Oskarshamn Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Oskarshamn

Oskarshamn
upper left: Skeppsbron;

upper right: Building at Lilla torget;

bottom: Harbor area.

Coat of arms

Oskarshamn

Location in Kalmar

Oskarshamn

Location in Sweden

Oskarshamn Municipality

Charter

1856

Founded by

Oscar I

Area

• Total

13.10 km² (5.06 sq mi)

Population

(31 December 2010)

• Total

17,258

• Density

1,317/km² (3,410/sq mi)

Time zone

UTC+1 (CET)

• Summer (DST)

UTC+2 (CEST)

Oskarshamn is a city by the sea in Sweden. It's the main town of the Oskarshamn Municipality in Kalmar County. In 2010, about 17,258 people lived there.

History of Oskarshamn
Economy and Major Industries
Places to See in Oskarshamn
Climate in Oskarshamn
Culture and Arts
Education in Oskarshamn
Transportation
Sports Teams
International Connections
Images for kids
See also

History of Oskarshamn

How Oskarshamn Got Its Name

Before it became a city in 1856, Oskarshamn was called Döderhultsvik. Its name was changed to Oscarshamn, which means "Oscar's port." This was done to honor King Oscar I of Sweden. Later, the spelling changed slightly to Oskarshamn.

Becoming a City: A Long Journey

The area where Oskarshamn is located has been known as Döderhultsvik since the Medieval times. For over 200 years, the people living there tried to get their own city rights. They wanted to be independent from the city of Kalmar, which controlled their trade.

They asked the government many times, but their requests were turned down again and again. Finally, in 1854, King Oscar I of Sweden said he would grant them city rights. But first, they had to build certain things, like a prison and a town hall. Once they finished these tasks, the city rights were officially given on May 1, 1856. Today, Oskarshamn is the main town of a much larger municipality.

Modern Times and Industries

Oskarshamn started to grow a lot when a railway line opened, connecting it to Nässjö. This helped industries and the harbor expand. For a long time, the biggest employer was the Oskarshamn Shipyard. It once had nearly 1,500 workers! However, in the 1970s, many shipyards in Sweden faced financial problems and closed. The Oskarshamn shipyard also became much smaller, and many people lost their jobs.

Around the same time, two new big companies started in Oskarshamn. In 1966, Scania AB bought a factory that made truck cabs. Scania expanded it, and today it's one of the largest employers in Kalmar County, with almost 2,000 workers. Also, Liljeholmens Stearinfabriks AB opened in Oskarshamn in 1970. It's now the world's largest maker of stearin candles.

Did you know that Astrid Zachrison, who was the oldest person in Sweden, was born near Oskarshamn? She lived to be 113 years old!

Economy and Major Industries

The shipyard that started in 1863 is still working today. Oskarshamn is also a busy place for commercial and passenger ships. You can take ferries from here to Gotland, Öland, and Blå Jungfrun island.

Between 1965 and 1985, a nuclear power plant was built outside Oskarshamn. It has three units that produce about 10% of Sweden's electricity. There's also a special lab nearby called the Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory. Here, scientists research how to safely store used nuclear fuel for a very long time. You can even visit this lab!

The two biggest employers in Oskarshamn are the Scania truck factory and the OKG nuclear power plant. Other important companies include Liljeholmens candle factory, SAFT (which makes batteries), Elajo, and Bygg Hemma.

Places to See in Oskarshamn

The 72-meter (236ft) wooden bench, Långa Soffan, in the port of Oskarshamn.

In the port of Oskarshamn, you can find tourist boats. These boats take visitors to the island and national park of Blå Jungfrun. There are also boat trips that stay closer to the coast. The Oskarshamn archipelago is a group of over 5,000 islands and small islets in the municipality.

The harbor area has many restaurants, pubs, and cafes. You can also find great spots to view the harbor. On the south side of the port, there's a 72-meter (236 ft) long wooden bench called Långa Soffan. It was built in 1867 and is thought to be the longest of its kind in Europe. From the bench, you get a wonderful view of the busy harbor. There's also a marina for private boats.

For another great view of Oskarshamn and the sea, you can go to the top of the town's northern water tower. It's open to the public.

The older part of Oskarshamn is very well preserved. In one area called Besväret and Fnyket, you can see old wooden houses from the 1800s.

Besvärsgränd in Oskarshamn, showing older wooden houses.

Oskarshamns Stadspark is a public park just south of the town center.

Fredriksbergs Herrgård is a beautiful old manor-house built in 1784. It's just outside the city center and is open to visitors. It has a restaurant, a cafe, and a small museum.

Climate in Oskarshamn

Oskarshamn has an oceanic climate. This means it has mild weather for its location. Winters are usually just below freezing, and summer days are among the warmest in Sweden. It gets light to moderate rain, which is typical for southeastern Sweden.

Culture and Arts

Oskarshamn was the home of a famous woodcarver named Axel Petersson Döderhultarn. His studio and the Döderhultarn Museum display more than 200 of his amazing carvings. There is also a maritime museum in Oskarshamn.

The city also hosts a music festival each summer called Latitud 57. It happens at the same time as the annual Oskarshamn Offshore Race, which is a popular competition for fast powerboats. The world championship in Offshore powerboat racing was held here in 2011.

Education in Oskarshamn

Oskarshamn has four main elementary schools: Norra skolan, Vallhallaskolan, Rödsleskolan, and Kristinebergskolan. There are also two high schools: Oscarsgymnasiet, which is the main high school, and Elajogymnsiet, which specializes in electricity.

Transportation

Today, the railway in Oskarshamn mostly carries freight trains to and from the harbor. There are also a few passenger trains each day to and from Nässjö. A ferry line connects the town to Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland.

Oskarshamn used to have its own airport, about 11 kilometers (7 miles) north of the city center. Flights to Stockholm-Arlanda stopped in 2014, and the municipality decided to close the airport completely. The closest airport now is Kalmar Airport, which is about 75 kilometers (47 miles) away. The Oskarshamn airport is still used for some private planes.

Sports Teams

IK Oskarshamn is the local ice hockey team. They have been playing in Sweden's top hockey league, the Swedish Hockey League, since 2019.

Craftstaden IBK is the floorball team, playing in the Division 1 league. IFK Oskarshamn and Oskarshamns AIK are two of the town's soccer teams. Oskarshamns AIK plays in the Division 1 league.

In July 2011, Oskarshamn hosted the world championship in offshore powerboat racing.