna-Karin KammerlingAnna-Karin KammerlingAnna-Karin Kammerling is a world-record breaking Swedish swimmer, who was born in Malmö, Sweden. Currently she resides in Sundsvall and trains with the Sundsvalls Swim Club under coach Hans Bergquist....
, grew up in Bollnäs. - FinnishFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
writer Timo K. MukkaTimo K. MukkaTimo Kustaa Mukka was a Finnish author who wrote about the lives of people in Lapland.-Life and work:Timo Mukka was born in Bollnäs in Sweden...
(1944-1973) was born in Bollnäs, to which his family had been evacuated from the Lapland region during the Lapland WarLapland WarThe Lapland War were the hostilities between Finland and Nazi Germany between September 1944 and April 1945, fought in Finland's northernmost Lapland Province. While the Finns saw this as a separate conflict much like the Continuation War, German forces considered their actions to be part of the...
. - Table tennisTable tennisTable tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
player Thomas von ScheeleThomas von ScheeleThomas von Scheele is a left-handed Swedish table tennis player. He won a gold medal in the double event of the World Table Tennis Championships in 1991 with Peter Karlsson. He also won several medals in the European Table Tennis Championships. He later became a coach of Sweden's women table...
was born in Bollnäs on March 13, 1969. - Super model Victoria SilvstedtVictoria SilvstedtKaren Victoria Silvstedt is a Swedish celebrity model, actress, singer, and television personality.-Background:Born in Skelleftehamn, Silvstedt was raised in a family of five in Bollnäs, having one older sister and one younger brother...
, grew up in Bollnäs. - Ski jumper Per-Inge TällbergPer-Inge TällbergPer-Inge Tällberg is a Swedish former ski jumper who competed from 1986 to 1993. He finished seventh in the team large hill event at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary and 50th in the individual large hill event at Albertville in 1992.Tällberg's best individual finish at the FIS Nordic World Ski...
was born in Bollnäs on June 14, 1967. - Ski jumper Staffan TällbergStaffan TällbergStaffan Tällberg is a Swedish former ski jumper who competed from 1987 to 1996. His best Winter Olympics was at Calgary in 1988 where he finished seventh in the team large hill and eighth both in the individual normal hill and individual large hill events.At the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships,...
was born in Bollnäs on April 17, 1970. - Ski jumper Jan BoklövJan BoklövJan Mauritz Boklöv is one of the most successful Swedish ski jumpers of all time, probably only rivaled by Sven Selånger. He won the World Cup in 1988/89, and dominated the Swedish championships in the late 1980s. He is however most known for inventing the V-style, which has been the standard...
lived in Bollnäs during the 1990s. - Vocalist Charles Rytkönen was born in Bollnäs on December 3, 1968.
- LPGALPGAThe LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
Golfer Pernilla LindbergPernilla LindbergPernilla Lindberg is a Swedish professional golfer who plays on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour.Lindberg attended and played golf for Oklahoma State. She played on the Sweden's winning Espirito Santo Trophy team in 2008.-External links:...
was born, and grew up, in Bollnäs.