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Kopparberg
Kopparberg in 1920s
Kopparberg in 1920s
Kopparberg is located in Örebro
Kopparberg
Kopparberg
Location in Örebro
Kopparberg is located in Sweden
Kopparberg
Kopparberg
Location in Sweden
Country Kingdom of Sweden
Province Västmanland
County Örebro County
Municipality Ljusnarsberg Municipality
Area
 • Total 6.73 km2 (2.60 sq mi)
Population
 (31 December 2015)
 • Total 4,200
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)

Kopparberg is a small town in Sweden. It is located in Örebro County. About 4,200 people lived there in 2015.

Kopparberg is famous for a few cool things. It's home to one of the world's most valuable postage stamps, the Treskilling Yellow. Its wooden church was even voted the nicest in Sweden in 2006! You might also know Kopparberg for its popular cider, which is sold all over the world.

The town was founded in 1635. It was first called Nya Kopparberget. The name "Kopparberg" means "Copper Mountain." This is because of the rich copper mines nearby. In the 1700s, these mines provided a lot of the world's copper. This helped Sweden's economy a lot. Kopparberg is about 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of Örebro. Örebro is a big city in the middle of Sweden.

People in Kopparberg

Kopparberg has about 4,200 residents. The number of people living there has slowly gone down. This is because many young people move to bigger cities. They go for school, jobs, and more entertainment. However, many people who grew up in Kopparberg often return when they are older.

About 10% of the people in Kopparberg are immigrants. This is because the Swedish government helps immigrants settle in the town. When it comes to politics, more people in Kopparberg support environmental parties and left-leaning parties.

Kopparberg's Geography

Kopparberg is in a hilly area of central Sweden. This region is called Bergslagen. It has its own special laws and customs. Another name for this area is mellansverige, which means "middle Sweden."

This part of Sweden was one of the last places to be settled. You can find some unique plants and mushrooms here. They grow in special forms only found in Bergslagen.

Kopparberg's Climate

The Bergslagen area is cooler than lower areas further south. Kopparberg has a cool climate. Winters usually have temperatures just below freezing. Frosts happen often from October to April. Summers are mild compared to other parts of Sweden.

The warmest temperature ever recorded in Kopparberg was 34.2°C (93.6°F). This is quite hot for Sweden.

Climate data for Kopparberg–Ställdalen (2002–2018 averages; 1967–1990 precipitation, extremes since 1967)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 8.1
(46.6)
11.9
(53.4)
17.1
(62.8)
24.8
(76.6)
27.3
(81.1)
32.8
(91.0)
32.0
(89.6)
34.2
(93.6)
25.0
(77.0)
20.0
(68.0)
12.0
(53.6)
9.8
(49.6)
34.2
(93.6)
Mean maximum °C (°F) 4.7
(40.5)
5.8
(42.4)
11.9
(53.4)
17.3
(63.1)
23.5
(74.3)
25.7
(78.3)
25.9
(78.6)
20.4
(68.7)
14.4
(57.9)
9.4
(48.9)
5.7
(42.3)
28.7
(83.7)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −1.6
(29.1)
−0.9
(30.4)
3.7
(38.7)
9.9
(49.8)
15.5
(59.9)
19.1
(66.4)
21.7
(71.1)
19.7
(67.5)
15.1
(59.2)
8.1
(46.6)
3.1
(37.6)
−0.2
(31.6)
9.4
(49.0)
Daily mean °C (°F) −4.2
(24.4)
−3.9
(25.0)
−0.5
(31.1)
4.8
(40.6)
10.0
(50.0)
13.8
(56.8)
16.5
(61.7)
15.5
(59.9)
10.9
(51.6)
5.0
(41.0)
0.9
(33.6)
−2.7
(27.1)
5.5
(41.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −6.8
(19.8)
−6.8
(19.8)
−4.6
(23.7)
−0.3
(31.5)
4.5
(40.1)
8.4
(47.1)
11.4
(52.5)
10.3
(50.5)
6.7
(44.1)
1.8
(35.2)
−1.3
(29.7)
−5.2
(22.6)
1.5
(34.7)
Mean minimum °C (°F) −18.1
(−0.6)
−16.6
(2.1)
−13.4
(7.9)
−6.7
(19.9)
−2.2
(28.0)
3.1
(37.6)
5.9
(42.6)
4.4
(39.9)
−0.3
(31.5)
−5.6
(21.9)
−9.9
(14.2)
−15.2
(4.6)
−20.8
(−5.4)
Record low °C (°F) −30.0
(−22.0)
−30.0
(−22.0)
−26.2
(−15.2)
−21.5
(−6.7)
−9.5
(14.9)
−2.3
(27.9)
0.5
(32.9)
−1.1
(30.0)
−6.1
(21.0)
−14.2
(6.4)
−22.2
(−8.0)
−27.0
(−16.6)
−30.0
(−22.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 66.4
(2.61)
46.9
(1.85)
37.9
(1.49)
40.1
(1.58)
62.8
(2.47)
84.8
(3.34)
94.8
(3.73)
97.3
(3.83)
63.5
(2.50)
76.1
(3.00)
70.1
(2.76)
65.3
(2.57)
806
(31.73)
Source 1: SMHI Open Data for Ställdalen
Source 2: SMHI average data 2002–2018

