Öregrund
Encyclopedia
Öregrund is a locality
situated in Östhammar Municipality
, Uppsala County
, Sweden
with 1,555 inhabitants in 2010. It is located by the coast of the Baltic Sea
. Öregrund is, despite its small population, for historical reasons often still referred to as a city.
in 1491, by request from citizens from nearby city of Östhammar
. Östhammar had once been a coastal town, but due to land elevation its harbour had become useless. The royal council granted the request to construct a city at the end of the archipelago
where the sea opened. It further proclaimed "the city shall forever by known as Öregrund". The small but expanding city soon became a point of conflict. In 1520 Christian II of Denmark
conquered Stockholm
. A young Gustav Eriksson tried to gather an army, and Öregrund became the port whereto ships with men and weapons were transported. As a countermeasure, the Danish King had the city burnt in the winter of 1520. And so, the citizens of Öregrund had to move back to Östhammar.
Not until 1555, when Gustav Eriksson had become King Gustav I of Sweden
(Vasa) and stabilized the nation, where the citizens granted to recontstruct the city.
Uppland
underwent an industrial revolution
in the 17th century, with the Swedish iron industry becoming the foundation of Sweden's status as a Great Power
. Bar iron was exported through Öregrund. In England the best quality wrought iron
was known as Oregrounds iron
.
Fishing was basically the only industry through the centuries. The industrialization of the 19th century never got a stronghold of Öregrund; instead establishing themselves in the near Östhammar.
In the late 19th century a new industry prospered: the spa
s. People from outside bought up summer houses and made Öregrund their summerresidence. During this era several fine villas and gardens were built.
However, the summer residents led to decreased tax incomes for the city with economical troubles. In 1968 it was merged with the then city of Östhammar. Since the municipal reform of 1971 Öregrund is in Östhammar Municipality
.
.
(1922) Öregrund historia private webpage / Stig Sandelin (Summary in English: http://home.swipnet.se/~w-86149/summary.htm)
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...
situated in Östhammar Municipality
Östhammar Municipality
Östhammar Municipality is a municipality in Uppsala County in east central Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Östhammar....
, Uppsala County
Uppsala County
Uppsala County is a county or län on the eastern coast of Sweden. It borders the counties of Stockholm, Södermanland, Västmanland, Gävleborg, and the Baltic Sea.- Province :For History, Geography and Culture see: Uppland...
, 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 1,555 inhabitants in 2010. It is located by the coast of the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
. Öregrund is, despite its small population, for historical reasons often still referred to as a city.
History
The town was granted a 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 1491, by request from citizens from nearby city of Östhammar
Östhammar
Östhammar is a locality and the seat of Östhammar Municipality, Uppsala County, Sweden with 4,534 inhabitants in 2010. Today Östhammar Municipality is a part of Uppsala County, but the area has historically been a part of Stockholm County.-History:...
. Östhammar had once been a coastal town, but due to land elevation its harbour had become useless. The royal council granted the request to construct a city at the end of the archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
where the sea opened. It further proclaimed "the city shall forever by known as Öregrund". The small but expanding city soon became a point of conflict. In 1520 Christian II of Denmark
Christian II of Denmark
Christian II was King of Denmark, Norway and Sweden , during the Kalmar Union.-Background:...
conquered 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...
. A young Gustav Eriksson tried to gather an army, and Öregrund became the port whereto ships with men and weapons were transported. As a countermeasure, the Danish King had the city burnt in the winter of 1520. And so, the citizens of Öregrund had to move back to Östhammar.
Not until 1555, when Gustav Eriksson had become King Gustav I of Sweden
Gustav I of Sweden
Gustav I of Sweden, born Gustav Eriksson of the Vasa noble family and later known simply as Gustav Vasa , was King of Sweden from 1523 until his death....
(Vasa) and stabilized the nation, where the citizens granted to recontstruct the city.
Uppland
Uppland
Uppland is a historical province or landskap on the eastern coast of Sweden, just north of Stockholm, the capital. It borders Södermanland, Västmanland and Gästrikland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic sea...
underwent an industrial revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
in the 17th century, with the Swedish iron industry becoming the foundation of Sweden's status as a Great Power
Rise of Sweden as a Great Power
During the 17th century, despite having scarcely more than 1 million inhabitants, Sweden emerged to have greater foreign influence, after winning wars against Denmark–Norway, The Holy Roman Empire, Russia, and The Commonwealth of Poland and Lithuania...
. Bar iron was exported through Öregrund. In England the best quality wrought iron
Wrought iron
thumb|The [[Eiffel tower]] is constructed from [[puddle iron]], a form of wrought ironWrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon...
was known as Oregrounds iron
Oregrounds iron
Oregrounds iron was a grade of iron that was regarded as the best grade available in 18th century England. The term was derived from the small Swedish city of Öregrund. The process to create it is known as the Walloon method....
.
Fishing was basically the only industry through the centuries. The industrialization of the 19th century never got a stronghold of Öregrund; instead establishing themselves in the near Östhammar.
In the late 19th century a new industry prospered: the spa
Day spa
A day spa is a business establishment which people visit for professionally administered personal care treatments such as massages and facials. It is similar to a beauty salon in that it is only visited for the duration of the treatment. Day spas sited in airport terminals are often called airport...
s. People from outside bought up summer houses and made Öregrund their summerresidence. During this era several fine villas and gardens were built.
However, the summer residents led to decreased tax incomes for the city with economical troubles. In 1968 it was merged with the then city of Östhammar. Since the municipal reform of 1971 Öregrund is in Östhammar Municipality
Östhammar Municipality
Östhammar Municipality is a municipality in Uppsala County in east central Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Östhammar....
.
Modern times
The nave of Öregrund is still the harbour. In modern times it is mainly used for small boats. In the summer if flourishes due to small sailboats and other pleasure boat. Boats also arrive from Stockholm, taking a trip from the Stockholm ArchipelagoStockholm archipelago
The Stockholm archipelago is the largest archipelago of Sweden, and one of the largest archipelagos of the Baltic Sea.-Geography:The archipelago extends from Stockholm roughly 60 kilometers to the east...
.
Sights
Öregrund is one of Uppland's best kept wooden cities and attracts many visitors. Apart for the wooden houses, there is also a noteworthy stone church in the town center, and a town hall from the midth 19th century.External links
om Öregrund (in Swedish) article Öregrund from Nordisk familjebokNordisk familjebok
Nordisk familjebok is a Swedish encyclopedia, published between 1876 and 1957.- History :The first edition was published in 20 volumes between 1876 and 1899. The first edition is known as the "Iðunn edition" because of the picture of Iðunn on the cover...
(1922) Öregrund historia private webpage / Stig Sandelin (Summary in English: http://home.swipnet.se/~w-86149/summary.htm)