Stockholm

Stockholm (Swedish Stockholm) is the capital and largest city of Sweden, home to 972,647 people and 2.4 million in its metropolitan area. The city is made up of 14 islands where Lake Mälar empties into the Baltic Sea. In the east of the city, and along the coast, is the chain of islands known as the Stockholm archipelago. Stockholm has been populated by humans since the Stone Age, in the 6th millennium BC, and was founded as a city in 1252 by the Swedish statesman Birger Jarl. It is also the seat of Stockholm County.

The city of Stockholm is administratively a municipality of the province of the same name, including the metropolitan area. Named by the GaWC as an "alpha class" global city in the 2008 Global Cities Index, it is ranked 24th in the world, 8th in Europe and 1st in all of Scandinavia.

Stockholm is the cultural, media, political and economic center of Sweden. The Stockholm region, alone, accumulates more than a third of the country's GDP and is among the 10 regions in Europe with the highest GDP per capita. It is considered a global city and the main center of corporate headquarters in the nordic countries.

The city is part of the group of cities commonly known as the "Venices of the North" and was awarded the title of European Green Capital 2010.

The city is home to major universities, such as the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm University, and the Royal Institute of Technology. It also hosts the annual Nobel Prize ceremony and banquet at Stockholm Concert Hall and at City Hall. One of the city's most awarded museums, the Vasa Museum is the most visited non-art museum in Scandinavia. The Stockholm subway, opened in 1950, is known for the decoration of its stations, it has been called the largest art gallery in the world for this reason. It also hosted the 1912 Olympic Games.

As the state capital, Stockholm is the seat of the Swedish Government and most of its institutions, such as the Supreme Court of Justice (Högsta Domstolen). The Rosenbad Building is the seat of the Swedish Government, the Palace of Parliament is seat of the Swedish Parliament (Riksdag) and the prime minister's residence is adjacent to Sager House. The Royal Palace in Stockholm is the official residence and main workplace of the Swedish king, Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, while Drottningholm Palace is the private residence of the Swedish royal family.

Toponymy

The name of the city is due first to the fact that at the time of its foundation the natives had to defend their lands, so they placed piled trunks on the shores of Lake Mälar (Sigtuna) to avoid the transit of enemy ships, hence they worded Stack. that is the same as stacking in Spanish and that because of the pronunciation it remains in Stock. The other syllable corresponding to the name of one of the ancient islands of the old city, Stadsholmen, and that then the expansive and territorial situation ended up forcing to add the same monosyllable to change it for the former known as Stock, which due to the unification of the islands already in the end becomes known as "Stock" holm and definitely Stockholm (in Swedish the 'h' is silent in this case). It's pronounced. [st]k destinedlm] (?·i).

There are different versions of the city's place name: Stockholm in Spanish, Holmia in Latin, Tukholma in Finnish, Stoccolma in Italian, Sztokholm in Polish, Stokgolm (Стокгольм) in Russian, Sutokkuhorumu (ストックホルム) in Japanese, and Sídégēěrmó (斯德哥尔摩) in Chinese. In French, English and German the name of the city is written in the same way as in Swedish, although the pronunciation differs.

History

Middle Ages

The first mention of the city of Stockholm dates back to 1252. The city was then reduced to the small island called Gamla Stan. It was founded by Birger Jarl, with the aim of protecting Sweden from invasions by foreign fleets and to put an end to the looting of cities such as Sigtuna, located on Lake Mälaren. The first building built was a fort that controlled maritime traffic between the Baltic Sea and Lake Mälaren. Under the influence of Magnus Ladulás, it prospers thanks to its commercial relations with Lübeck. It is then part of the Hanseatic League. In 1270, it is described in documents as a real city, and in 1289 it is already the largest city in Sweden. The first reliable estimate of its population dates back to the 15th century. At that time, there were approximately a thousand heads of families, which was equivalent to some five to six thousand inhabitants. In 1350, the city experienced an episode of the Black Death with devastating consequences.

It is not until the end of 1436 that Stockholm is proclaimed the capital of Sweden. Its strategic position, as well as its economic weight, make it an important place in the relations between the Danish kingdoms of the Kalmar Union and the movement of Swedish independence during the 15th century. There were numerous battles, most notably the Battle of Brunkeberg won in 1471 by Sten Sture the Elder against King Christian I of Denmark, and the Stockholm Bloodbath that will take place in 1520 ordered by Christian II of Denmark, which would put an end to the Kalmar Union.

