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Vaxholm

Vaxholm is a city, urban area and the seat of Vaxholm Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden. It occupies the islands of Vaxön and Kullö in the Stockholm archipelago. The name Vaxholm comes from Vaxholm Fortress, which was constructed in 1549 on the adjacent islet of Vaxholmen.

For historical reasons it has always been referred to as a city, despite the small number of inhabitants, which as of 2020 total was 6,151. Vaxholm Municipality prefers to use the designation Vaxholms stad (City of Vaxholm) for its whole territory, including 64 islets in the Stockholm archipelago, a usage which is somewhat confusing.

History
Vaxholm Fortress was originally constructed by Gustav Vasa in 1548 to defend Stockholm against shipborne attacks from the east. The fortress lies in the middle of the Kodjupet strait, one of two main routes into Stockholm from the open sea.

The town of Vaxholm, which lies adjacent to the fortress but on the western side of the Kodjupet strait, was established in 1558, when King Gustav Vasa bought some farms from Count Per Brahe the Elder. It later received rights as a merchant town (köping) and in 1652 was granted the Royal Charter. The designated coat of arms reminds of the fortifications as well as shipping industry.

In 1849, the Djurgårdens Ångbåts-Aktie-Bolag introduced a steamboat service from Stockholm to Vaxholm. Through a number of acquisitions and mergers, this company became that known today as Waxholmsbolaget. As a consequence and in the 1860s, Vaxholm became a popular resort town, especially for bathers, and many wooden summer houses were built by people from Stockholm.

It was not until 1912 that houses were allowed to be built from materials other than wood, giving the town a distinctive appearance. In 1926 the town got its first fixed land connection via the single-lane Pålsundsbron bridge that links to the Bogesundslandet peninsular to the south of the town. This was followed in 1965 by the wider Vaxholmsbron bridge that links to the island of Kullö to the north-west of the town, carrying Länsväg 274 on its way to the mainland.

Until 2020, the urban area of Vaxholm, as defined by Statistics Sweden, was entirely contained within the island of Vaxön. However in that year, the urban area was redefined to include the adjacent island of Kullö.

Transportation
Vaxholm is situated on an island, but is linked to the Swedish mainland by a series of road bridges, and a bus service connects the town to Stockholm city. The Waxholmsbolaget and other ferry lines also provide boat services to central Stockholm and many of the other islands of the Stockholm archipelago, using a mixture of classic steamers and modern fast passenger ferries.

The Vaxholmsleden car ferry connects Vaxholm to the island of Rindö across the Kodjupet strait. The Kastellet ferry, an electrically powered cable ferry provides passenger access to Vaxholm Fortress on its islet in the middle of the Kodjupet.

Sports
The following sports clubs are located in Vaxholm :
 * IFK Vaxholm
 * Vaxholms IBF
 * Vaxholms TK
 * IK Waxholm
 * Waxholms KK

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Vaxholm


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Upplands Väsby

Upplands Väsby is a locality and the seat of Upplands Väsby Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 48,907 inhabitants in 2020.

History
The municipality has a long history with clear traces of settlements from the pre-Christian times in several places. The first traces of human culture have been found during excavations of Hammarby ridge, about 400 meters south of the current Glädjen junction, where the excavation of the burial ground Ekebo found a bronze axe from around 600 to 700 BC. Upplands Väsby has a low topography and the people lived by fishing, seal and waterfowl hunting. Several finds of foreign coins testify to the extensive trade with foreign countries. They include Arabic coins found at Great Wäsby castle grounds.

At Runsa and Skavsta's prehistoric fortifications, known as hill forts. Traces of aboriginal burial grounds are found in many places in the form of mounds, stone circles, standing stones, or minor bumps. The graves are sometimes the shape of a ship, as at Runsa, one of Sweden's most famous stone circles. It is 56 meters from the bow and stern and was made in 400-500 AD. Other cemeteries in the form of large burial mounds exist near Löwenströmska Hospital and Runby, called Zamores Hill after the timpanist Antonin Zamore, a North African who came to Sweden in the late 1700s and who lived on the Runby Lower farm, now called the homestead. The largest cemetery is the Great Wäsby Castle ättebacke with around 200 burial mounds.

In the early 1900s, Upplands Väsby was a small station community. The town's railway station was completed in 1865, situated on the rail line between Stockholm and Uppsala, built between 1863 and 1866. Around the station, a society grew. Anton Tamm had bought up all the land that the present society is built on. In 1903 Tamm, at the time was CEO of Optimus, established the first major industry, Väsby Werkstäder. The company manufactured brass and copper, including Optimus products. Väsby Werkstäder was bought in 1917 by Finspongs Metallverk AB. Over the years, the company changed its name many times, but was popularly always called Messingen. They were later Swedish Metal Works and Granges-Weda and offered die casting and plastic manufacturing.

Upplands Väsby today
The municipality now has the character of a modern suburban town, situated between Stockholm and Uppsala. The distance to the city centre of Stockholm is twenty-five kilometers and to the centre of Uppsala forty-five km. Travel to Stockholm Central Station takes 27 minutes (10 stations) by commuter train. Travel time to Arlanda Airport is seven minutes by local train, which also connects Upplands Väsby with Uppsala. From Upplands Väsby are many renowned music artists: Europe, Therion, H.E.A.T., Candlemass and IFA Wartburg have lived there, as well as John Norum and Yngwie Malmsteen. Even the actors Shima Niavarani and Shebly Niavarani have lived and attended school in Upplands Väsby. Some famous writers who lived in Upplands Väsby are Carl Jonas Love Almquist, P. C. Jersild, and Alexander Ahndoril.

Settlement
Parts of the industry that was in the area near the railway station can now be seen south of the neighborhood Messingen where Optimus established himself in 1908. Optimus factory in Upplands Väsby was closed in 1983 when production was moved to Småland (the company still exists today under the name Optimus International AB. Now manufactures mainly camping). In the former industrial premises is now run new activities, including Upplands Väsby art gallery. Today, the original buildings demolished to make way for new housing and a new school, Väsby new gymnasium, which was completed before the start of school in August 2011. If you follow the road east from Central Station can be reached after a few hundred meters including Culture Vega, Väsby School and after another short stretch Väsby Centre including a shopping mall, medical center, and municipal offices.

Väsby
Väsby centrum was opened in 1972. Several extensions and renovations have been made over the years and in recent years, major changes implemented. The shopping mall contains a variety of stores with a wide selection of apparel, electronics, cosmetics, health foods, books, flowers, jewelry, and grocery stores and restaurants. [3] center facility owned by Väsbyhem who in 2001 sold the plant to Doughty Hanson & Co European Real Estate. From December 2004 the plant was operated center of the Franco-Dutch property company Unibail-Rodamco, until June 2011, when it was sold to the British family firm Grosvenor in a business where other plants were included.

Residential

 * Smedby/Ekebo, with Viking farm yard Gunnes Gård (see Uppland Runic 280 and Uppland Runic 281). Smedbyvägen / Ekebo first part was built in 1974 and the third and last part was completed in the mid-1980s. The municipal housing company Väsbyhem built and owned the entire area until the end of 2007, when Smedbyvägen 1 (about 700 apartments) was sold to Stena Property.
 * Carlslund is located east of E4. The original settlement consisted primarily of employee housing (designed by Anders Tengbom) erected in the mid-1950s. It has previously been both nursing homes as refugees. Ahead of Housing Exhibition 1985 was a great and new construction in the area.
 * Brunnby Park is located in the eastern part of Carl Lund, about one kilometer east of the city center, 500 meters from European Route 4. In 2009 onwards, nearly 150 villas and townhouses built in the area.
 * Old Väsby, or Central Väsby, the station area and the downtown facility. It was the home Optimus turbines factory blocks Messingen, which has now been demolished.
 * Runby/Runby Backar, municipal northwestern parts with a recreation area, as well as Ed's church.
 * Apoteksskogen, or colloquially Sigma, for an area center. Built west of Hammarby Apotek.
 * Väsbyskogen, usually also considered to Sigma.
 * Sundsborg, usually also considered to Odenslunda.
 * Grimstaby built as a backlash on million program in the 1970s. Terraced area designed as an old-fashioned small town with a main street, square and various small business premises, including kiosk, hairdresser and restaurant. The area, which houses both schools and kindergartens, was originally built as rental units but was converted in the late 2000s to condominiums.
 * Hagängen/Löwenströmska hospital, built next to Löwenströmska hospital. Mixed housing, lowest apartment building (former staff housing), and a smaller proportion of terraced / semi-detached houses.
 * Prästgårdsmarken, agglomeration south-western parts. Composed almost entirely of apartment buildings constructed during the 1980s.
 * Bollstanäs, the southern / south-eastern parts. The buildings consist of villas and borders the municipality of Sollentuna.
 * Fresta
 * Odenslunda
 * Brunnby/Brunnby Vik located about two kilometers east of the city center; mostly townhouses, villas, and small businesses.
 * Sjukyrkoberget
 * Skälby
 * Sanda Ängar

Schools
There are more than 3,000 students spread over fourteen elementary schools and one secondary school. Half the primary schools are communal.

 * Bollstanäs skola, grades 1–5, about 250 pupils.
 * Breddenskolan, grades 1–5.
 * Väsbyskolan, over 420 students, grades 4–9, with learning disabilities, as well as music classes and science classes grades 4–9.
 * Frestaskolan, grades 1–5, free school from the autumn term 2008.
 * Grimstaskolan, grades 6–9, approximately 450 students. The school has a football focus. The school has a special partnership with Vilunda gymnasium. The school also has a joint municipal group for students with autism spectrum disorders in which grades 4-9 gather.
 * Hasselskolan, preschool, grades 1–3, from the autumn semester 2007 grades 1–5.
 * Odenslunda skola, preschool, grade 1–5, independent school from the autumn term 2008. More than 200 students.
 * Runbyskolan, about 560 students, pre-school, grade F-9.
 * Smedbyskolan, grades 1–6, about 250 pupils.
 * Smedsgärdsskolan, grades 1–6, approximately around 1-1000 students.
 * Södervikskolan, grades 6–9, free school from the autumn semester 2008, 390 students.
 * Sweden-Finnish school, private school, about 150 students.
 * Vikskolan, preschool, grade 1–9, independent school from the autumn term 2008. By 2025, Vikskolan will be demolished and replaced with a newly built school named Viraskolan.
 * Vittra in Vasby, more than 300 students, kindergarten and grades 1–9, is an independent school in Vittra (business).