Things to See and Do

Fun Sightseeing Spots

There are many interesting places to visit in Kopparberg:

  • Kopparberg's Church: This church was voted the most beautiful in Sweden!
  • Gillersklack: A great place for skiing, walking, and swimming.
  • Finngruvan: You can explore the old copper mines here.
  • Natural Environment: The area around Kopparberg is beautiful for outdoor activities.
  • Kloten: A nearby area known for recreation and hunting.

In the summer, people from other countries come to pick berries. They gather lots of lingonberries (like small cranberries) and bilberries. They either sell them in Sweden or take them home.

Exciting Events and Culture

  • Kopparbergs Marknad (Fair): This huge fair happens on the last weekend of September. It's one of the biggest annual fairs in Sweden! About 125,000 people visit. You can find clothes, shoes, jewelry, food, and even live entertainment.
  • Gold Panning Contest: Every year in late June or early July, Kopparberg hosts a gold panning contest. It has even hosted the World Gold Panning Championship!
  • Gem and Mineral Show: Once a year, usually in June, there's a big show for gems and minerals. It's said to be the largest in Europe!
  • Opera på Skäret: This is a cultural center in the northwest part of town. They host concerts and other events.
  • Treskilling Yellow Day: July 13th is a special day in Kopparberg. It celebrates the Treskilling Yellow stamp. This stamp was made in Kopparberg on July 13, 1857, and is one of the most valuable stamps in the world!

Getting Around Kopparberg

Bus Travel

You can reach Kopparberg by bus. Local buses from Örebro take about 1.5 hours. There are also national bus lines that connect Kopparberg to other places in Sweden.

Train Travel

Kopparberg is connected by train to several towns:

Business in Kopparberg

The biggest company in Kopparberg is Kopparbergs Brewery. It employs about 150 people. This brewery is owned by the Bronsman family. They make Kopparberg Cider, which is now a very popular fruit cider worldwide. It's sold in 37 countries!

The brewery also makes other drinks. Their Sofiero Original beer has been the most popular beer in Sweden since 2003.

Kopparberg's History

The Copper Mines

Scientists believe a meteor landed near Kopparberg about 14.5 million years ago. This area is very rich in different minerals. Copper was found on the surface of the hills in Kopparberg by 1634. News of the rich copper veins spread quickly.

Mining was hard work, especially in winter. People from Finland were used to working in cold conditions. They became skilled at mining and refining the copper. The biggest mine is called Finngruvan, which means "the Finn's mine." It's just outside the town. The copper found here was almost pure, with tiny amounts of silver and gold.

Kopparberg's Church

In the past, the church was the center of Sunday activities. Kopparberg's church was started in 1635. It was finished soon after. In 2006, a Swedish magazine voted it the most beautiful church in Sweden. The church is officially named Ljusnarsbergs Kyrka.

In 1674, a house was built for the person who looked after the church bells. It was called Klockargården. Today, this old building is a school and learning center for adults and immigrants. You can tell how old it is because you have to bend down to go through some of the inner doorways! People were shorter a long time ago.

Old Buildings in Ljusnarsberg

Most old buildings in Kopparberg are log cabins or wooden houses. They are often painted with a special red stain. This stain comes from the mines in Falun, another place named Kopparberg. This "Falun Red" color is very common in Sweden. Many barns and houses are painted red, making the landscape look very uniform.

Later, some of these wooden buildings were covered with plaster or other materials. This made them even stronger and better at keeping out the cold. Many of these buildings, hundreds of years old, are still standing and used today.

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