Trollhättan

Trollhättan

The Göta älv river and Trollhättan Water Tower in central Trollhättan
Trollhättan
Trollhättan
Coordinates: 58°17′N 12°17′E / 58.283°N 12.283°E / 58.283; 12.283Coordinates: 58°17′N 12°17′E / 58.283°N 12.283°E / 58.283; 12.283
Country Sweden
Province Västergötland
County Västra Götaland County
Municipality Trollhättan Municipality
Area[1]
  Total 23.78 km2 (9.18 sq mi)
Population (31 December 2010)[1]
  Total 46,457
  Density 1,954/km2 (5,060/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
  Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Website www.trollhattan.se

Trollhättan (Swedish pronunciation: [trɔlˈhɛtːan]) is a city and the seat of Trollhättan Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden, with 46,457 inhabitants in 2010.[1] It is located 75 km north of Sweden's second-largest city, Gothenburg.

History

Trollhättan was founded on the river Göta älv, at the Trollhättan Falls. The site was first mentioned in literature from 1413. For centuries, Trollhättan was an obstacle for boats travelling the river, until a lock system was completed in the 19th century. It has since been updated several times, and the present locks were finished in 1916.

In the late 19th century, hydropower was developed in Trollhättan. The Swedish energy corporation Vattenfall ("waterfall") took its name from the falls in Trollhättan. Today the city has two operational hydropower stations, Olidan and Håjum. The hydropower has helped the city in its industrial revolution.

Trollhättan was granted city rights (which today have no legal effect) in 1916 at which time it had about 15,000 inhabitants, now grown to 54,000.

On 22 October 2015, a young man armed with a sword attacked pupils and staff at a school, killing 3 persons.

Name

Further information: Trollhättan Falls

The name Trollhättan is translated as "troll's bonnet". The latter part "hätta" could also mean mountain top.

Other former names of the site are Eiðar and Stora Edet; the latter lives on in the name of the south-bordering municipality of Lilla Edet.

Sports

The following sports clubs are located in Trollhättan:

Events

Trollhättan will host Division B of the 2017 Bandy World Championship.[2]

Industries

Trollhättan formerly housed the headquarters and main production plant of Saab Automobile and now houses the headquarters and a production plant of National Electric Vehicle Sweden.

It also has a number of industrial facilities, headed by GKN Aerospace (previously known as Volvo Aero) and its contractual suppliers. As with parallel locations elsewhere in Europe, much of its production has moved from heavy industry to professional services and the creation of intellectual property. As of 2011 Trollhättan hosts a film production complex known as Trollywood; movies shot there include Show Me Love (Fucking Åmål), Dancer in the Dark, Melancholia, Dogville and studio scenes for Lilya 4-ever. The movie studio Film i Väst centered here produces about half of the Swedish feature-length films.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Tätorternas landareal, folkmängd och invånare per km2 2005 och 2010" (in Swedish). Statistics Sweden. 14 December 2011. Archived from the original on 10 January 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
  2. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BANDY 2017
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