Majorna (district)
Encyclopedia
Majorna is a residential area in Gothenburg
, Sweden
. It is a part of the borough of the same name
. It is located west of the city just outside the city centre at the southern shore of Göta älv
.
Majorna is an old area, originating from the times of Älvsborg
castle before the foundation of Gothenburg in 1621 (see Älvsborg Fortress
). After the foundation of the city of Gothenburg, Majorna housed wharfs and other harbour-related business. It became a part of the city in 1868.
The buildings significant of Majorna is the three stories high buildings where the first store is in stone and the topmost two are built of wood (in Swedish "Landshövdingehus
"). Almost all of Majorna had this kind of building in the first half of the 20th century. It was the homes of the fast growing working class population in the industrial city of Gothenburg. A large number of the buildings still stands but in some areas they have been replaced by others. The tops of the hills were not built upon, with exception for some shacks, until the mid 20th century; there are mostly buildings from the 1960s and 1970s, some of them in a rather brutalistic style.
Majorna is one of the gentrifying
areas of 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...
, 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 is a part of the borough of the same name
Majorna
This article is about the borough in Gothenburg. For the district in Gothenburg with the same, see Majorna .Majorna was until 2011 one of the 21 boroughs of Gothenburg Municipality...
. It is located west of the city just outside the city centre at the southern shore of Göta älv
Göta älv
The Göta is a river that drains lake Vänern into the Kattegat at the city of Gothenburg on the western coast of Sweden. It is located in Götaland, with the river itself being a site of early Geatish settlement. The length is 93 km. Often the combination of Göta älv and Klarälven is mentioned...
.
Majorna is an old area, originating from the times of Älvsborg
Älvsborg
Älvsborg is the name of a geographical region in Sweden, which can refer to:*Älvsborg, Gothenburg, one of 21 boroughs of Gothenburg, Sweden.*Älvsborg County, a former county of Sweden*Älvsborg Fortress, a sea fortress at Gothenburg...
castle before the foundation of Gothenburg in 1621 (see Älvsborg Fortress
Älvsborg Fortress
Älvsborg, also Elfsborg Fortress, is a sea fortress located in today's Gothenburg , Sweden. Situated on the mouth of the Göta Älv river, it served to protect Sweden's access to the Atlantic Ocean and the nearby settlement of today's Gothenburg and its four predecessors. The fortress was relocated...
). After the foundation of the city of Gothenburg, Majorna housed wharfs and other harbour-related business. It became a part of the city in 1868.
The buildings significant of Majorna is the three stories high buildings where the first store is in stone and the topmost two are built of wood (in Swedish "Landshövdingehus
Landshövdingehus
Landshövdingehus is a building type unique for the Swedish city of Gothenburg. The history behind these buildings has its twists. 19th century city bylaws ruled that houses made of wood could be of maximum two storeys height, in order to protect against fires...
"). Almost all of Majorna had this kind of building in the first half of the 20th century. It was the homes of the fast growing working class population in the industrial city of Gothenburg. A large number of the buildings still stands but in some areas they have been replaced by others. The tops of the hills were not built upon, with exception for some shacks, until the mid 20th century; there are mostly buildings from the 1960s and 1970s, some of them in a rather brutalistic style.
Majorna is one of the gentrifying
Gentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
areas of Gothenburg.