| Örebro | |
 |
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| Coordinates: | |
|---|---|
| Country | Sweden |
| Municipality | Örebro Municipality |
| County | Örebro County |
| Province | Närke |
| Charter | 1404 |
| Area [1] | |
| - Total | 42.96 km² (16.6 sq mi) |
| Population (2005-12-31)[1] | |
| - Total | 98,237 |
| - Density | 2,287/km² (5,923.3/sq mi) |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| - Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| Website: orebro.se | |
Örebro [œrə'bruː] (in English: Pennybridge) is a city in Närke in central Sweden. Örebro is the seat of Örebro Municipality and the capital of Örebro County.
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History
Örebro received its Royal Charter and city privileges not later than 1404. Örebro literally means a bridge over gravel banks, which is how the geography looks, with the stream Svartån draining into the lake Hjälmaren. The location became a natural seat of commerce in the (Scandinavian) medieval time, and is mentioned in print in the 13th century. Old buildings from the early days include the foundations of the city church, a building which has undergone several modifications. The natural center of the city is otherwise the magnificent Örebro Castle, situated on an islet in the Svartån, and dividing the town into a northern and a southern part. This castle was constructed during the stewardship of Birger Jarl during the early 13th century and then modified and enlarged during the reign of King Gustav Vasa in the 1560s.
Notable events in Örebro's history include the national diet meeting at Örebro in 1810, where Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte was elected crown prince of Sweden. Although a trade town, Örebro remained small until the second half of the 19th century, when it grew rapidly as a center of the national shoe manufacturing industry (see: History of Närke).
Sites of interest
Örebro's old town Wadköping is located on the banks of the Svartån. It contains many 18th and 19th century wooden houses, along with museums and exhibitions. The water tower of Örebro, nicknamed Svampen (The Mushroom) is a popular destination as an outlook tower. In 1958, a replica of the tower was built in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Örebro University is one of Sweden's most recent, being upgraded from högskola (university college) in 1999. It currently has around 14,070 students and a staff of 1,100. Gustavsvik, the largest water park in the Nordic countries, is located just a kilometer south of Örebro. With more than 700,000 visitors per year, it is one of the most popular tourist and leisure establishments in Sweden. Only Liseberg, Gröna Lund and Skansen are more popular.
Notable natives
- Olaus Petri, (16th century) Principal reformator in Sweden
- Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson, (1390s–1436) rebellious politician and later Sweden's first rikshövitsman (Primeminister)
- Leni Björklund, former Minister for Defence
- Biljana Plavšić, former president of Bosnia and Hergezovina, now a prisoner for 11 years, just outside Örebro.
- Hjalmar Bergman, author
- Manne Siegbahn, Nobel Prize in Physics laureate
- Gunnar A. Sjögren, Saab designer
- Johan Röjler, ice speed skater
- Mary Stavin, former Miss World who appeared in two James Bond movies, Octopussy and A View to a Kill, as agent Kimberley Jones.
- Ernst Kirchsteiger TV-profile
- Dan Swanö, multi-instrumentalist, lead vocalist of Edge of Sanity
- Millencolin, punk rock band
- Nasum, grindcore band
- Witchcraft, doom metal band
- Nina Persson, lead singer of the pop group The Cardigans
- Peter Andersson, former NHL hockey player
- Millencolin, a skate-punk band
- Timmy Skoog, karate world champion
Sports
- Örebro SK
- Örebro Vipers
- Karlslunds IF
- Rynninge IK
- Adolfsbergs IK
- BK Forward
- Örebro Black Knights
- Timmys karateklubb
Culture
See also
References
External links
- Örebro - Official site
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Örebro is one of 134 towns with the historical City status in Sweden. |