Secondary school

 * Väsby new gymnasium. The school started in August 2011 and the municipality's former high school, Vilunda High School, was closed and demolished for new apartments.
 * ANNUAL School
 * Energy School

Transportation

 * Stockholm commuter line 41 Märsta C - Stockholm C - Södertälje C
 * Stockholm commuter line 41X Märsta C - Stockholm C - Tumba C - Södertälje C
 * Stockholm commuter line 42X Märsta C - Älvsjö C
 * Stockholm commuter line 38 Uppsala C - Arlanda Airport - Stockholm C - Älvsjö (- Tumba)
 * Bus routes, many of which depart from the bus terminal at Upplands Väsby station

Notable people

 * Carl Jonas Love Almqvist (1793-1866) author and social critic
 * Calle Asell (born 1994), ice hockey player
 * Joey Tempest (born 1963), lead vocalist of the rock band Europe
 * Robert Topala (born 1987), a video game developer, famous for creating Geometry Dash

title: Upplands Väsby


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Täby

Täby was previously a trimunicipal locality, with 76,700 inhabitants in 2024. However, as from 2016, Statistics Sweden has amalgamated this locality with the Stockholm urban area. It is the seat of Täby Municipality in Stockholm County, Sweden. It was also partly located in Danderyd Municipality (the Enebyberg area) and a very small part in Sollentuna Municipality.

Täby kyrkby in the northern part of Täby Municipality forms on the other hand part of the Vallentuna urban area.

title: Täby


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Södertälje

Södertälje is a city in Södermanland and Stockholm County, Sweden and seat of Södertälje Municipality. As of 2017, it has 72,704 inhabitants. Södertälje is located at Mälarens confluence in to the Baltic Sea through the lock in the Södertälje Canal. Since year 2000, it is the largest city located entirely within the province of Södermanland.

Ancient history
It is estimated that the first people reached the area around what is today Södertälje during the Stone Age, about 4000 BC. They formed settlements around 3000 BC, when the peasant culture is believed to have reached the area. Around 1500 to 400 BC, the strait between Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea narrowed due to the post-glacial rebound. Thereafter boats had to be towed over the sand ridge, which created job opportunities. Trade and service emerged.

Ansgar passed through Södertälje on his voyages to Birka in his efforts to Christianize Sweden in 829. Södertälje was first mentioned in historical sources in 1070, when Adam of Bremen mentioned the town in a description of the road between Skara and Birka in his work Gesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae pontificum. However, the area was inhabited long before then. Södertälje received city privileges in the 1300s.

The castle Telge Hus was built at Slottsholmen during the 1300s. From here, Telgehus county was administered between the years 1318 and 1527. The county included Öknebo, Hölebo and parts of Svartlösa districts. Archaeological excavations have shown that the castle was surrounded by a moat. It is still partially visible on Slottsholmen's northwestern shore.

Originally, the city was simply called Tälje (several spellings are known; including Telge, Talje, and Tælga). In 1622, the prefix Söder 'south' was added to distinguish from the then recently founded town of Norrtälje, located 110 km northeast of the city. Statistics Sweden started using the modern spelling in 1900.

The city first used St. Olof in its coat of arms. At the beginning of the 17th century, he was replaced by Ragnhild of Tälje (Sankta Ragnhild). After her pilgrimages to Rome and Jerusalem, her relics are said to have been buried in Södertälje.

Duke Charles (Who subsequently became King Charles) actively invested in Södertälje as a commercial and maritime city during his time as Duke of Södermanland, which contributed to growth. A port was built just south of the city. It was not until the 1740s that the city began with industrial manufacturing in addition to shipping and trade.

1800s to 1950
Södertälje already had a port, but during the 19th century it became necessary to extend it to be able to receive larger vessels. In 1819 the Södertälje Canal was inaugurated after 13 years of construction. Just over forty years later, in 1860, rail traffic between Södertälje and Stockholm commenced. The Western Main Line for trains between the east and west coast of Sweden opened in 1862, with a station in the city.

Around this time Södertälje became known as a seaside resort for Stockholmers. In 1849 the Södertälje Bathing Facilities in Badparken park was opened, with both a cold bath facility and a hot bath house. The bathhouses and the Societetshus venue have been demolished, but the Bath hotel at Järnagatan street, Strandhotellet hotel, Stadsparken park and Villa Bellevue still remain from the resort era, which lasted for almost a hundred years until 1945.

The tradition of selling the local pretzels, Södertäljekringlor, is several hundred years old. They had their heyday during the resort era, i.e. around the beginning of the 19th century onwards. They were typically sold by older women, often referred to as Kringelgummor (English: Pretzel ladies). The pretzels were primarily sold to tourists, especially at the city's railway stations. The sale of pretzels, among other aspects of the resort town, was described in the magazine Svenska Familj-Journalen (English: Swedish Family Journal) in 1881.

By the 1900s, Södertälje's population had grown to over 8,000 people. Around the turn of the century several large factories were established in the city: Svenska Centrifug AB (1896), AB Södertelge Verkstäder (1897), Baltic (1906), Aktiebolaget Astra Apotekarnes Kemiska Fabriker (Astra) (1913), Tobaksmonopolet (1915) och Wedaverken (1917). Perhaps most interesting is the formation of VABIS, Vagnfabriks-Aktiebolaget in Södertelge (1891). In 1911 it merged with Scania and formed Scania-Vabis. Nowadays, however, the company only uses the name Scania AB.

From 1950 until today
In the 1950s, conditions in Södertälje's central parts were considered outdated. As the city grew, and modern apartment buildings were constructed in the outskirts, the city centre was still predominantly consisted of relatively small wooden houses. Hence, the city council decided on a major renovation of the central areas, where many buildings around the pedestrian section of Storgatan high street (including adjacent Nygatan and Köpmangatan streets) were demolished. Some of the buildings were moved to the Torekällberget City Museum. However, many of the 17th–19th century buildings around Olof Palmes plats, Marenplan, Saltsjötorget and Stortorget were preserved.

In 1960, Södertälje was still a fairly small town with a largely homogeneous population of 33,000 inhabitants. In the 1960s, however, the demographics of the city changed radically. The industrial boom and the structural transformation led to economic development and increased investments in the city's industries. The large companies Scania-Vabis and Astra were in high demand of labour. Recruitment was primarily made from parts of the country that were severely affected by the industrial boom, mainly Norrland. When the manpower from other parts of the country was insufficient, foreign labour was brought in. Most of the migrant workers came from Finland, but also Greece, Italy and Yugoslavia. During the 1970s, immigration from Finland declined, while many Christian Assyrians/Syriacs settled in Södertälje, mostly from Tur Abdin, Turkey. At the end of the 1990s, many Iraqis (the majority of which are ethnic Assyrians) arrived, and now Assyrians constitute the largest immigrant group. In total, about 39 percent of the city's population are first or second generation immigrants. In 2013, there were reports in the media that a parallel society founded by the Assyrian/Syriac minorities had emerged, with norms, rules and a banking system without control from society. Swedish law enforcement allocated extensive resources. A trial against the mafia-like organisation Södertäljenätverket (English: The Södertälje network) ended in 2013.

Södertälje also has a growing population of about 1,500 Mandaeans, most with Iraqi origins.

Construction of Almnäs garrison started in 1970. Svea Engineer Corps and the Engineering Troops Cadet School (INGKAS) relocated to Almnäs. They were joined by Swedint, the Armed Forces International training school, in 1984. During the 1990s, the Life Guards were also present at Almnäs. After 1996, the armed forces underwent a major reorganisation and left Almnäs altogether in 2004. The area is now a business park.

Many of the city's modern attractions were built in the 1980s. A museum based on the book La Science Amusante by French writer Arthur Good was built. The museum is called Tom Tits Experiment after the author's pen name Tom Tit. The new bath house Sydpoolen opened in 1987, and is now one of the most visited bathing facilities in the country. During the 2010 and 2020 centuries, several infrastructure projects were completed or started. Further widening of the canal and the lock was initiated, as well as the upgrade of the railway around Södertälje Hamn railway station to increase capacity.

Administrative history
The City of Södertälje was transformed to a city municipality during the Swedish municipal reforms of 1862. The city grew and subsequently incorporated Västertälje parish in 1946 and Östertälje parish in 1963. The city municipality expanded further in 1967, until it became the seat of the present-day Södertälje Municipality.

Within the Church of Sweden, Södertälje was part of Södertälje City parish. It incorporated the western part of Södertälje landsförsamling in 1946, and received the name Södertälje församling (English: Södertälje parish). It has since also incorporated the parish of Tveta. Between 1973 and 2010, part of the city was part of Västertälje parish. The eastern part of Södertälje still belongs to Östertälje parish.

Until 1971, the city belonged to the judicial district Södertälje Council Court. In 1971, it was changed to Södertälje District Court.

Historical population figures
Year, Population, Area (ha)

1950, 25 715

1960, 33 721

1965, 44 362

1970, 57 494

1975, 58 408

1980, 58 711

1990, 58 097, 2 408

1995, 57 327, 2 456

2000, 59 342, 2 479

2005, 60 279, 2 529

2010, 64 619, 2 584

2015, 70 777, 2 797

2018, 73 872, 2 851

Cityscape
During the 1600s, the city was hit by two major fires; in 1630 and 1650. After the fire in 1650, the devastation was vast. All important buildings except the church were destroyed; including the school and town hall. After the fires, extensive urban planning was implemented under the leadership of Anders Torstensson, where the old irregular medieval neighbourhoods were replaced by a grid plan of streets. The 1650s plan remained largely in place until the redevelopment of the city centre in the 1960s, and still characterises many parts of the central areas. Most of the older buildings have disappeared due to city fires or demolition.

