Falun
Falun was originally famous for its copper mine, and is today an important service and industrial city even though the mine is closed (since 1992).
Faluån is a river, flowing through the city, separating it into two sides. Falu copper mine is located on one of the sides which during many centuries was one of Sweden's main business. This side of the river was usually called "the mining side", where not many plants grew due to the toxic smoke which contaminated the soil. On the other side of the river, where the smoke did not reach, set many large villas, which made this side to be called "the delightful side". The centre of Falun consists of classical pedestrian streets with small shops. In 1998, the city reclaimed the award of "the city centre of the year" in Sweden.
In 2001, the city, the copper mine, and mining areas of Falun were added to the list of world heritage sites by the United Nations, which means that the city is worth preserving, as it is considered to be of interest for all of humanity. Dalarna University, with its 18 000 students, has a campus located in Falun ― close to the national ski stadium where the ski world championship has taken place a number of times, including the last one in 2015.
The name of Falun has influenced the names of some Swedish items associated with the town, such as Falu red (a paint color), Falu rågrut (a snack), Falu ättika (a type of vinegar) and Falukorv.
The town of Falun is known to have existed in the 14th century as a market place for the surrounding lands. Mining for copper had been a local business since the mid-13th century, or possibly as early as 1000, and the organisation for the extracting of copper and gold from Stora Kopparberget is believed to be the oldest still-existing enterprise in the world, proved active since 1347, when its charter was granted by King Magnus IV of Sweden. The first share in the company is dated as early as 1288.
However, an enterprise at that time was nothing more than a cooperative among the owners, each contributing with a share of money for construction, tools, etc., necessary to run the organisation. Depending on their contributions they could use the facilities and share the profits in proportion to the relative sizes of their individual contributions.
The city of Falun received its privileges in 1641. By then Falun was already one of the largest cities in Sweden, with about 6000 inhabitants. Soon, however, the importance of the copper mine began to decrease. In 1687, parts of the mine collapsed in a landslide, creating a 100 m deep pit. Even though the mine remained in use for the next 300 years, the production gradually diminished, until it closed down in 1992.
The mining area of the Falun Mine has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which also was the name of the mining company of Falun, is today a part of Stora Enso.
During World War II, Falun was the place where the authorities "interned" British and American airmen who happened to land in Sweden or reached the country after landing in German-controlled territories. Unlike civilian refugees from Germany, who were kept in internment camps throughout the country, British and American airmen were placed in hotels and bed and breakfast establishments in the Falun area, and enjoyed relative freedom.
Map - Falun
Map
Country - Sweden
Flag of Sweden |
Nature in Sweden is dominated by forests and many lakes, including some of the largest in Europe. Many long rivers run from the Scandes range through the landscape, primarily emptying into the northern tributaries of the Baltic Sea. It has an extensive coastline and most of the population lives near a major body of water. With the country ranging from 55°N to 69°N, the climate of Sweden is diverse due to the length of the country. The usual conditions are mild for the latitudes with a maritime south, continental centre and subarctic north. Snow cover is infrequent in the densely populated south, but reliable in higher latitudes. Furthermore, the rain shadow of the Scandes results in quite dry winters and sunny summers in much of the country.
Currency / Language
ISO | Currency | Symbol | Significant figures |
---|---|---|---|
SEK | Swedish krona | kr | 2 |
ISO | Language |
---|---|
FI | Finnish language |
SE | Northern Sami |
SV | Swedish language |