Trelleborg Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Trelleborg

Trelleborg town hall

Coat of arms

Trelleborg

Location in Sweden

Trelleborg Municipality

Area

• Total

13.66 km² (5.27 sq mi)

Population

(31 December 2015)

• Total

43,359

• Density

2,071/km² (5,360/sq mi)

Time zone

UTC+1 (CET)

• Summer (DST)

UTC+2 (CEST)

Trelleborg is a town in Skåne County, Sweden. It had 43,359 people living there in 2015. Trelleborg is the southernmost town in Sweden. It is very close to the very tip of the Scandinavian peninsula.

This town is super important for ferries. Many ships travel from here across the Baltic Sea. Trelleborg is also the main town for the Söderslätt area, which is known for its farms.

What's in a Name?
A Look Back in Time
Getting Around
- Roads
- Harbour and Ferries
Weather in Trelleborg
Trelleborg Today
Fun and Games
Famous People from Trelleborg
Culture and Museums
Images for kids
Sister Cities
See also

What's in a Name?

The name Trelleborg was first written down in 1257. It was called Threlæburgh back then. You can find this name in many places across Scandinavia.

The word Borg means castle or stronghold. The word träl can mean a type of servant. But it can also mean the leaning wooden poles used in old Viking forts.

Scientists found parts of an old stronghold in Trelleborg in 1988. This old fort might be why the town got its name. Similar forts are called trelleborgs.

A Look Back in Time

Trelleborgen, a reconstructed Viking ring castle in Trelleborg

The first time Trelleborg was mentioned in writing was in 1257. A few years later, in 1260, the Danish royal family gave Trelleborg as a wedding gift. It went to the Swedish Prince Valdemar.

But the Danes quickly took it back. Trelleborg stayed part of Denmark until 1658. That's when Scania, the region it's in, became part of Sweden. This happened after a peace agreement called the Treaty of Roskilde.

In the Middle Ages, Trelleborg was famous for herring fishing. There were so many herring fish that people could catch them right from the shore. This made Trelleborg an important trading city. Merchants from Germany came to buy and sell herring.

In 1619, a big fire destroyed much of Trelleborg. The Danish King decided that only one trading city was needed on the coast. So, he took away Trelleborg's trading rights. He chose Malmö instead.

Trelleborg didn't get its trading rights back until 1840. It became a full city of Sweden again in 1867. This happened because some determined people kept asking the Swedish Riksdag (Parliament) for these rights. They had been asking since 1658!

In 1971, there was a change in how local governments worked. Trelleborg became the main town for Trelleborg Municipality. This municipality includes both the town and the areas around it.

Getting Around

Roads

Trelleborg is the very southern end of a big road called European route E6. This road goes all the way north to Norway. The E6 is a very important road for moving goods into Sweden. It connects to other major roads like the E22 and the E4.

Harbour and Ferries

The ferry station in Trelleborg, "The Continental Bridge", serves three shipping lines at four different routes, and in all six different ferry lines.

Trelleborg's harbour is in a great spot, right at the southern tip of the Scandinavian peninsula. The first ferry to Germany started in 1897. Later, in 1909, a train-ferry line opened to Saßnitz. This was part of a route from Malmö to Berlin.

During the time of East Germany, a longer car ferry line started to Travemünde. This is a modern harbour near Lübeck. After the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, many new ferry routes opened.

Trelleborg built a special ferry terminal for all these services. It's called "Kontinentbron", which means "the Continental Bridge". You can take ferries from here to both Germany and Poland.

Here are some of the ferry companies and where they go:

TT-Line
- to Klaipėda (Lithuania)
- to Travemünde (Germany)
- to Rostock (Germany)
- to Swinoujscie (Poland)
Stena Line
- to Rostock (Germany)
Unity Line
- to Swinoujscie (Poland)

Most of the things carried by these ferries are big trucks. This makes Trelleborg's port the biggest in Sweden for goods by weight. In 2005, over 11 million tons of goods passed through the port. Almost 2 million people also used the ferries.

Weather in Trelleborg

Trelleborg has an oceanic climate. This means it has warm summers and cool, but not usually very cold, winters. Summer temperatures are often around 20 degrees Celsius. Winter temperatures are usually at or just above freezing.

Trelleborg Today

TT-Line ferry routes; the company operates regular service between Trelleborg and Germany

In the late 1800s, Trelleborg became a town with many factories. Some big companies helped build modern Trelleborg. These include Trelleborg Industries, which makes rubber products. The ferry business and the seaport are also very important.

A businessman named Johan Kock helped start many important industries. Other companies he helped create include Flint Group Sweden, which makes printing inks. DUX, a company that makes beds, was also started here. Later, in the 1950s, Perstorp Industries started making flooring boards and plastic materials in Trelleborg.

Today, Trelleborg is often visited by people traveling from Sweden to Germany. This is because of the ferries to Rostock, Sassnitz, and Lübeck - Travemünde in Germany. These ferries started sailing in 1897. The route to Travemünde began in 1962. The line to Rostock opened after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989.

The ferries carry passengers, cars with families on vacation, and heavy trucks. In April 1917, a famous historical figure, Lenin, traveled through Trelleborg on a ferry. He was on his way back to Russia.

Trelleborg now has the second largest seaport in Sweden. Only Gothenburg is bigger. Each year, it moves over 10 million tons of cargo.

Near Trelleborg, overlooking the harbour of Smygehuk, there is a statue of a woman. It was put there in 1930. The grandmother of actress Uma Thurman was the model for this statue.

When you drive into Trelleborg from the west, you will see a row of palm trees. These trees show that the city is in the south. They are moved inside during winter because they can't handle freezing weather.

Fun and Games

Trelleborg has several sports clubs. For football, there are Trelleborgs FF, IFK Trelleborg, and FC Trelleborg. The basketball team is called Trelleborg Basket.

If you like scouting, there's the Trelleborgs scoutkår. Other fun places include the local swimming pool, a golf club, sports halls, beaches, and several parks.

Famous People from Trelleborg

Andreas Isaksson - a retired football player.
Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh - the current mayor of Malmö Municipality.
Patric Kjellberg - a retired ice hockey player.
Björn Kjellman - an actor and singer.
Andreas Nilsson - a handball player.
Olivia Nordgren - a politician.
Amanda Ooms - an actress and writer.
Alice Timander - a dentist.
Kim Wall - a journalist.
Franz Brorsson - a football player.

Culture and Museums

Trelleborg has two museums. One is Trelleborgs Museum. It focuses on the old Viking castle that was rebuilt in the city. The other museum shows different art and history exhibits. You can also find many statues around the city, especially works by Axel Ebbe. There is an art gallery in the city that shows his art.