Karlstad Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Karlstad

Coat of arms

Nickname(s):

city of the Sun, Sun city

Karlstad

Location in Värmland County

Karlstad

Location in Sweden

Sweden

Karlstad Municipality

Founded by

King Charles IX

Area

• City

30.31 km² (11.70 sq mi)

Elevation

64 m (210 ft)

Population

(2015 (city); 2015 (metro))

• City

61,492

• Density

2,035/km² (5,270/sq mi)

• Metro

90,882

Karlstad is a city, the seat of Karlstad Municipality, the capital of Värmland County, and the largest city in the province Värmland in Sweden. The city had 61,492 inhabitants in 2015 with 90,882 inhabitants in the wider municipality, and is the 21st biggest municipality in Sweden. Karlstad has a university and a cathedral.

Karlstad is built on the river delta where Sweden's longest river, Klarälven, runs into Sweden's largest lake, Vänern. It has the second largest lake port in the country after Västerås.

Karlstad is often associated with sunshine and the symbol for Karlstad is a smiling sun. Karlstad is reputed to be one of the sunniest towns in Sweden and a local waitress, known as "Sola i Karlstad" (the Sun in Karlstad) for her sunny disposition, is also commemorated with a statue.

History

Karlstad Town Hall

On Karlstad's largest islet, there was a place of counsel called Tingvalla in the medieval age, which had roots from the Viking Age before 1000 AD. It was also used as a market place. Karlstad was granted its city charter on March 5, 1584 by the Swedish Duke Charles, who would later be crowned King Charles IX of Sweden. The city derives its name from the King – Karlstad literally means Charles' city. The Duke also granted Karlstad the right as a governmental seat in the region, and gave it a substantial amount of land.

The Duke built his own house in the city, which is referred to as Kungsgården (The King's Manor). Karlstad's Cathedral was built on the location Kungsgården in 1724 - 1730 by Christian Haller.

Karlstad has suffered four major fires. Only the cathedral and a few houses remained after the last fire on July 2, 1865. Karlstad was thereafter rebuilt according to a grid pattern with wide streets surrounded by trees.

In 1905, the agreement to dissolve the union between Norway and Sweden was signed in Karlstad.

Images for kids

Bandy at Tingvalla Ice Stadium, with the former military barracks of the Värmland Regiment seen to the far right
Tingvalla IP
Karlstad Cathedral
Karlstad from the Klaraborg Bridge
Statue of Sola i Karlstad, next to Klarälven
Wooden houses that survived the fire in 1865
Karlstad Theatre, a theatre and the home of the Wermland Opera
The East Bridge
Carlarnas sluss, a lock from the early 19th century
The Bishops House
Värmland Museum by night
The new part of Värmland Museum
Tingvalla upper secondary school

Karlstad facts for kids

History

Images for kids

See also