Modern Age

Vädersolstavlan dated 1535, is considered one of the oldest images in the city.

In 1521, Gustavus Vasa makes his entry into Stockholm, ushering in a new era for Sweden. The city grows and extends beyond Stadsholmen onto Södermalm and Norrmalm. In 1600, it already had about twelve thousand inhabitants.

In the 17th century Stockholm is already a major European city. Between 1610 and 1680 its population multiplied by six. Ladugårdslandet, currently called Östermalm, as well as the island of Kungsholmen, are now absorbed by the city. In 1628, during the reign of Gustav II Adolf, the warship Vasa capsized in the Stockholm archipelago. The same year the rules that give Stockholm a monopoly on exchanges between foreign merchants and the Scandinavian territories are established. Numerous castles and palaces for nobles were built at this time, including the House of Nobility (Riddarhuset) and in the 18th century XVIII the royal palace.

Stockholm Opera Building

After the Great Northern War, which would lead to the partial destruction of the city, Stockholm sees its growth begin to decline. It retains, however, its role as the political capital of Sweden, and under Gustav III of Sweden it asserts its cultural superiority. The Royal Opera is a fine example of the architecture of this era.

Contemporary Age

At the beginning of the 19th century, Stockholm increasingly lost its economic influence. Norrköping is then the country's main industrial city, and Gothenburg an unavoidable port thanks to its location on the North Sea. In the second part of the century, Stockholm manages to recover its leading role in the economic aspect with the appearance of new industries, and makes it an important center of trade and services, as well as the main gateway to Sweden. Its population then grew significantly thanks to strong immigration. At the end of the century, only 40% of the city's inhabitants had been born in it. Then, neighborhoods began to develop beyond the limits of Stockholm, in the countryside and on the coasts. It is also at this time that the city increases its central role in education and culture, with the opening of numerous universities, such as the Karolinska Institute.

City Hall from Lake Mälaren

During the 20th century, Stockholm rehabilitated a large part of its center, which had narrow, curvy streets that posed problems as car traffic increased. The municipal authorities prohibited the renovation of the buildings here, especially those that comprise the area near the Central Station, from Hötorget to Sergels torg, during the first half of the century. From 1945 to 1967, the area was demolished and later rebuilt, with wide walkways for pedestrians, as well as office buildings or high-rise homes. At the turn of the century, Stockholm is a modern, cosmopolitan and technologically advanced city. In 1923 the municipal government changed its headquarters and passed to the new Town Hall, the work of the architect Ragnar Östberg. The Stockholm Metro dates back to 1950, and the Kista district has become an important center for new technologies.

In 1986 Prime Minister Olof Palme died after being gunned down in the middle of the street, and in 2003 Foreign Minister Anna Lindh was assassinated in the Nordiska Kompaniet department store.

Geography

Stockholm was founded on the small island of Stadsholmen, a place today known as Gamla Stan (Old Town), located exactly between Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. It limits to the north with Norrmalm and Östermalm, and to the south with Södermalm. In total, it is located on 14 islands, with water being an omnipresent element. The city has 57 bridges that allow movement between the different neighborhoods. That is why it is also called the Venice of the North. One of these bridges connects the city with Lidingö, in the Lilla Värtan Strait (Lidingö Bridge). Like all Scandinavian cities, it is very well connected by sea with the other important cities in its surroundings, such as Helsinki, Copenhagen and the coastal cities of Germany, Poland and the Baltic States. It is also connected to Gothenburg, through inland lakes and the Göta kanal.

Climate

Stockholm's average annual temperature is around 7°C. The average temperature in January and February is –3 °C, in July +17.5 °C. Most of the precipitation falls in summer, with July being the rainiest month (72 mm) and March the driest (26 mm). In summer the precipitations can be torrential, in autumn, on the other hand, they are distributed more equally between the months. The lowest temperature recorded in the city was –31 °C on January 20, 1814, and the maximum was +36 °C on July 3, 1811.