The central parts of Södertälje are today mainly the neighbourhood around what is commonly referred to as called Gågatan, which is the pedestrian part of Storgatan street. Stortorget was originally the absolute centre of the city. The reason that the area would subsequently expand (mainly in a southerly direction) is largely due to the fact that the Central Railway Station was placed near the city park. Unlike most other cities in the country, no railroad has ever been drawn through Södertälje's central parts, which meant that very little central area had to be designated for tracks. Another interesting detail is that the old Södertälje largely consisted of wooden houses. It is commonly believed that this is because Södertälje never has been a major administrative centre, such as a county capital or episcopal see. For a trade city, it wooden structures were considered sufficient. The original wooden buildings are especially well preserved in the areas around Fredsgatan and Västgötagatan streets. The older wooden houses that previously existed in the central parts have largely been moved up to Torekällberget, which is Södertälje's open-air city museum. The first apartment building in stone was built as late as 1865. The property was at Järnagatan 8, next to Saltsjötorget square, and was built by industrialist DJ Ekeberg. When Järnagatan was lowered in 1907, the basement level became the areas that are occupied by shops today.

Södertälje's old City Hotel is situated on Saltsjötorget square. It was built to accommodate the high demand for rooms that arose during the time the city was a seaside resort. The City council decided to commission a new hotel on the site. Architect Ernst Haegglund was hired to design the building. The square also houses the old building for Svensk-Engelska Mineralolje AB, which was completed between 1931 and 1932 after drawings by architect Albin Stark. Between 1991 and 2008, the building served as city hall. The current city hall was built on the opposite side of the central station. The new building was designed by BSK Arkitekter, and inaugurated in the autumn of 2008 by King Carl XVI Gustaf. The building serves both as municipal offices and cultural centre.

The Central Railway Station is situated behind the City Hotel. It is one of few Swedish railway stations with two station houses. The first building is entirely in brick, and was designed in 1860 by Adolf W. Edelsvärd. The yellow station building was added in the 1910s and was designed by Folke Zettervall. Today, only the yellow building is used for ticket sales. The older station house is occupied by a bar, café and convenience store. The open square between the two station houses, the bus station and the railway tracks is called Stationsplan.

To the west of the station, across Järnagatan lies Villa Bellevue. During the era when Södertälje was a seaside resort, it was one of the city's most notable buildings. It was built in 1871 by the royal pastry chef Davidsson, after drawings by architect Ernst Jacobsson. The new city hall is situated next-door to the property. Villa Bellevue is located on the border between the city centre and the centrally located neighbourhood of Mariekälla, which is named after one of the city's water springs. On Parkgatan, which is a parallel street to the district's main street Mariekällgatan, lies Villa Walhall. The villa was built in 1875 by engineer Ludvig Jerving. Villa Walhall and Villa Bellevue were considered so typical of the resort town Södertälje that they were described and depicted in a series of articles in the magazine Svenska Familj-Journalen in 1881.

Most restaurants and bars are located around Lake Maren. Marenplan square (formerly called Stadshamnen port), served as Södertälje's most important port until the construction of Mälarhamnen port in 1880. When Marenplan served as city port, ships carrying goods would moor there, and sell their merchandise to individuals and traders waiting at the quay. Boat traffic to inner Maren continued until 1963, when the Maren Bridge between Strandgatan and Lotsudden was built. The bridge was only intended as a temporary solution, and became demolished in 1993. The Maren Bridge subsequently replaced a pedestrian and bicycle bridge. The initial plan was to have the bridge removed during the summer months to allow boats to moor in inner Maren seasonally. The bridge subsequently became year-round fixed link. The Sorbonne house lies where Lotsudden and Marenplan meet. It was built in 1905, and served as studio for photographer David Sorbon until 1928. The building was completely renovated in 1985–86, to accommodate several residential apartments and a restaurant.

Just above Marenplan lies the square Olof Palmes plats, which was named after the murdered Prime Minister Olof Palme. Among the buildings on the square is the old bank palace that used to belong to Södertälje Sparbank. Like many other buildings in Södertälje, the city's patron saint Ragnhild of Tälje (Swedish: Sankta Ragnhild) is depicted on the facade. The importance of Olof Palmes plats was especially high when it served as hub for the city buses, which have since been moved to the Central Railway Station. The streets Storgatan, Badhusgatan and Järnagatan begin at Olof Palmes plats.

Most department stores and high street shopping are located on Gågatan (English: the Pedestrian street), which is the pedestrian part of Storgatan that runs between Torekällgatan and Stortorget. The pedestrian street is dominated by modern department stores, built during the 1960s. The largest are Kringlan (architect Erik and Tore Ahlsén), Luna, Åhléns and Telgehuset (which initially was a Domus department store). A notable exception to the otherwise modern structures is Skandinaviska Enskilda Bankens bank palace, which was built between 1901 and 1902 at the initiative of the tobacco trader TH. Gustafsson. The local architect Tore E: son Lindhberg made the drawings. In 1939 the facade was modernized, and subsequently restored when the building was completely renovated in 1975.

The hospital on Orionkullen was built 1777–78. Until 1823, the building served as lazaretto of the Royal Order of the Seraphim. After 1823, the building became a private residence. From 1844, the buildings were used as city hall and for higher education. In 1907 the council administration moved from Orionkullen, allowing the educational institution to expand. As the school faculty moved to the new secondary school building at Erik Dahlberg's road, a girls' school moved in. The girls' school at Orionkullen closed in 1968. The building is home to a cultural centre today.

The area where the secondary school moved is east of the canal, the Museum of Biology and the present day city hospital. After the 1960s upper secondary school reform, the institution became a Gymnasium Secondary school. Close to the school lies Mälarparken, which is home to the professional Miniature golf course. They local team has won several championships. The city council offices were also located by the park before moving to the intersection of Nygatan/Torekällgatan. Södertälje's current hospital is across the street from the secondary school. It is houses one of the county's six trauma centres. It opened in 1907, but has been expanded and renovated on several occasions, most recently in 2017.

As the land post-glacial rebound made Södertälje Canal shallower, it became increasingly difficult for merchants to get between Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea to sell their goods. It was decided to build a square in Södertälje, where they could meet to and hold markets. The location of the square was carefully selected so it would be located equidistant between the city's ports at Baltic Sea and Lake Mälaren. This way, merchants did not have to drag their goods longer than was absolutely necessary. The main square in Södertälje is thus not primarily designed as a trading place for the city's inhabitants themselves. For hundreds of years, Stortorget was very important because of the lively square trade held there. At that time, Stortorget was regarded as the city's centremost place. In modern times, when most trade is conducted in stores, the importance of the square has diminished. Marenplan has increasingly taken over the role as the most central location in the city. The most famous building on Stortorget is perhaps the old yellow wooden City Hall building, which was opened in 1735. The City Hall originally stood on the west side of the square. It was temporarily relocated to Västra Kanalgatan during the redevelopment of the city centre in the 1960s. Since 1982, the City Hall has been in its present location. Today it houses art galleries and a café. Across the square lies the current Södertälje District Court, which was designed by Åke Lindqvist, and built by Anders Diös.

On the northern side of Stortorget square is Sankta Ragnhilds Kyrka (English: Church of Ragnhild of Tälje) from the 1100s–1300s. It is the main church in Södertälje parish in the Diocese of Strängnäs. After many renovations, the church is today a large building with three arches. The oldest parts consist of grey brick walls that comprise the lower parts of the bell tower and the two westernmost compartments of the longhouse. Renovations were made after the city fire in 1650. Further additions were made in the 1670s, when the Cronberg-Hackerska choir in the middle of the southern wall. It was probably designed by Erik Dahlbergh, and is now used as a baptismal chapel. During the fires during the Russian Pillage of 1719–21, it was one of few buildings that survived. A major restoration under the direction of architect B. Romare took place between 1960 and 1961. A few years after this, two of the windows next to the baptismal chapel received new stained glass windows by F. Heybrock. The exterior of the church was repaired in 1986–1987, with the facades partially receiving their current colour scheme.

Above Stortorget and Gågatan lies Nygatan street, which is almost exclusively home to modern buildings. Among them, Roxyhuset (English: the Roxy house) is worth mentioning. The building was designed by architect Björn Hedvall, and was completed in 1939. Its lower level housed a cinema until 1992, when it moved to Lunagallerian on Storgatan street. After this, the Roxy House was partially renovated, and a convenience store, restaurant and nightclub moved in. Nygatan street is also home to Södertälje's old Telegraph station. It was built 1939–1940, after drawings by U. Ahlbom. Around the time the telegraph station was put into operation, automation of the Swedish telephone network began. The station was subsequently closed after just 30 years. Below the station lies Torekällskolan school. It is the oldest of the city's schools that is still in use. Since its opening in 1869, it has been rebuilt on numerous occasions.

Holmfastvägen road begins in the city's central parts, and connects to the area Geneta in the western parts of the city. The road originally went all the way to Näsby, next to Lake Måsnaren. It was built during the 11th century, thus marking the early importance of the area around Södertälje. A large runic inscription called the Holmfast Inscriptions (Swedish: Holmfastristningen) describe the construction by Viking Holmfast, including reinforcing the land and building bridges. Archaeologists find it likely that Holmfast's old bridges remain under the roadway. Around the engraving, which is located in close proximity to the road, have today been cleaned up and put up signs from the Swedish National Heritage Board with translations of the inscription.

Retail parks are a fairly new feature in Södertälje. Until the early 2000s, the only really large collection of shops, apart from local neighbourhood centres, was Weda in the eastern part of the city. With the construction of Moraberg köpcentrum, just east of Weda, availability of shops increased. The area around Scaniarinken previously contained some shops, but has subsequently been extended to form Vasa handelsplats. Some shops are also located around Hansaplan in the area Södra, close to Södertälje Hamn railway station.

