Kalmar Municipality

Kalmar Municipality (population 59,308) is a municipality in southeastern Sweden, where Kalmar is the seat. It is located in the district Smalandia on the coast of the Baltic Sea. It played an important part in the history of Sweden in the medieval age.

History

Kalmar is one of the oldest cities of Sweden. According to the story of the Norweigan patron Saint Olav, Olav had his ships moved to Kalmar 1027. The oldest contemporary records are also from the 11th century, on runestones. There Kalmar is used in the meaning Kalmar Strait, as the city itself had not yet been founded.

The southern area in Sweden, Terra Scania, belonged to Denmark up until 1658 when it was overtaken by Sweden. Since Kalmar was the city closest to the border it became it an important city in the Swedish Kingdome. After 1658 its importance lessened.

In 1219, the arguably most important Icelandic saga-writer Snorre Sturlasson visits Kalmar. In his writings he refers to it as Kaupbaer, which means merchant city. The oldest city seal of Kalmar is from somewhere inbetween 1255–1267, and it is the oldest known city seal from any city in Scandinavia.

On July 13, 1397, the Nordic Union treaty, named Kalmar Union, is signed in Kalmar. The union consisted of Sweden, Norway and Denmark and would last until 1520, when rivalling monarches forced its collapse.

Kalmar was also a bishopric from (?) to 1903 when it was merged by the bishopric of Växjö.

Today

In more recent times, Kalmar has been an industrial city with Kalmar Mekaniska Verkstad making steam engines and large machinery. It has a college and a research facility for Telia Sonera. Kalmar Castle is a "fist of granite" from the 16th century and Scandinavia's best kept renaissance castle.

In 1972, the bridge to the large island Öland was built.

Notable natives

• Ivar Kreuger
• Jenny Nyström

See also

• University College of Kalmar

• Kalmar County Administrative Board
• List of Kalmar Governors

• Kalmar Mekaniska Verkstad

• Spawn of Possession

External links

• Kalmar – Official site
• History Used April 29 2005.
• Kalmar Castle
• University College of Kalmar