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Trollhättan
The Göta älv river and Trollhättan Water Tower in central Trollhättan
TrollhättanShow map of Västra GötalandTrollhättanShow map of Sweden
Coordinates: 58°16′58″N 12°17′21″E / 58.28278°N 12.28917°E / 58.28278; 12.28917
Country	Sweden
Province	Västergötland
County	Västra Götaland County
Municipality	Trollhättan Municipality
Area
• Total	23.78 km (9.18 sq mi)
Population
• Total	59,210
• Density	1,954/km (5,060/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Website	www.trollhattan.se

Trollhättan (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈtrɔ̂lːˌhɛtːan] ) is the 23rd-largest city in Sweden, the seat of Trollhättan Municipality, Västra Götaland County. It is situated by Göta älv, near the lake Vänern, and has a population of approximately 50,000 in the city proper. It is located 75 km (46 mi) north of Sweden's second-largest city, Gothenburg.

History

Trollhättan was granted city rights (which today have no legal effect) in 1916 at which time it had about 15,000 inhabitants, now grown to 59,058. Trollhättan was founded on the river Göta älv, at the Trollhättan Falls. The site was first mentioned in literature from 1413. Trollhättan had a strategic significance on the road between Västergötland and Norway. It was also of a commercial and political significance for shipping to and from Vänern.

Utilization of the river falls was the first important business activity in the area. From the Middle Ages milling and sawing operations have been conducted where the city center is now located. For centuries, Trollhättan Falls was an obstacle for boats travelling the river, until a lock system was completed in the 19th century. In 1795 the English writer Mary Wollstonecraft visited Trollhattan on her trip through Sweden, Norway and Denmark. She described in one of her letters her observations of the canal under construction, and the falls. It has since been updated several times, and the present locks were finished in 1916. In the late 19th century, hydropower was developed in Trollhättan. The Swedish energy corporation Vattenfall took its name from the falls in Trollhättan. Today the city has two operational hydropower stations, Olidan and Hojum. Trollhättan is also home of King Oscars Bridge, for a long time one of Sweden's biggest tourist attractions, owing to its impressive views of the Trollhättan Falls.

On 22 October 2015, a mass stabbing occurred at Kronan School, a high school.

Name

The name Trollhättan itself was originally used only for the falls area. The name Trollhättan is translated as "troll's bonnet". The latter part "hätta" could also mean mountain top. The water that splashed from a large rock at the bottom of the waterfall (before the hydro dam was built) was imagined to look like a troll's hat. Other former names of the site are Eiðar and Stora Edet; the latter lives on in the name of the south-bordering municipality of Lilla Edet.

Industry

The manufacturing company Nydqvist & Holm AB (now NOHAB) was based in the city of Trollhättan dating from 1847. Further industries quickly followed. Dating from the 19th century, Trollhättan formerly housed the headquarters and main production plant of Saab Automobile and subsequently the headquarters and a production plant of National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS). It also has a number of industrial facilities, headed by GKN Aerospace (previously known as Volvo Aero) and its contractual suppliers. As with parallel locations elsewhere in Europe, much of its production has moved from heavy industry to professional services and the creation of intellectual property.

As of 2011, Trollhättan hosts a film production complex known as Trollywood; movies shot there include Show Me Love (Fucking Åmål), Dancer in the Dark, Melancholia, Dogville and studio scenes for Lilya 4-ever. The movie studio Film i Väst centered here produces about half of the Swedish feature-length films.

Trollhätte Canal

During the 17th century, work on a system of locks began and the first lock was completed around 1607 at Lilla Edet. During the 18th century several unsuccessful attempts were made to complete the locks. In 1718 a contract was signed by the government and Christopher Polhem (1661–1751) for construction of a canal between Kattegatt and Lake Vänern and from Vättern to the Baltic Sea. Trollhätte Canal first begun construction in 1718. In 1800, Baltzar von Platen (1766–1829) completed the locks. Larger locks were later built under Nils Ericson (1802–1870). The further construction of the Göta Canal enabled larger boats to pass through Trollhätte Canal.

Trollhättan Church

Trollhättan Church (Trollhättans Kyrka) belongs to the Trollhättan congregation in the Diocese of Skara. Between 1860 and 1862, the New Trollhätte Canal Company (Nya Trollhätte Kanalbolag) built Trollhättan church. It was inauguration in 1862 and was handed over to the congregation as a gift. The church is erected in a neo-Gothic style after drawings by architect Adolf W. Edelsvärd (1824–1919). It consists of a longhouse with a north–south orientation. To the south is the tower with main entrance and to the north is a polygonal cairn. It is located on a cliff in the Göta River in the middle of the canal system.