Bridges
Until 1924, when the upgraded canal opened, there was just one single bridge connecting the eastern and western parts of the city. It was a swing bridge, near the old lock, at Mälarehamnen. It was built in 1910 at Södertelge Verkstäder. After it was replaced by a more modern bridge, the old swing bridge was moved to Stäksundet in the province of Uppland.

At times there was also an iron bridge that was rolled out over the lock itself. It was also possible to use rowing boats to cross. Boat services were usually operated women, predominantly dalkullor. A crossing would cost 2–5 öre, depending on season. The rowing boats could carry up to around five people. At the narrowest place, the distance across was just 12 metres. Embarking by Viksgatan street was especially popular. Many were willing to pay to avoid having to walk to the swing bridge and back again if they lived around the areas of Tältet or Hagaberg. During the winter, simple footbridges supported by pontoons were laid out – making the crossing free of charge.

There are currently three places where it is possible to cross the canal on foot or by car, plus two railway bridges. The northernmost link is the Mälarbron bridge, which has three predecessors: the swing bridge from the 19th century, and another swing bridge that was used between 1910 and 1924. Both stood about 150 meters south of the current Mälarbron bridge. In 1924, the first bascule bridge opened. It was often referred to as simply Klaffbron or Landsvägsbron (English: "the Bascule bridge" or "the Country Road Bridge"). It was a double flap bridge with two fixed bridge vaults on each side. Ragnar Hjort made the architectural design. After World War II, it could no longer handle the increased traffic volume. Hence, the current Mälarbron was commissioned, and opened in 1971. It is equipped with a control tower. Today the bridge together with the whole route from Landsort in to Mälaren is remote controlled from the locks in Södertälje.

The most central crossing is at the canal lock, and consists of the two bridges Marenbron, which crosses Lake Maren, and Slussbron, which crosses the canal itself. In 1963 the first bridge over the Maren was built. It was intended as a temporary link, and was subsequently demolished in 1993. The Marenbron was later replaced by a pedestrian and bicycle bridge. The initial plan was to have it removed during the summer, allowing small boats to reach the inner parts of the lake. It did however become a year-round fixed link. In September 2003, a referendum among the residents of Södertälje Municipality was held, where they could decide if they wanted a new car bridge to be commissioned at the site. The costs were estimated to 40 million Swedish krona. At the referendum, 56.5 percent voted no and 39.4 percent favourably, meaning no new car bridge was built. Suggestions to build an arch bridge or bascule bridge for pedestrians and cyclists have been brought forward. It would allow boats to pass under and reach the inner parts of Lake Maren in the centremost parts of the city. Pedestrians have also been able to cross the canal itself by walking across the lock gates.

The Saltsjöbron and E4-bron bridges constitute the southernmost crossing for cars and pedestrians. They run between the districts of Södra and Viksängen in Södertälje's southern parts. Saltsjöbron is a bascule bridge, and the road that goes across it is called Viksängsleden. It is equipped with a bicycle and pedestrian path. E4-bron is a vertical-lift bridge, crossed by the eponymous E4 Motorway, and marks the southern fork with E20. It was built in the 1960s, together with the motorways around the city. Saltsjöbron was built in 2002 to relieve the E4-bron, and to provide an alternative in case of mechanical failure after one occurred in 1990.

Parallel to Saltsjöbron and E4-bron lays the railway bridge predominantly used by local and freight trains. It opened in the summer of 2010, and is hence the youngest bridge in the city. It replaced the old railway bridge from 1921, which was located immediately east of the current bridge. The old bridge was replaces as it was unable to handle heavy trains, nor deep-going maritime vessels. It was also too noisy. The distance between the bridge pillars on the new bridge is wider, to enable the canal to be broadened further. The old railway bridge had a small pedestrian path. After it was demolished in autumn of 2010, pedestrians must cross at Saltsjöbron instead. The old railway bridge replaced an even older bridge from 1860 that crossed around the area of Tältet. That bridge was demolished in the 1920s, when Saltskog railway station had been closed and replaced Södertälje Södra railway station (subsequently renamed Södertälje Hamn).

The Igelsta Bridge is the southernmost of the city's bridges. It is the main route for long distance and regional trains across Södertälje Canal. It is 2140 meters long, reaches as high as 48 meters above the canal, making it Sweden's tallest and longest railway bridge (after the Swedish part of the Øresund Bridge). Igelstabron spans between Pershagen and Hall. The bridge forms part of the Grödingebanan on the Western Main Line and opened in 1995. Södertälje Syd railway station is located on the bridge's eastern abutment.

Accidents and incidents
On 13 February 2016, all four members of the English rock band Viola Beach (along with their manager Craig Tarry) were killed during their first overseas tour when their car fell from a bridge in Södertälje. The Swedish Police Authority opened an inquiry and found that Tarry, who was driving, had no traces of alcohol nor drugs in his blood. They also found that Tarry had engaged the brakes before reaching the bridge, ruling out the possibility that he had fallen asleep, and authorities said the incident ultimately remained "completely inexplicable".

Church buildings
Södertälje belongs to the Diocese of Strängnäs within the Church of Sweden. A total of eight church buildings are located within Södertälje. The oldest and most important to this day is Sankta Ragnhilds kyrka (English: Church of Ragnhild of Tälje) from the 1100s–1300s, which is located on the main square Stortorget. Further churches belonging to Södertälje parish are Sankt Mikaels kyrka (St. Michael's Church) in Geneta, Hovsjö kyrka (Hovsjö Church) and Lina kyrka (Lina Church) in Lina Hage. Lina kyrka was designed by Tallius Myhrman. It is renowned for its design, and has been depicted in several Swedish architecture magazines.

The main church in Östertälje parish is Alla Helgons kyrka (All Saints' Church) in Östertälje. The parish also operates Hagabergs kapell (Hagaberg's chapel) on the grounds of Hagaberg Folk high school. It was built in 1894 as a chapel on Vartofta farm in Västergötland. The chapel was moved to its present location in 1914, after having been dismantled and transported by train. In the centre of the Brunnsäng area lays the church Brunnsäng kyrka, which is the youngest in the city. There is also a chapel at Södertälje hospital.

There are several congregations not affiliated with the Church of Sweden in the city. The Catholic Church in Sweden has Sankt Ansgar's church by Mälarbron. The associated parish has members from a vast hinterland around the city. There is a sizable community of Orthodox Christians in Södertälje. The Syriac Orthodox Church has two bishops in the city, besides five Syrian Orthodox churches, two soccer teams and a TV channel that airs programs in Neo-Aramaic, Arabic and English. The minority group of Sweden Finns have services in the Finnish language within the Church of Sweden. There is also a Finnish-speaking Pentecostal congregation.

Roads
The E4 and E20 Motorways have their southern fork after which they form separate roads at Saltskog junction in Södertälje. Other major roads passing through the city are Riksväg 1 (to Trosa and further south), and Länsväg 225 (to Nynäshamn via Ösmo). These towns, plus Mariefred, Stockholm, Trosa and Gnesta, are served by regular buses. Riksväg 57 (to Katrineholm via Flen ) also begins in Södertälje.

Trains
Given the many railways that go to or through Södertälje, services are both frequent and diverse. International trains to cities like Oslo and Copenhagen call in Södertälje, in addition to local, regional and national services. There are four stations within the urban area of the city: Södertälje Centrum (central station), Södertälje Syd, Södertälje Hamn and Östertälje.

Due to its topography and the fact that it is divided by a canal, it has been difficult to build good train connections in and through the city. Despite this, Södertälje is one of the largest railway hubs in Sweden. When the railway to Södertälje was commissioned, it was decided that the main line would not be drawn through what was then the immediate city centre. The decision was one of the factors behind the urban planning of the area Mariekälla, just south of the Järnatullen city toll.

The railway station in Södertälje became Södertelge Öfre (English: Södertälje Upper). Its initial name of Södertelge caused confusion as it was then well outside the city, which was resolved by the name change. The central station was named Södertelge nedre (English: Södertälje lower). In 1885, the stations' names were changed again, with Södertelge upper being named Saltskog, and Södertelge nedre becoming Södertälje Central. Both railway stations opened in October 1860, together with the railway to Stockholm. The railway would subsequently become extended further south towards Katrineholm and Gothenburg and become the Western Main Line. The railway Norra Södermanlands Järnväg through the northern part of the province of Södermanland opened in 1895, which meant that Södertälje also got a railway connection to Eskilstuna. Södertelge Öfre opened with a simple wooden station building with two platforms and a warehouse. A modern stone building replaced the old station in 1885. The Central Railway Station stands out by having two station buildings. The oldest is entirely in red brick, and was designed by the railway architect Adolf W. Edelsvärd. The yellow building was added in the 1910s and was designed by Folke Zettervall. In October 1921, the station Södertälje Södra opened together with the new double track through the city. Södertälje Södra replaced the old railway station in Saltskog, whose station house was demolished in 1947 or possibly earlier. The next traffic diversion occurred in 1994, when the Igelsta Bridge opened. Unlike the other bridges in Södertälje, it is built on sail-free altitude above the canal. Södertälje Syd railway station (English: Södertälje South) is located on its western abutment. It is the city's current station serviced by long distance inter-city and high-speed rail. The old railroad below the bridge is used by commuter trains. Platforms are located both on the bridge, and on the old tracks below. The waiting hall is situated on a concourse level between the tracks. After Södertälje Syd opened, the stations in the city once again changed their names. Södertälje Södra became Södertälje Hamn (English: port), and the Central Station became Södertälje Centrum. Igelsta station had previously changed name to Östertälje.

Today, Södertälje is a railway hub for Svealandsbanan, the Western Main Line and Nyköpingsbanan. Both the more recent Grödingebanan for long-distance trains and the old main line run in the direction towards Stockholm. The many railways that pass through Södertälje mean that it is possible to travel to Sweden's three major cities (Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö) without changing trains.

