Sollefteå facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sollefteå
Storgatan in Sollefteå
Sollefteå Location in Västernorrland Show map of Västernorrland Sollefteå Location in Sweden Show map of Sweden
Country	Sweden
Province	Ångermanland
County	Västernorrland County
Municipality	Sollefteå Municipality
Area
• Total	9.40 km2 (3.63 sq mi)
Population  (31 December 2019)
• Total	8,643
• Density	911/km2 (2,360/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)

Sollefteå is a town in Sweden. It's the main town, also called the "seat," of Sollefteå Municipality. You can find it in Västernorrland County.

Discovering Sollefteå's Past

The first time Sollefteå was written about was in a document from the year 1270. Back then, the village was called De Solatum. This name might mean "The sunlit region." It comes from the words Sol (sun) and at (property). Some people also think De Solatum could mean a lonely or remote place.

Sollefteå is located by the last rapids of the Ångermanälven river. This made it the furthest point ships could sail to. Because of this, the village grew into an important trading area. Later, the town became more focused on the military. Two army groups, T 3 (Logistics) and I 21 (Infantry), moved there in 1898 and 1911.

In 1902, Sollefteå became a market town, known as a köping. Then, in 1917, it officially became a city. Even though it's not very big today, people still call Sollefteå a "city" because of its history.

Cool Buildings to See

The Old Pharmacy Building

The pharmacy building was built in 1889. It's made of brick and has two and a half floors. The building's style is from the late 1800s, with many features of the neo-Gothic style. An architect named Niclas Wahrgren designed it.

You can see many different styles in the building. It has a corner tower that looks like a medieval castle, with crenellated tops. There are also round "Norman" arches and pointed "Gothic" arches. The entrance has a portico supported by columns. Inside, the staircase has cool renaissance designs with geometric patterns. This building looks a bit like grand buildings in Stockholm and Sundsvall from the same time.

In 1984, the building was made a historic landmark. This means it's protected and can't be torn down or changed a lot. Today, it's home to the local library and the city's museum.

Hotel Appelbergs: A Historic Stay

Hotel Appelbergs is in the middle of Sollefteå, on the main walking street. It's the oldest hotel in the city, built in 1882. A timber merchant and innkeeper named Erik Appelberg built it.

The hotel became a popular spot for people in the timber business and important local figures. Many famous guests have stayed here. These include Crown Princess Stéphanie of Austria, King Oscar II, King Gustav V of Sweden, and Kaiser Wilhelm II. King Chulalongkorn of Siam also stayed here with four of his princes. They were touring the Ångermanland area in the early 1900s. A special plaque at the hotel remembers their visit. There's even a royal pavilion in the nearby village of Utanede to honor them.

This wooden building is a great example of Sollefteå's early architecture.

• Sollefteå Church

Multrå Transmitter: A Tall Structure

The Multrå transmitter is a very tall structure. It's used for broadcasting FM radio and TV signals. The mast is 288 meters (about 945 feet) high!

Understanding Sollefteå's Weather

The closest weather station to Sollefteå is in Österforse. This station is about 10 kilometers (6 miles) southwest of Sollefteå. Sollefteå is a bit lower in elevation, so its weather might be slightly milder, especially in the afternoons.

Österforse has a subarctic climate. This means it has long, cold winters and short, cool summers. However, for its location in northern Sweden, the climate is quite mild. Summer days can be very warm. Temperatures change a lot depending on wind direction. When warm air from the south meets cold air from the north, it affects the weather.

Sometimes, a "temperature inversion" happens. This is when cold air gets trapped close to the ground, with warmer air above it. This can make cold spells very extreme. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -43 degrees Celsius (-45 degrees Fahrenheit). The hottest day was July 2, 2015, when it reached 32.8 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit).

Sports Teams in Sollefteå

Sollefteå has several sports clubs for different activities:

• Sollefteå GIF
• Sollefteå Hockey (Ice hockey)
• Remsle UIF
• Sollefteå Handboll (handball)
• Sollefteå BTK (Table tennis)
• Sollefteå Skidor (Cross-country skiing)

Famous People From Sollefteå

Sollefteå's Sister City

Sollefteå has a special friendship with Madison, Mississippi in the United States. They became "sister cities" in 1997. The idea started in 1995. Officials from Madison were talking with a Sollefteå company, Haglof, Inc., which wanted to open a factory in Madison.

When the Madison officials visited Sollefteå, they became very interested in learning about Swedish culture. Later, a group of 30 people from Sollefteå's city board visited Madison. They toured the city and made the sister city relationship official. During this visit, Haglof opened its new office in Madison. Another Swedish company, Mini Tube, also became interested in opening offices there.

After the Sollefteå group visited Madison, Madison sent 34 people to Sollefteå. They also toured the city and learned about Swedish culture and traditions. They visited Haglof Inc.'s facilities and an environmental center. Because of this friendship between Sollefteå and Madison, a Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce was created in Madison. This helps businesses from both places connect.

Images for kids

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  Northern entrance to Sollefteå, crossing the Ångermanälven river.