Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [151]
The main railway lines in the west connect Göteborg to Karlstad, Stockholm, Malmö and Oslo. In the east, the main line runs from Stockholm via Norrköping and Linköping to Malmö. Express buses connect major towns on much the same routes.
One of the best ways of seeing the region is by taking the long, unforgettable journey along the Göta Canal (Click here) – from the rolling country of Östergötland, north of Linköping, into the great lake Vättern, continuing into Västergötland on the other side and on to Göteborg.
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GÖTEBORG (GOTHENBURG)
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Often caught in Stockholm’s shadow, gregarious Göteborg socks a mighty punch of its own. Some of the country’s finest talent hails from its streets, including music icons José González and Soundtrack of Our Lives. Ornate architecture lines its tram-rattled streets, grit-hip cafes hum with bonhomie, and must-sees include Scandinavia’s amusement park heavyweight.
East of Kungsportsavenyn boulevard (dubbed the ‘Champs Élysées’ in brochures and a ‘tourist trap’ by locals), the Haga and Linné districts both buzz with creativity. Fashionistas design fair-trade threads, artists collaborate over mean espressos and street artists sex-up forlorn facades. Stockholm may represent the ‘big time’, but many of the best ideas originate in this grassroots town.
When the sun shines, hop on a boat for a blissful cruise along the Göta älv (Göta river). Alternatively, catch a tram and head out to the nearby archipelago for a mellow spot of island-hopping.
Best of all, Göteborg is comparatively cheaper than its east-coast rival, making it a top introduction to Sweden that shouldn’t make your piggy bank turn up its trotters.
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HISTORY
Gamla Älvsborg fortress, standing guard over the river 3km downstream of the centre, is Göteborg’s oldest significant structure, with portions dating back to medieval times. It was a key strategic point in the 17th-century territorial wars, and was held by Denmark for seven years before being yielded to Sweden in 1619. Two years later, the Swedes founded Göteborg.
The Dutch played an important part in shaping the fledgling city. Still fearful of Danish attack, the Swedes employed Dutch experts to construct a defensive canal system in the centre. The workers lived in what is now the revitalised Haga area: around a fifth of the original buildings are still standing. Most of Göteborg’s oldest wooden buildings went up in smoke long ago – the city was devastated by no fewer than nine major fires between 1669 and 1804.
Once Sweden had annexed Skåne in 1658, Göteborg expanded as a trading centre. Boom-time came in the 18th century, when merchant companies like the Swedish East India Company made huge amounts of wealth. Look around and you’ll notice the many grandiose buildings built using that period’s profits.
From the 19th century, shipbuilding was a major part of the city’s economy, until the industry totally collapsed in the 1980s. Volvo’s first car wheeled out of Göteborg in 1927. It’s now one of Sweden’s largest companies (although it was taken over by Ford in 1999), and it’s estimated that a quarter of the city relies on the company in some way. Today, Göteborg is Sweden’s most important industrial and commercial city and Scandinavia’s busiest port.
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ORIENTATION
Both Centralstationen and the Nordstan shopping complex sit at the northern end of central Göteborg. From here, shop-lined Östra Hamngatan leads southeast through town. Upon crossing one of the city’s few remaining 17th-century canals, it becomes Kungsportsavenyn (known simply as ‘Avenyn’), leading up to Götaplatsen. The Avenyn is Göteborg’s showpiece boulevard, lined with shops, restaurants, galleries, theatres and street cafes. Directly west is the Vasastan district, with a cooler selection of shops, bars