Waterways
The first functioning canal through Södertälje was built between 1806 and 1819 after drawings by water engineering engineer Eric Nordewall. The canal has since been extended and broadened on several occasions. Within the scope of the Mälarprojektet initiative, the canal was expanded between 2016 and 2020 to handle vessels that are 160 meters long and 23 meters wide. The project encompassed a longer and wider lock, and dredging of the sides of the canal to make them straighter. The width of the water surface was thus kept unchanged.

Every day, over 40 boats pass through Södertälje canal, carrying more than 5 million metric tonnes of goods each year. Of these, about 4 million tonnes are shipped into Lake Mälaren, and 1 million tonnes to the Baltic Sea. Primarily, coal, cement, iron, limestone and chalk are carried through the canal. The port of Södertälje also acts as a transhipment terminal from rail to trucks and ships.

The port of Södertälje consists of four wharfs: Sydhamnen, Oljehamnen, Igelsta, and Uthamnen. Sydhamnen primarily handles containers and roll-on/roll-off cargo, including imported cars. The oldest wharf is Uthamnen. Here, smaller quantities of odd bulk cargo are handled, mainly road salt. Combustible goods are primarily transported to the Igelstahamnen to the Igelsta heating plant. Oljehamnen handles imports of gas, liquid chemicals, oil and similar products. Since the 1950s, the port of Södertälje has been important for the Swedish import of cars. About 80,000 cars are handled per year, which corresponds to about 30 percent of total national car imports. Cars shipped to Södertälje are of Volkswagen, Škoda, Audi, Ford, Porsche, Opel and Mercedes brands.

City buses
Owing to Södertälje's location close to a county border, both SL and Sörmlandstrafiken operate buses in the city. The city bus network consists of around fifteen bus lines. They use the Central Railway Station as hub. Before Järnagatan street became pedestrian, most buses would use that round through the city centre. Most now take Nygatan street. In addition to regular city buses, there are special services adapted to pensioners and people with disabilities known as Närtrafiken buses. Night services operate all night both weekends and weekdays. The city is served by two circular bus routes, one on each side of the canal.

Economy
Södertälje is particularly known for its two large companies, Astra Zeneca and Scania. Measured in sheer number of companies, the retail, wholesale and restaurant sectors dominate, with about 1,000 companies. The building and construction industry has about 600 companies in the Södertälje, and some 450 companies in the consultancy sector. In total, there are over 4,000 businesses in the city. Södertälje has a high number of small businesses with five or fewer employees.

Large corporations
Aktiebolaget Astra, Apotekarnes Kemiska Fabriker was founded in 1913 by pharmacist Adolf Rising. Initially, the company had only ten employees, but already developed strongly during the first years. The company started with only five employees, but grew exponentially in its first years of trading. One of the reasons was an increased need for medication due to the first world war. The company merged with its British competitor Zeneca in 1999, and formed the pharmaceutical group Astra Zeneca. The company's pill factory in Gärtuna in south-eastern Södertälje is the largest of its kind in the world, employing over 3,200 people.

In 1891, Vagnfabriks-Aktiebolaget i Södertelge (abbreviated VABIS) started as manufacturier of railway cars, petrol engines, automobiles, trucks, motor-powered draisines, motorboats and marine engines. In 1911 they merged with Maskinfabriks-aktiebolaget Scania and formed Scania-Vabis. The company only uses the name Scania AB today. The head office remains in its original location, by Saltskogsfjärden south of the city centre of Södertälje. Together with its subsidiaries, Scania currently employs over 9,000 people in Södertälje, making the Group the largest employer.

Retail trade
Most retail shopping is available in the city centre; predominantly on Storgatan and Järnagatan streets, but also adjacent areas. The Kringlan department store was one of the first modern department stores when it opened in 1965. The name Kringlan (English: The Pretzel) is a reference to the long-lasting local tradition of selling pretzels in Södertälje. Other department stores include Luna and Telgehuset. Retail shopping outside the city centre is mainly located in Moraberg on the eastern side of the canal, as well as Vasa Handelsplats in the western part. Larger stores are also located around Hansaplan in the Södra area.

Education
KTH Royal Institute of Technology has a campus in Södertälje, where they conduct university education within Mechanical engineering, Logistics and other subjects all the way up to Master's level including Master of Science in Engineering. Education is given in cooperation with the city's two large corporations Scania AB and AstraZeneca. In 2018, KTH moved in to a newly built campus in Södertälje Science Park drawn by the architect firm White. The Royal Institute of Technology has 1,200 students and hired researchers in Södertälje.

Several universities conduct higher education at the learning centre Campus Telge. When it started it was located in Mariekälla, but moved to new premises that previously housed the headquarters of Astra AB in 2015. Both individual courses and whole university programmes are offered within a variety of subjects, meaning students can study at the campus all the way until graduation. Education within Yrkeshögskolan (English: Higher Vocational Education) is also held.

Hagabergs folkhögskola started as a Bible Institute in 1910, and became a folk high school in 1957. It is run by the Swedish Evangelical Mission. Around 250 students study at the academy, of which 20 reside at the boarding school. The curriculum mostly centres on studies of Christian theology. The general introductory course for students pursuing a career within the Church of Sweden, as well as Allmän kurs, which is mostly non-religious and supplements normal secondary school education.

In 2017, Södertälje had 13 secondary schools, five of which were municipal and eight operated as charter schools.

Culture
Södertälje's primary theatre is Oktoberteatern at Marenplan, which has a number of new productions each year. The venue opened in 1928. It originally contained a cinema called Castor, but was turned in to a theatre after a renovation in 1984. Södertälje is also home to Sweden's only professional Finnish-language theatre group; Teatteri Kipinä.

One of the most popular cultural centre around the city is Kulturhuset i Ytterjärna (English: The Cultural Centre in Ytterjärna). The complex houses a theatre, café, conference rooms and offices. It opened in 1992, and won second prize for Sweden's most popular modern building in 2001. During construction, special attention was paid to the acoustics of the premises, which has resulted in many concerts being held here. The concert hall has about 500 seats, and together with other anthroposophical activities receives about 30,000 visitors annually. Other cultural activities include exhibitions on architecture and garden art.

The stages Estrad and Trombon at the City Hall often show theatre as well as concerts and film. The association Molto has organised concerts and creative activities for youth since 2008. A recurring tradition in Södertälje is the local revue Täljerevyn, which makes humorous cabarets about the city, local traits and politics every year.

Museums
Torekällberget open-air museum (colloquially referred to as just Torekällberget or simply Berget) with the city museum Södertälje Stadsmuseum, is one of the most popular sights to visit in the city. The museum first opened in 1929 when the landmark windmill and a few other buildings were moved to the site. In connection with the redevelopment of the city centre in 1961, many old buildings were moved to Torekällberget. The museum is divided into the environments "Staden" (English: the City) and "Landet" (English: the Countryside). The urban environment is built around the main square Tenngjutartorget, where markets often are held. The square is surrounded by buildings from the 1700–1800s. Several species of domestic animals are kept at the museum. The environment conveys a picture of life in rural farms around Södertälje in the 1800s and earlier. There is also a stage where ballroom dancing and performances are often arranged during the summer months.

The vehicle museum Marcus Wallenberg-hallen (English: The Marcus Wallenberg Hall) is situated by Saltskogsfjärden, next to the headquarters of Scania AB. The museum is named after the industrialist Marcus Wallenberg Jr. The collections include a number of older vehicles and environments; like the first mass-produced car in Sweden from 1903. It also features railway cars that were owned by the Swedish State Railways, used between the late 1800s until the early 1900s. Exhibited objects have been restored to their original condition. A little less than half of the museum consists of newer vehicles manufactured during the 2000s.

Södertälje is home to a large science museum based on the book La Science Amusante by French writer Arthur Good. The museum is called Tom Tits Experiment after the author's pen name Tom Tit. It started as a temporary exhibition at Södertälje Hall of Arts (Swedish: Södertälje Konsthall), but became so popular that it was turned in to a permanent museum. The museum is located in an old industrial building at Storgatan street. Today, it is the largest Science centre in Sweden. It occupies four floors, and has a park that is open during the summer season. The exhibitions contain more than 400 science experiments. Tom Tits Experiment received around 190,000 visitors in 2018.

Saltskog gård (English: Saltskog manor) was the home of the industrialist and mecenate Carl Fredrik Liljevalch. Today it serves as a museum. The farm dates back to the 16th century. Liljevalch acquired it in 1881. Previously, the farm had been owned by the families Lovisin, Gyllenstierna, Dufva and Tamm. Liljevalch did however became the first to actually settle there permanently. He took an active part in the daily activities on the farm, and aspired that Saltskog gård would serve as a textbook example of ideal farming. He undertook extensive renovations of the farm and the estates to make them a cultural centre filled with art. An extension was made to the main building; and a smaller villa was added, together with a barn, stables and outhouses. The garden contains several unusual species of trees and is designed as an English landscape garden. Two new commemorative rune stones were carved. Today, the manor is run by a non-profit association. They have restored much of the premises in their original condition. There are several artist studios and exhibition halls. Concerts, lectures and exhibitions are held all year round. During the summer season, theatre is also performed in the gardens.

Biologiska Museet (English: The Museum of Biology) was donated to the city by patron Carl Fredrik Liljevalch. The building is in Art Nouveau style, and located on Erik Dahlbergs road. It opened to the public in 1913, thus making it the oldest museum in the city. The exhibitions were created by Gustaf Kolthoff and his son Kjell Kolthoff, and show animals and birds from the province of Sörmland (where Södertälje is located) in their natural environments. In total, there are over 100 different species on display. Kjell Kolthoff painted the large dioramas that have remained to this day. The museum was completely renovated and reopened in 1983.

