Bollnäs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bollnäs
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Bollnäs Missionskyrka
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 Bollnäs
Location in Sweden Gävleborg
Bollnäs
Location in Sweden
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| Country | Sweden |
| Province | Hälsingland |
| County | Gävleborg County |
| Municipality | Bollnäs Municipality |
| Charter | 1942 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 12.87 km2 (4.97 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 53 m (174 ft) |
| Population
(31 December 2010)
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| • Total | 12,381 |
| • Density | 998/km2 (2,580/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code |
821 xx
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| Area code(s) | (+46) 278 |
Bollnäs is a town in Sweden. It's the main town of Bollnäs Municipality in Gävleborg County. In 2017, about 26,937 people lived there.
Contents
History of Bollnäs
Bollnäs was first mentioned in writing in 1312. A vicar named Ingemund called it Baldenaes. This name meant "the large land bridge," referring to a narrow strip of land near a lake. Before that, the town was known as Bro By, which means 'Bridge Village'.
A train station was built in Bollnäs in 1878, connecting it to the Northern Railline. Bollnäs became an important center for building more railways to the north. By 1884, it had a big workshop for fixing and maintaining trains. The railway was the biggest employer in Bollnäs for most of the 1900s. However, the workshop closed in the 1990s because its location was no longer ideal. Bollnäs officially became a city in 1942. Today, being a "city" in Sweden is mostly an honorary title.
Bollnäs is a twin town with Shepton Mallet in England. This means they have a special friendship and often exchange visits.
Sports in Bollnäs
Bandy is the most popular sport in Bollnäs. The local team, Bollnäs GIF, plays in the top league called Elitserien. In 2010, they reached the Swedish final for the first time since 1956. They made it to the finals again in 2011 but lost in overtime. In 2017, they reached the finals once more but lost to their rivals, Edsbyn IF.
Another club, Rehns BK, started as a bandy club. Now, they focus on other sports like orienteering (a sport where you use a map and compass to find your way) and cross-country skiing.
Places to See
The Bollnäs church was built a long time ago, between the 14th and 15th centuries. An opening ceremony for the church tower likely happened on November 3, 1468. Later, in the 1750s, more parts were added to the church.
This church has a very large collection of wooden sculptures from the Middle Ages. It has more of these than any other local church in the Nordic countries. Three of its altarpieces (decorated screens behind the altar) are important artworks from the late 1400s or early 1500s. One of these altarpieces, made around 1520, is dedicated to Virgin Mary. The church also has a valuable chalice (a special cup) and its paten (a small plate) from the same time period.
Famous People from Bollnäs
Many talented people have come from Bollnäs, including:
- Bengt Åberg (1944–2021), a professional motorcycle racer who won two world championships.
- Bloodbound, a heavy metal band that started in Bollnäs in 2004.
- Jan Boklöv (born 1966), a professional ski jumper who lived in Bollnäs in the 1990s.
- Emma Broomé (born 1985), a professional actress.
- Erik Byléhn (1898–1986), a middle-distance runner who competed in the 1924 and 1928 Summer Olympics.
- Emma Engstrand (born 1977), an Orienteering competitor.
- Albin Eriksson (born 2000), a professional ice hockey player.
- Anders Eriksson (born 1975), another professional ice hockey player.
- Åke "Stan" Hasselgård (1922–1948), a famous Jazz clarinetist who grew up in Bollnäs. His grave is there.
- Lina Hedlund (born 1978), a professional musician.
- Anna-Karin Kammerling (born 1980), an Olympic swimmer.
- Pernilla Lindberg (born 1986), a professional golfer.
- Timo K. Mukka (1944–1973), a Finnish author who was born in Bollnäs.
- Peter Stormare (born 1953), a well-known professional actor.
- Victoria Silvstedt (born 1974), a professional model, actress, singer, and TV personality.
- Walter Wallberg (born 2000), a professional freestyle skier who competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Images for kids
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Robot for kids
See also
In Spanish: Bollnäs para niños