Average climate parameters in Stockholm, Sweden
Month	Ene.	Feb.	Mar.	Open up.	May.	Jun.	Jul.	Ago.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Annual
Temp. max. abs. (°C)	10.5	10.4	13.1	20.2	27.9	32.2	35.4	34.2	28.1	22.8	17.8	12.2	35.4
Average temperature (°C)	-0.7	-0.6	3.0	8.6	15.7	20.7	22.2	20.4	15.1	9.9	4.5	1.1	10.75
Average temperature (°C)	-2.8	-3.0	0.2	5.0	11.0	16.0	17.8	16.9	12.1	7.6	2.6	-1.1	7.4
Temp. medium (°C)	-5.0	-5.3	-2.7	1.1	6.3	11.3	13.4	12.7	9.0	5.3	0.7	-3.2	4.05
Temp. min. abs. (°C)	−25.1	−25.5	−17.3	-10.0	-3.8	3.4	6.0	5.8	-0.2	-6.2	−11.6	−19.4	-25.5
Total precipitation (mm)	27	26	30	45	50	55	72	66	53	46	39	30	540
Precipitation days (≥ 1 mm)	16	16	12	10	10	10	9	9	10	10	12	15	139
Hours of sun	40.3	34.1	73.45	136.4	186.0	260.4	291.0	275.9	220.1	153.0	99.3	54.0	1824
Source No. 1: World Meteorological Organisation, NOAA (extremes 1961-1990)
Source No. 2: Hong Kong Observatory

Politics

Stockholm is one of the 290 municipalities in Sweden, and is the capital of the province of Stockholm, as well as being the capital of Sweden. The municipality has been divided since 1998 into 18 districts, which are responsible for primary schools, social assistance and local cultural media. The current mayor of Stockholm is Sten Nordin (since 2008), from the Moderate Party. The municipal council is elected by representative democracy every four years. The last one was in 2010, being represented:

Urban planning

Stockholm is known for its three areas: Innerstaden (center), Söderort (sur) and Västerort (west). In turn the city is integrated into 14 districts:

Culture

The Palace of Drottningholm

As the capital of Sweden, Stockholm boasts a large part of Sweden's main cultural places, with theaters, museums or operas. In Stockholm and its surroundings, several buildings such as Drottningholm Palace or the Skogskyrkogården cemetery are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in Sweden. On the other hand, Stockholm was designated European Capital of Culture in 1998.

Museums

Stockholm has over a hundred museums, some of which are free. The most famous are:

• Gamla stan: The medieval old quarter, Stockholm Cathedral Storkyrkan and the Royal Palace.
• Skansen: an outdoor museum (literally, the bastion) located on the island of Djurgården, near the center of Stockholm. There are ancient buildings in all areas of Sweden, and it reproduces what life was like in cities and towns since the century.XVI. There is also a part dedicated to the Lap people, as well as a small natural park (with different species of Nordic animals, such as alces, bears, etc.) and an aquarium.
• Vasa Museum: In it you can see a century warshipXVII (the Wasa) with a curious story: it sank freshly finished to build, in 1628, 1300 meters from the shipyards. The cause is simply the fact that the boat was too unstable to be able to navigate. It was rescued in 1961.
• Kungliga Slottet: It is the Royal Palace and the official residence of the royal family. It was built in the centuryXVIII. With 608 rooms, it is one of the largest in Europe.
• Modern Museet: It is the Museum of Modern Art in Stockholm, and one of the main exhibitions of modern art of the centuryXX. from all over Europe.
• Nobel Museum: Presents the Nobel Prize laureates as well as their works.

Other famous museums in the city include the Historical Museum, the National Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Natural History and Science, and the Nordic Museum.

Stockholm is the center of the Swedish solar system, a scale model of the solar system centered on the Avicii Arena, which simulates the Sun, and in which the inner planets —Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars— are represented as sculptures.

Neighborhoods of interest

View of the old city of Stockholm (Gamla Stan) from the sea, with the tower of the German Church (Tyska Kyrkan).

The main part of Stockholm is made up of various neighborhoods that make for interesting and beautiful places to visit.

• The old city, Gamla Stan, is located mainly on the island of Stadsholmen. It is formed by narrow streets and has many places of interest, such as the Royal Palace, the Nobel Museum, the German Church, Storkyrkan and Riddarhuset or House of the Nobleza.
• Djurgården, one of the Stockholm islands, brings together the city's main tourist attractions. Here are the Vasa Museum, Skansen, the Nordic Museum, the Gröna Lund amusement park, as well as a large park.
• Södermalm is a very lively neighborhood, with numerous cafés, galleries and independent restaurants. The squares of Mariatorget and Nytorget are very frequented places as well as the numerous churches. This island connects with Gamla Stan through the Slussen area.