The world's oldest propeller-driven steamship which still has its original engine is S/S Ejdern. It was originally built by Götaverken in Gothenburg in 1880. During its first years, Ejdern operated in the Gothenburg archipelago, Lake Roxen, and several ports in central Sweden. Since 1906, it has had its home port in Södertälje. The first route from the port in Södertälje was to Mörkö, and cargo hauls in eastern Lake Mälaren. Between 1914 and 1957, the boat had one single owner, Rickard Fredmark. He sold the boat to the City of Södertälje. At that time, the ship was unprofitable and in very poor condition. The city subsequently decided that the boat was to be scrapped. In 1964 the boat was donated to an association for the preservation of old boats. Enthusiasts of this particular vessel broke out and formed Museiföreningen Ångfartyget Ejdern (English: The Museum Association S/S Ejdern), who still own the boat today. Since 1976 they operate museum routs around Södertälje. From 1984, the boat is once again coal powered. S/S Ejdern has a capacity of 90 people, and often operates the route to Adelsö and Viking city Birka.

Wendela Hebbes hus (English: Wendela Hebbe's house) is a museum of Wendela Hebbe, who was the first female professional journalist in Sweden. She became employed at the newspaper Aftonbladet in 1841, where she wrote about theatre and music, and translated books. Besides being a journalist, she also wrote fairy tales. The building is a yellow wooden house, with two floors. It first stood at Snäckviken, close to the headquarters of Astra AB. The property was purchased by Lars Johan Hierta in 1863 to serve as a summer house for Wendela, her daughter Signe and the jointly unrecognised son Edvard Faustman. After being acquired by Södertälje Municipality it was moved to its present location between the canal and Marenplan in the city centre, and underwent extensive renovations. The venue houses a restaurant and a museum section with furniture and paintings from the Hebbe and Faustman families. It also acts as a cultural centre, hosting theatres and exhibitions.

Södertälje Konsthall (English: Södertälje Museum of Arts) showcases various exhibitions of paintings, sculptures and other artistic installations. The museum opened in 1968, and relocated to its current premises in Luna in 1978. In 2015, Grafikens Hus (English: House of Graphics) decided to relocate to the city from nearby Mariefred, meaning there would be two art museums in Södertälje.

Libraries
Södertälje's city library was originally run by an independent association, but was taken over by the city council in 1945. It moved to its present location in 1978. Lectures, courses and theatre are also held at the premises. The library has branches in Hölö, Järna, Enhörna, Hovsjö and Mölnbo. The libraries in Enhörna, Hölö and Mölnbo are combined school and public libraries.

Sports
In basketball, Södertälje BBK or SBBK is one of the best in the country, and Södertalje KINGS became Swedish Champions in 2013, 2014 and 2015. In total SBBK has won 10 golds for the male team Södertalje KINGS and 12 golds for the female team Telge Basket. SBBK has in total 132 Swedish Championships since the star in 1968. Täljehallen is the home for SBBK.

The city is home to Södertälje SK, a classic and successful ice hockey team currently playing in Sweden's second-highest league – HockeyAllsvenskan – with Scaniarinken as their home arena. Assyriska FF and Syrianska FC are also two successful football clubs started in 1974 and 1977. They play at the same arena; Södertälje Fotbollsarena.

The Södertälje Rugbyklubb was formed in 1968. The Södertälje Storm Rugby League club are a pioneering Rugby league team, playing in the Swedish National Rugby League, which was formed in 2015.

There is an indoor swimming arena in which elite training and races are held, named Sydpoolen (English: the South pool).

Climate
Södertälje, and the rest of Stockholm region has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) and displays four distinct seasons. Due to the city's high northerly latitude, daylight varies widely from more than 18 hours around midsummer, to only around 6 hours in midwinter. Södertälje has much warmer and sunnier weather than other locations at the same latitude mainly because of the influence of Gulf Stream.

Summers have an average daytime high temperatures of 20 - 23 C and lows of around 12 °C, but there are periods of heat waves and many days with temperatures above 25 °C+). Winters are cold, though sometimes milder with temperatures ranging from -3 to 1 C, while spring and autumn mainly cool.

Annual precipitation is 640 mm with light to moderate rainfall throughout the year. Snow mainly occurs from December through March, but snow cover duration varies between winters.

Notable people

 * Hasse Aro, host of TV show Efterlyst
 * Kennedy Bakircioglu, professional footballer
 * Nicklas Bergfors, ice hockey player
 * Mats Berggren, writer
 * Björn Borg, tennis player (born in Stockholm, youth in Södertälje)
 * Louay Chanko, professional footballer
 * Daniel Despotovic, professional ice hockey player
 * Johan Edlund, guitarist and vocalist of Tiamat
 * Jan Guillou, author and journalist
 * Carl Hagelin, ice hockey player
 * Harry Källström, rally driver
 * Felix Michel Melki, football player
 * Alexander Michel Melki, football player
 * Patrik Nordin, ski mountaineer and cross-country skier
 * Karin Rådström, chief executive officer of Mercedes-Benz Trucks
 * Torsten Sjögren (1896–1974), psychiatrist, geneticist and eugenicist
 * Bengt Westerberg, former leader of the Liberal People's Party
 * Erkan Zengin, professional footballer (born in Kulu, Konya, Turkey youth in Södertälje)

title: Södertälje


text:
Talk:Södertälje

Untitled
Area of the municipal is much more than given in the article. The distance from north end to south end of Södertälje is about 70 km. And about average 20 km from east to west. So the given number in the article, 25.84 is not correct – perhaps correct for the city excluding countryside, but the municipal includes lots of countryside and the distant villages Järna and Mölnbo. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Peroberg (talk • contribs) 10:02, 25 December 2013 (UTC)

Anyway with the reported area which seems to be the built-up area of the town, the population density would be 64619/25.84=2500 maybe urban and metropolitan area can both be reported and density then being calculated for each. But at the moment there is inconsistancy between urban area and municipal density. Araz16 (talk) 22:44, 22 January 2014 (UTC)

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title: Talk:Södertälje


text:
Salem, Sweden

Salem is the seat of Salem Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden. Statistically it is a part of the bimunicipal contiguously built-up Tumba urban area.

In 2005, Salem had a population of 14,171. The number of inhabitants increased to ca. 16,000 in 2008, and to almost 17,000 in 2020.

Notable people

 * Edoff Andersson (1902–1934), Swedish politician and trade unionist

title: Salem, Sweden


text:
Nynäshamn

Nynäshamn is a locality and the seat of Nynäshamn Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 13,510 inhabitants in 2010.

While interest in the area as a potentially useful port grew from the mid-19th century, it was only with the opening of the railway station to Stockholm in 1901 that Nynäshamn started to develop.

During the early 20th Century, Nynäshamn also became well known as a spa town, though most such facilities were closed down before the end of World War I. Main industries arrived through Telegrafverkets verkstäder (the factories of the Government owned telephone company) in 1916 and an oil refinery built in 1928-29 by Axel Ax:son Johnson & Co. The latter still remains though under different ownership and under the name Nynas.

Nynäshamn was the venue of the Olympic sailing regatta in 1912.

Nynäshamn, which lies about 60 km south of Stockholm, is well known for being one of the places on the Swedish mainland from where ferries to the island Gotland depart. This is a hugely popular destination for Swedes of all ages in the summer months. The Polferries terminal also offer regular routes to Gdańsk in Poland. Several cruise ships on tours in the Baltic Sea also stay in the harbour, because they are too large to go into Stockholm.

A harbour party is hosted each summer, as well as local craft fairs. During these events a steam train often runs routes to and from Stockholm. During the summer months, the harbour is packed with boats of all sizes, and bustles with both visitors and locals. There are a number of eateries and boutiques with locally made produce. The main town is mainly modern and the buildings uninteresting generally. A library and one screen cinema is centrally located, and a limited amount of shops catering to mainly to local trade.

Many people in Nynäshamn live in apartment blocks, situated in estates, although there are none more than 10 stories high. There are also plenty of villas scattered throughout the town, and terraced houses. Life in Nynäshamn is generally relaxed, in contrast to the bustle of Stockholm. The surrounding nature and sea provides plenty of photographic opportunities, once you get out of the town centre. Crime is low.

Nynäshamn is served by Stockholm commuter rail (Pendeltåg) and several bus routes.

Popular singer Meja, and ice hockey player Kent Nilsson were born in Nynäshamn.

Notable locations

 * Drottningviken

Twin towns - sister cities

 * Liepāja, Latvia

title: Nynäshamn


text:
Norrtälje

Norrtälje is a locality and the seat of Norrtälje Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 17,275 inhabitants in 2010. It is one of the largest towns in Roslagen.

History
Norrtälje’s early history dates back to the Iron Age. Around 225 ancient monuments have been found within what is now the city. Three ancient castles are assumed to have stood in the former villages Nordrona, Solbacka and Knutby. Norrtälje traces its more recent history to 1219, when the location was first mentioned as Tälje. After some time, the name officially became Norrtälje, to distinguish it from the other Tälje in the province, Södertälje.

The town of Norra Tällie was founded by King Gustav II Adolf in 1622, as were several other towns after the outbreak of the Thirty Years' War, The city arms were created as an upside down anchor as early as 1622 when the charter was granted.

In 1719, large parts of the central town were burnt down by a Russian army during the Russian Pillage of 1719–21. The new stone church was not finished until 1726, and it was another four years before the city hall was completed.

Norrtälje had a railway station on the narrow gauge Roslagsbanan from 1884 to 1969. It is now served by SL buses as a part of the system of public transport in Stockholm.

Norrtälje has a first class industrial heritage displayed in the Pythagoras Mechanical Workshop Museum, based in the premises of a former hot bulb engine factory.

Climate
Norrtälje has a humid continental climate with some maritime influence. Summers are highly variable and can be either very warm or quite subdued. The official station number assigned to Norrtälje was 8644 and there was an downtown weather station in operation until 1984.

