Göteborg (Map code: 7B SV)
(ab. 500.000 inh.)
Today’s Göteborg, second biggest city in Sweden, was founded in 1621 as successor of a number of earlier city foundations at the mouth of Göta river, until the middle of the 17th century Sweden’s only access to the North Sea. The Old town was built by Dutch engineers in the river marshland and characterized by canals, which today are partly filled in to streets. Strong fortifications from the 17th century have left many remains, fortresses, bastions and the moat. Since the 18th century, when the Swedish East India Company, with head office at the central canal (Stora hamnkanalen) in Göteborg opened the trade with Kanton, China, Göteborg has been the main harbour for transocean shipping in Sweden. In the 19th century the main harbour moved from the central canal into the big river, Göta älv, where shipping expanded mainly along the southern shore and ship-building along the northern shore. The modern transformation of harbour areas has changed the scenery along the Göta älv. Conference centers, institutions and housing estates have filled the space of earlier shipyards on the northern shore. On the southern shore an opera house and a ship museum have replaced harbour installations. The modern harbour function has moved farther downstream to the mouth of Göta älv. Göteborg is still a big industrial center, where SKF and Volvo are industries of international importance. The city itself grew outside the Old town mainly on the southern side, in the second half of the 20th century in widening circles of suburbs. A splendid avenue leads from the Old town to Götaplatsen with monumental art museum, concert hall, theater and library. Big sports arenas, entertainment parks and fairs give Göteborg qualities as an international meeting place.

Swedish Gazetteer

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Map Source: Lantmäteriet (Swedish National Landsurvey)

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