Other notable neighborhoods are Norrmalm, Östermalm, Kungsholmen or Skeppsholmen.

Economy

More than 40% of Swedish companies are headquartered in Stockholm, which is the economic and financial center of Sweden. Some high-tech companies, both national and international, have offices in Stockholm, such as Ericsson, Google, Ubisoft, Electrolux or AstraZeneca, one of the most dynamic European centers in terms of information and communication technologies. Tourism has become a very important activity for the city of Stockholm in recent years, with seven million annual visitors.

Demographics

Main article: Demography of Sweden

The Stockholm area accounts for 22% of the total population of Sweden, thus its presence in the Swedish economy is the largest of any region, accounting for 29% of the country's gross domestic product. In the 18th and 19th centuries" only covered the center of the current city, one fifth of it. In the XX century several municipalities such as Brännkyrka (1913) or Spånga (1949), among others, were incorporated. 49% of the population are men and 51% women. Its immigration rate is increasing, and at the last count there was a 26% foreign population. The total population of the urban area in 2010 was 1,372,565.

Graphic of demographic evolution in Stockholm between 1800 and present

Source: Stockholm

Languages

In Stockholm there are many different suburbs with a foreign majority, which is why many languages are spoken. The main ones are Swedish and Finnish (Finland), and the minorities are Bosnian, Syriac, Arabic, Turkish, Kurdish, Persian, Dutch, Spanish, Serbian and Croatian.

Transportation

	Airport	IATA Code	ICAO Code
	Stockholm-Arlanda Airport	RNA	ESSA
	Stockholm-Skavsta Airport	NYO	ESKN
	Stockholm-Bromma Airport	BMA	ESSB

Stockholm is the central point of the Swedish railway system. The city has an international airport, Arlanda, as well as two smaller airports: Skavsta and Stockholm-Bromma Airport. Stockholm is also an important port, with relations mainly with the cities of Helsinki, Saint Petersburg, Turku and Tallinn. Public transport is of a great variety. The Stockholm Metro (Tunnelbanan) serves the main points of the city and involves three commuter train lines (pendeltågen, Roslagsbanan and Saltsjöbanan) that connect the center with the outskirts, located at a great distance (a hundred kilometers from north to south). There are also trams (Tvärbanan, Nockebybanan, Lidingöbanan and Djurgårdslinjen), as well as a vast bus network. The equipment is owned by the company Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (SL, owner of the Stockholm County Council), and is operated and maintained by subcontractors. Boat transport is also used between the islands of the archipelago.

On January 3, 2006, an urban toll system similar to the one in London was established, for a trial period of six months. At the end of this period, by means of a referendum, it was decided to establish it permanently, beginning on August 1, 2007. The main objectives are to reduce traffic jams and pollution generated by vehicle traffic. Bus lines have been strengthened to help these measures.

Culture

Music

Among the bands originating from the city are ABBA (pop music), A*Teens (pop), Opeth (progressive death metal), Tiamat (black metal), Europe (glam metal), Swedish House Mafia (house),Avicii (electronic music), Lifelover (depressive rock) and Bathory (black metal/viking metal).

Education

	University	Foundation	Acronym	Type
	Karolinska Institute	1810	KI	Medical University
	University of Stockholm	1878	YOUR	Public University
	Royal Stockholm Institute of Technology	1827	KTH	Public University

National Academies

Royal academies that are also located in Stockholm are the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and the Swedish Academy that decide every year who will receive the Nobel Prizes.

Sports

The 1912 Summer Olympics were held in the Swedish capital. There is the Stockholm Olympic Stadium, the Globen and the Friends Arena for playing football, ice hockey or even bandy. The presence of a large amount of dammed water, which freezes easily in winter, facilitates the practice of ice skating in the winter period.

Equipment	Sport	Competition	Stadium	Creation
AIK Stockholm	Football	Allsvenskan	Friends Arena	1891
Djurgårdens IF Fotboll	Football	Allsvenskan	Tele2 Arena	1891
Hammarby IF	Football	Allsvenskan	Tele2 Arena	1897

Notable people