The chart below is from Svanberga, a village close to Norrtälje. Its more inland location makes it a bit more prone to cold snaps than the town itself, although high temperatures are similar. Even so, Norrtälje remains quite a bit colder than Stockholm and coastal areas further south throughout the year and is more likely to have snow cover. The distance from the open sea to the urban area also affects the local climate, with less maritime moderation than in other coastal towns.

Sports
The following sports clubs are located in Norrtälje:

 * BKV Norrtälje
 * Norrtälje IK
 * HK Ceres
 * Roslagens GK
 * Norrtelje BK

Notable people

 * Eddie Läck, former NHL goaltender who is now a coaching assistant for the Arizona State Sun Devils hockey team

title: Norrtälje


text:
Nacka

Nacka is the municipal seat of Nacka Municipality and part of Stockholm urban area in Sweden. The municipality's name harks back to a 16th-century industrial operation established by the Crown at Nacka farmstead where conditions for water mills are good. However, and somewhat confusingly, that spot is not densely populated today and the municipal seat is on land that once belonged to Järla farmstead on the other side of Lake Järla.

Events
On 9 December 2014, Stockholm police raided a data center in a former bomb shelter under a hill in Nacka municipality. Although it was rumored the raid targeted popular torrent site The Pirate Bay, officials from The Pirate Bay have revealed that this is false.

title: Nacka


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Lidingö

Lidingö, also known in its definite form Lidingön and as Lidingölandet, is an island in the inner Stockholm archipelago, northeast of Stockholm, Sweden. In 2010, the population of the Lidingö urban area on the island was 31,561. It is the seat of government of the Lidingö Municipality, Stockholm County.

Lidingö's qualities have attracted affluent residents such as Björn Ulvaeus, Agnetha Fältskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson of ABBA. Exclusive regions include the coastal region between Mölna and the east tip of the island, Gåshaga, as well as the east tip of the northern part of the horse shoe, called Elfvik. Notwithstanding the fact that many middle-class Swedes have moved to the island, (due to rental apartment construction projects), the inhabitants of the municipality remains the third wealthiest in Sweden after Danderyd and Täby.

Runic inscriptions
Two runic inscriptions have been found on Lidingö. The latest, listed in Rundata as the Uppland Runic Inscription Fv1986 84, was found in 1984 under a 10 cm thick layer of soil and moss in an uninhabited region. The inscription is from the Viking Age, around 800–1050 AD. The inscription has been translated as:

 * "Åsmund carved runes in memory of his grandfather Sten, father of Sibbe and Gerbjörn...a great monument over a good man."

The figures show large snakes and on top, a Maltese cross, a typical motif for the late Viking Age rune stones.

Later history
Approximately 300 to 400 years after the carving of the runes, the inhabitants of Lidingö had established small farms. Lidingö is first mentioned in writing in 1328, in the will of Jedvard Filipsson, in the sentence curiam in Lydhingø meaning a "Lidingö farm".

Bo Jonsson (Grip) (early 1330s – 20 August 1386) bought the entire island between 1376 and 1381. In approximately 1480, the island was taken over by the Banér family from Djursholm. On 29 August 1774, Johan Gabriel Banér (1733–1811) also from Djursholm, sold the entire island and the land was divided into 25 farms.

In the east part of Lidingö, the Långängen-Elfvik nature reserve, which includes 125 acre of open farmland and most of the forest land on Elfvik, has, preserved within its boundaries, one of the largest old farms, the Elfviks farm. Most of the original houses, built from the end of the 18th century to mid‑19th century, have been saved and restored. The farm is still active with beef cattle, sheep, and horses and is run by Lidingö Municipality.

The first church was built in 1623.

The IBM educational center for northern Europe, was built close to the Elfvik farm in the early 1960s. The centre was later converted to a hotel.

Notable people

 * Emma Lundberg (1869 – 1953), artist and architect

Sports
The following sports clubs are located in Lidingö:

 * KFUM Lidingö Basket (basketball section)
 * IFK Lidingö - IFK Lidingö FK (soccer section)
 * IFK Lidingö - IFK Lidingö SOK (orienteering section)
 * IFK Lidingö - IFK Lidingö FRI (track and field athletics section)
 * Lidingöloppet, cross-country running event
 * Lidingö SK

Features

 * Hersbyholm

title: Lidingö


text:
Nykvarn

Nykvarn is a locality and (since 1999) the seat of Nykvarn Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 7,560 inhabitants in 2017. Between 1971-1998 it was a part of Södertälje Municipality. Nykvarn is the hometown of such bands as Hyena Breed, Feed Filiph, From Zero to Hero and Aldiureep, as well as Stanley Cup winner Carl Hagelin. The city hosts the annual rock and metal festival called Moshpit Open Festival.

Notable people

 * Margó Ingvardsson, Member of the Riksdag

title: Nykvarn


text:
Ekerö

Ekerö is a locality (urban area) and the seat of Ekerö Municipality in Stockholm County, Sweden, with 11,524 inhabitants in 2017. It is also an alternative name of the island Ekerön, on which the Ekerö urban area is situated.

Sports
The following sports clubs are located in Ekerö:

 * Ekerö IK
 * Skå IK
 * Mälaröarnas Ridklubb MäRK
 * Ekerö TK

Notable people

 * Carolina Gynning, glamour model
 * Ewa Björling, politician
 * Lykke Li, singer
 * Bo Ljungfeldt, racing driver
 * Agnetha Fältskog, singer, musician

title: Ekerö


text:
Sigtuna

Sigtuna is a locality situated in the eponymous Sigtuna Municipality, in Stockholm County, Sweden with 9,689 inhabitants in 2020. It is the namesake even though the seat of the municipality is in another locality, Märsta. Sigtuna is for historical reasons still often referred to as a stad.

Sigtuna is situated at the bay Skarven, stretching around Upplands-Bro and a part of Lake Mälaren. Present-day Sigtuna, a harbour town that was established around 980, developed about 4 km east of Old Sigtuna, which, according to Old Norse religion, was previously the home of the widely revered god Odin.

Etymology
The name of Sigtuna was moved from what is presently called Signhildsberg. The meaning of Sigtuna is contested. According to one theory, it is a compound name where the second element is -tuna and the first one is either of two closely related dialectal words, viz. sig meaning "seeping water" or "swamp" or sik meaning "swamp". As a basis for this interpretation, a brook south of Signhildsberg has been mentioned, or the fact that the estate was surrounded by marshy terrain.

Another theory considers the name to be an ancient prestigious "wander toponym", meaning "strong fortress", like the Celtic toponym Segodunum, from Proto-Germanic *sigatūna, Old Norse Sigtún, cf. Proto-Germanic *segaz ~ *sigiz- "victory": Gothic sigis, Old Norse sigr, Old English sigor, Old Frisian sige, sīge, Old High German sigi, sigu.

History
Sigtuna was founded on what was then the shore of Lake Mälaren just over 1,000 years ago. It took its name from an ancient royal estate (see Uppsala öd) several kilometers to the west (see Fornsigtuna). Various sources claim King Eric the Victorious as founder while others claim King Olof Skötkonung.

It operated as a royal and commercial centre for some 250 years, and was one of the most important cities of Sweden. During a brief period at the end of the 10th and beginning of the 11th century, Sweden's first coins were minted here. St. Mary's Church, built in the 13th century by the Dominican order as a monastery church, still remains largely intact. The Dominican monastery played an important role in the Swedish Middle Ages and produced many important church officials, among them many Swedish archbishops. Many church and monastery ruins still stand, including St. Pers Church (S:t Pers kyrkoruin) dating the 1100s, St. Olof Church (S:t Olofs kyrkoruin) dated from around the middle of the 11th century, and  St. Lars Church   (S:t Lars kyrkoruin) dating from the middle of the 13th century.

In 1187, Sigtuna was attacked and pillaged by raiders from across the Baltic Sea, possibly from Curonia, or Estonians from the island of Saaremaa (Oeselians), or Karelians and Novgorodians, Archaeological excavations have not verified the traditions of destruction of the town. Normal life in Sigtuna continued until the town started to slowly lose its importance during the 13th century due to navigability problems caused by post-glacial rebound.

The current coat of arms can be traced to the town's first known seal, dating from 1311. According to a legend (possibly inspired by the town arms), Sigtuna was once the Royal seat, but this cannot be confirmed. The crown may also symbolize the large royal mint which was located in the town. Since 1971 the coat of arms has been valid for the much larger Sigtuna Municipality.

In the late 19th century Sigtuna still hosted only about 600 people, and was the smallest town in Sweden. The town remained insignificant until the second half of the 20th century. Much of the population growth can be related to Stockholm Arlanda Airport (IATA: ARN), situated some 10 km from Sigtuna.

Tourist attractions
Sigtuna has a medieval-style town centre with restaurants, cafes and small shops. The old church ruins, Viking runestones and the old main street (Stora gatan) are popular attractions for tourists, especially in the summertime. The small streets with low-built wooden houses lead up to several handicrafts shops and the old tiny town hall (Sigtuna Rådhus). There are restaurants and Sigtuna Stadshotell, a hotel in the town centre.

Sports

 * Sigtuna IF, sports club

Notable people

 * Christer Fant, actor
 * Gustav Levin, actor
 * Jennifer Palm Lundberg, pageant contestant, Miss World Sweden 2008
 * Sam Weihagen, travel group executive

Related reading

 * Tesch, Sten; Jacques Vincent (2003) Vyer från medeltidens Sigtuna (Sigtuna Museum) ISBN 9789197112802
 * Hjorth, Agnete; Edéus, Anne-Marie (2006) Sigtunabilder : hus och människor i gamla Sigtuna (Svartsjö: Förlag Agnete Hjorth) ISBN 9177988639

title: Sigtuna


text:
Talk:Sigtuna

Hei, why the pics overlap the text? Or is it just me? Yartsa (talk) 22:18, 7 March 2008 (UTC)

title: Talk:Sigtuna


text:
Talk:Human rainbow

Deletion discussion
For an October 2004 deletion debate over this article see Votes for deletion/Human rainbow

Record keeping
Who awards or recognises this record? What exactly is it for? Who are the previous record holders, what were the records, and in what years were they achieved? Andrewa 09:35, 27 Sep 2004 (UTC)
 * The Guinness World Records apperently... I'm giving a try at rewriting this article... =) --Andylkl 05:53, 3 Oct 2004 (UTC)
 * Done! =) --Andylkl 07:32, 3 Oct 2004 (UTC)

title: Talk:Human rainbow


text:
Cyclomania

Cyclomania is a 2001 Finnish movie directed and written by Simo Halinen. Three teenage cyclists, two boys and a girl trying to balance friendship, competition and a growing romance.

