Strängnäs
Encyclopedia
Strängnäs is a locality
and the seat of Strängnäs Municipality
, Södermanland County
, Sweden
with 12,296 inhabitants in 2005. It is located by Lake Mälaren
and is the episcopal see of the Diocese of Strängnäs
, a former Roman Catholic and present Lutheran Diocese, with the Strängnäs Cathedral
, built 1291 as an important landmark.
strengr ("narrow channel of water") and nes ("isthmus
", "narrow peninsula", " headland", a very common toponymic in Skandinavia). A monastery was established around 1250, and the cathedral inaugurated in 1291, and the town continued to evolve around these two institutions.
The oldest known city charter
stem from 1336 by King Magnus Eriksson
. Strängnäs became a city of importance in the Södermanland
province, as the location of the thing
and an annual market. In the 15th and 16th century, Strängnäs had an important place in the history of Sweden
, the reformation, with prominent reformators Laurentius Andreae
and Olaus Petri
; and King Gustav Vasa elected king in Strängnäs in 1523. It attracted some education and scholarship: in 1626 the Thomas Gymnasium
was established, and is today Sweden's second oldest operating gymnasium.
The development of Strängnäs seems to have been slow after that, and only flourishing temporarily with the arrival of energetic bishops. The 19th century called for industrial investments, which Strängnäs did not possess. A fire in 1871 led to large reconstructions of the city, from which time its current appearance stems.
European route E20
also passes the city.
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 Strängnäs Municipality
Strängnäs Municipality
Strängnäs Municipality is a municipality in Södermanland County in eastern Sweden, located by Lake Mälaren. Its seat is located in the city of Strängnäs....
, Södermanland County
Södermanland County
Södermanland County is a county or län on the south east coast of Sweden. It borders the counties of Östergötland, Örebro, Västmanland, Uppsala, Stockholm and to the Baltic sea....
, 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 12,296 inhabitants in 2005. It is located by Lake Mälaren
Mälaren
Lake Mälaren is the third-largest lake in Sweden, after Lakes Vänern and Vättern. Its area is 1,140 km² and its greatest depth is 64 m. Mälaren spans 120 kilometers from east to west...
and is the episcopal see of the Diocese of Strängnäs
Diocese of Strängnäs
The Diocese of Strängnäs is a part of the Church of Sweden and has its seat in Strängnäs Cathedral in Strängnäs, south of Lake Mälaren. The diocese is made up of the two provinces Närke and Södermanland .The diocese was first a suffragan of the Diocese of Lund, which in 1104 was elevated to...
, a former Roman Catholic and present Lutheran Diocese, with the Strängnäs Cathedral
Strängnäs Cathedral
Strängnäs Cathedral is a cathedral church in Strängnäs, Sweden, since the Protestant Reformation the seat of the Lutheran Diocese of Strängnäs.It is built mainly of bricks in the characteristic Scandinavian Brick Gothic style...
, built 1291 as an important landmark.
History
The name Strängnäs is first encountered in 1120, as the name of the Diocese. It leads back to the fact that the city is placed by a strait and on several hills, especially on two major ones, the "Mill Hill" and the "Cathedral Hill". The name "Strängnäs" is derived from Old NorseOld Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
strengr ("narrow channel of water") and nes ("isthmus
Isthmus
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...
", "narrow peninsula", " headland", a very common toponymic in Skandinavia). A monastery was established around 1250, and the cathedral inaugurated in 1291, and the town continued to evolve around these two institutions.
The oldest known city charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
stem from 1336 by King Magnus Eriksson
Magnus IV of Sweden
Magnus Eriksson as Magnus IV was king of Sweden , including Finland, as Magnus VII King of Norway , including Iceland and Greenland, and also ruled Scania . He has also vindictively been called Magnus Smek...
. Strängnäs became a city of importance in the Södermanland
Södermanland
', sometimes referred to under its Latin form Sudermannia or Sudermania, is a historical province or landskap on the south eastern coast of Sweden. It borders Östergötland, Närke, Västmanland and Uppland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic sea.In Swedish, the province name is...
province, as the location of the thing
Thing (assembly)
A thing was the governing assembly in Germanic and introduced into some Celtic societies, made up of the free people of the community and presided by lawspeakers, meeting in a place called a thingstead...
and an annual market. In the 15th and 16th century, Strängnäs had an important place in the history of Sweden
History of Sweden
Modern Sweden started out of the Kalmar Union formed in 1397 and by the unification of the country by King Gustav Vasa in the 16th century. In the 17th century Sweden expanded its territories to form the Swedish empire. Most of these conquered territories had to be given up during the 18th century...
, the reformation, with prominent reformators Laurentius Andreae
Laurentius Andreae
Laurentius Andreae was a Swedish clergyman and scholar who is acknowledged as one of his country's preeminent intellectual figures during the first half of the 16th century...
and Olaus Petri
Olaus Petri
Olof Persson , better known under the Latin form of his name, Olaus Petri , was a clergyman, writer, and a major contributor to the Protestant Reformation in Sweden...
; and King Gustav Vasa elected king in Strängnäs in 1523. It attracted some education and scholarship: in 1626 the Thomas Gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
was established, and is today Sweden's second oldest operating gymnasium.
The development of Strängnäs seems to have been slow after that, and only flourishing temporarily with the arrival of energetic bishops. The 19th century called for industrial investments, which Strängnäs did not possess. A fire in 1871 led to large reconstructions of the city, from which time its current appearance stems.
Today
Many of the inhabitants of Strängnäs commute to Stockholm, Södertälje and Eskilstuna.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. ...
also passes the city.
External links
- Strängnäs - Official site
- http://www.panoramio.com/photo/24440240