The two good friends K (Lauri Nurkse) and Eetu (Tommi Mujunen) works as bicycle messengers in Helsinki, in the evenings they practice hard to qualify for the Finnish championships. Their lives change when Oona (Elena Leeve) starts working at the same company.

title: Cyclomania


text:
Stockholm Municipality

Stockholm Municipality or the City of Stockholm (Stockholms kommun or Stockholms stad) is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. It has the largest population of the 290 municipalities of the country, but one of the smallest areas, making it the second most densely populated. It is also the most populous municipality in the Nordic countries.

Although legally a municipality with the official proper name Stockholms kommun, the municipal assembly (kommunfullmäktige) has decided to use the name Stockholms stad (City of Stockholm in English) whenever possible. This is purely nominal and has no effect on the legal status of the municipality.

Geographically, the city comprises the Stockholm City Centre and two suburban areas, Söderort (South Stockholm) and Västerort (West Stockholm). Administratively, it is subdivided into 14 districts (sometimes incorrectly called "boroughs" in English), which are administered by district councils (stadsdelsnämnder).

History
When the first local government acts came into force in Sweden in 1863, the City of Stockholm was one of the then 89 cities of Sweden. A first city council was elected. The area roughly corresponded with today's Innerstaden. Large areas were annexed in 1913, 1916 and 1949. The city was outside Stockholm County until 1968, having its own governor. The local government reform of 1971 made Stockholm a unitary municipality like all others in the country.

Geography
Geographically, the City of Stockholm comprises the central part of the capital (Innerstaden or Stockholm City Centre) as well as the southern and western suburban parts (Söderort or South Stockholm and Västerort or West Stockholm respectively). Of the municipal population, all but 200 people are considered living in the Stockholm urban area, a tätort further extending into ten other municipalities.

Education
The share of highly educated persons, according to Statistics Sweden's definition: persons with post-secondary education that is three years or longer, is 42.4% (national average: 27.0%).

Residents with a foreign background
On the 31 of December 2017 the number of people with a foreign background (persons born outside of Sweden or with two parents born outside of Sweden) was 311,401, or 32.79% of the population (949,761 on the 31 of December 2017). On the 31 of December 2002 the number of residents with a foreign background was (per the same definition) 189 938, or 25.05% of the population (758,148 on the 31 of December 2002). On 31 December 2017 there were 949,761 residents in Stockholm, of which 234,703 people (24.71%) were born in a country other than Sweden. Divided by country in the table below - the Nordic countries as well as the 12 most common countries of birth outside of Sweden for Swedish residents have been included, with other countries of birth bundled together by continent by Statistics Sweden.

National
These are the election results from the 1973 onwards in the City of Stockholm. The municipality forms one of three municipal constituencies for the Riksdag along with Gothenburg and Malmö. In the Statistics Sweden reports from 1988 to 1998 the exact decimals of the Sweden Democrats were not reported since only parties near the 4% nationwide threshold were reported on.

Riksdag
Blocs

This lists the relative strength of the socialist and centre-right blocs since 1973, but parties not elected to the Riksdag are inserted as "other", including the Sweden Democrats results from 1988 to 2006, but also the Christian Democrats pre-1991 and the Greens in 1982, 1985 and 1991. The sources are identical to the table above. The coalition or government mandate marked in bold formed the government after the election. New Democracy got elected in 1991 but are still listed as "other" due to the short lifespan of the party. "Elected" is the total number of percentage points from the municipality that went to parties who were elected to the Riksdag.

Local
The municipality is governed by a Municipal assembly (kommunfullmäktige) with 101 members. These are elected through municipal elections, held in conjunction with the Parliamentary elections every four years. The council meets twice a month and the meetings are open to the public. The council elects a Municipal executive committee (kommunstyrelse), with 13 members representing both the political majority and the opposition, with the responsibility of implementing policies approved by the assembly. The political organisation also includes eight governing full-time Commissioners (borgarråd) and four Commissioners representing the opposition. The work is headed by the Commissioner of Finance (finansborgarråd, sometimes called Mayor), who also chairs the executive committee. The current Commissioner of Finance is Karin Wanngård, representing the Social democrats.

Municipal elections 1994–2014
Stockholm Party is a local party, which was represented in the City Council 1979–2002.

Municipal Election 2018
On September 9, 2018 Stockholm held Municipality Elections

Board of Commissioners since 2006

 * Sten Nordin (m), Commissioner of Finance (after 2008) (finansborgarråd)
 * Mikael Söderlund (m), Commissioner of Building and Traffic (byggnads- och trafikborgarråd)
 * Ulla Hamilton (m), Commissioner of Environment and Real Estate (miljö och bostadsbolagsborgarråd)
 * Lotta Edholm (fp), Commissioner of Education (skolborgarråd)
 * Madeleine Sjöstedt (fp), Commissioner of Culture and Sports (kulturborgarråd)
 * Kristina Alvendal (m), Commissioner of Housing and Integration (bostads- och integrationsborgarråd)
 * Ulf Kristersson (m), Commissioner of Social Services (socialborgarråd)
 * Ewa Samuelsson (kd), Commissioner of Senior Citizen's Service (äldrevårdsborgarråd)
 * Carin Jämtin (s), Commissioner in Opposition (oppositionsborgarråd)
 * Roger Mogert (s), Commissioner in Opposition (oppositionsborgarråd)
 * Ann-Margarethe Livh (v), Commissioner in Opposition (oppositionsborgarråd)
 * Yvonne Ruwaida (mp), Commissioner in Opposition (oppositionsborgarråd)

District Councils

The municipality is subdivided into 13 districts. These districts are sometimes incorrectly referred to as "boroughs" in English. They are, however, no legal entities or juristic persons of their own, but committees of the municipality itself. These districts are administered by District Councils, stadsdelsnämnder, which carry responsibility for primary school, social, leisure and cultural services within their respective areas. The members of these councils are not directly elected by the inhabitants of the respective districts, but rather appointed by the kommunfullmäktige (municipal assembly).

Effective January 1, 2007 the number of district councils was reduced from 18 to 14 through a number of merges. Maria-Gamla stan and Katarina-Sofia now form Södermalm borough, Enskede-Årsta and Vantör now form Enskede-Årsta-Vantör, Hägersten and Liljeholmen now form Hägersten-Liljeholmen, and Kista and Rinkeby now form Rinkeby-Kista.

Twin Towns - Sister Cities
The policy of Stockholm is to have informal town twinning with all capitals of the world, its main focus being those in northern Europe. Stockholm does not sign any formal town twinning treaties, although other cities claim to have established such treaties in the past which are still valid.

The cities claiming to have been twinned with Stockholm are:

Notable people

 * Kerstin Abram-Nilsson (1931-1998), artist, debater, and social activist

title: Stockholm Municipality


text:
Márk Rózsavölgyi

Márk Rózsavölgyi (born Mordecai Rosenthal, 14 August 1787 – 23 January 1848) was a Hungarian composer and violinist. He has been called "the father of csárdás".

Life and music
Rózsavölgyi was born to a poor tradesman's family in Balassagyarmat, where his bust (made by Jelena Veszely in 1973) can be found in the Palóc-parkland. His family is believed to have had klezmer connections.

From the ages of 11 to 19 he worked as a clerk in Vienna, Pressburg (now Bratislava), and Prague, teaching himself to play the violin. Returning to Pest, he dedicated himself to music, composing in the Hungarian traditional styles, including the verbunkos. his first works were published in Pest in 1811; eventually he published over 200 works. In 1812, he was appointed conductor of the orchestra at the German Theater in Pest.

Basing himself in Pest, he travelled through the Habsburg Empire for many years, including extended stays in Baja and Temesvár (now Timișoara, Romania).

In 1824, he was made a regular salaried member of the Philharmonic Society of the county of Veszprém, and his name "Rosenthal" was Magyarized to "Rózsavölgyi" (both mean 'rose valley' in German (or Yiddish) and Hungarian respectively) on the occasion of his election. (This name change was not however officially recognised until 1846). He gave several official concerts during the coronation ceremonies at Pressburg in 1825; and in 1835 he appeared at the Court Opera House in Vienna on the occasion of the Diet of Pressburg. Two years later, at the opening of the new National Theater of Pest, the Hungarian Orchestra of that city played a work composed by him for the occasion, and he subsequently became a regular member of that orchestra.

During the 1840s he formed his own band, and performed before Franz Liszt in May 1846 in Pest. Liszt used some of Rózsavölgyi's melodies in his own Hungarian Rhapsodies (nos. 8 and 12). After 1846 his health began to decline.

A number of famous Romani musicians, including Patikárus, Sárközi, Farkas, and others, were pupils of Rózsavölgyi. After his death, the Hungarian nationalist poet Sándor Petőfi sang his praises in a long poem, reproaching the Hungarian people for permitting the last years of the artist to be clouded by financial difficulties.

Rózsavölgyi died in relative poverty in Pest, and was buried there in the Jewish cemetery.

His son Julius (Gyula) founded a music publishing company in 1850, which still exists in Budapest. Another son, Leopold, became a doctor.

Recording

 * Rózsavölgyi: Ballroom Dances (17 dances and dance -sequences). Festetics Quartet. Hungaraton HCD 31781 (1998)

title: Márk Rózsavölgyi