At the expense of the canal company, a sacristy was built in the north-west in 1896–1897 with a rise to the pulpit, and the same year came glass paintings designed by Folke Zettervall (1862–1955). The window paintings in the choir, which was installed in 1962, are done by artist Ralph Bergholtz (1908-1988). The church was restored in 1983–84 with Jerk Alton as architect.

Sports

Trollhättan hosted Division B of the 2017 Bandy World Championship. The following sports clubs are located in Trollhättan:

• IFK Trollhättan
• FC Trollhättan
• Skoftebyns IF
• Gripen Trollhättan BK

Gallery

• Trollhättan Church
• Trollhättan Falls
• Olidan Hydropower Station
• Trollhättan Canal
• Trollhättan Water Tower

Notable people

• Alexis Ahlgren - long distance runner
• Rune Almén - high jumper
• Arne Andersson - runner
• Frank Andersson - wrestler and entertainer
• Gustaf Andersson - footballer
• Jessica Andersson - singer/songwriter
• Johan Andersson, artist
• Bertil Antonsson - wrestler
• Hans Antonsson - wrestler
• Ada Arnstad - Norwegian politician
• Rebin Asaad - footballer
• Lennart Bengtsson - meteorologist
• Anna Björk - actress
• Benjamin Björklund - painter
• Erik Carlsson - rally driver
• Dan Corneliusson - footballer
• Erik Dahlin - footballer
• Johan Dahlin - footballer
• Rasmus Dahlin - ice hockey player
• Claes Eriksson - entertainer and actor
• Anders Eriksson - comedian
• Christofer Erixon - composer and music producer
• Linus Fagemo - ice hockey player
• Kim Fransson - singer/songwriter
• Kerstin Granlund - comedian and actress
• Sven Haglund - sport shooter
• Per Jonsson - paralympian
• Per Kågeson - scientist and author
• Anton Kurochkin - footballer
• Marjut Heinonen - Finnish sports shooter
• Simon Hedlund - footballer
• Arne Hülphers - jazz pianist
• Robin Jansson - footballer
• Jay-Jay Johanson - singer/songwriter
• Jakob Johansson - footballer
• Jan Karlsson - wrestler
• Kristian Karlsson - table tennis player
• Per Kågeson- author and scientist
• Tuomo Könönen - Finnish footballer
• Pernilla Larsson - football referee
• Peter LeMarc - singer/songwriter
• Jan Lööf - illustrator and author
• Håkan Mild - footballer
• Viktor Morozov - Russian footballer
• Peter Nyborg - tennis player
• Clark Olofsson - criminal
• Tom Pettersson - footballer
• Paul Sahlin - singer/songwriter
• Rolf Santesson - lichenologist
• Gitta-Maria Sjöberg - operatic soprano
• Jayne Svenungsson - theologian and philosopher
• David Urwitz - singer and musician
• Nils van der Poel - speed skater
• Janne Wallenius - reactor physicist
• Ulla Westermark - numismatist
• Simon Westlund - speedcuber
• Jigs (band) - band
• Lord Belial - black metal band

See also

• Saab Car Museum
• Trollhättan Mosque
• University College West

References

1. "Befolkning och statistik" (in Swedish). Trollhättan Municipality. 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
2. "Trollhättan". Svenska Akademiens ordlista (in Swedish). Swedish Academy. 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2019 – via svenska.se.
3. "Befolkning och statistik" (in Swedish). Trollhättan Municipality. 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
4. Wollstonecraft, Mary (1976). Letters Written during a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Lincoln and London: University of Nebraska Press. p. 142 ff. ISBN 0-8032-0862-6.
5. Thomas Bjurbäck. "Trollhättans historia". thomas.bjurback.se. Archived from the original on May 24, 2012. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
6. "Olidan". powerplants.vattenfall.com. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
7. "Hojum". powerplants.vattenfall.com. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
8. "Oscarsbron - Trollhättans stad". www.trollhattan.se. Retrieved 2024-11-09.
9. "Trollhättan". vastsverige.com. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
10. "Nohab. Nydqvist & Holm AB". svenska-lok.se. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
11. "NEVS Launches New Trademark". myautoworld.com. 21 June 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
12. "Ny filmstudio, nytt kontor, nya filmer - Trollywood expanderar". filminstitutet.se. 19 September 2004. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
13. "Trollhätte canal". kanaler.arnholm.nu. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
14. "Christopher Polhem". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
15. "Baltzar Bogislaus von Platen". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
16. "Nils Ericson". bgf.nu. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
17. "Adolf Wilhelm Edelsvärd". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
18. "Folke Zettervall". NE Nationalencyklopedin AB. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
19. "Ralph Viktor Bergholtz". lexikonettamanda.se. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
20. "Jerk Alton". wikidata.org. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
21. World Championship Bandy 2017

External links

• Trollhättan City Website in English
• Visit Trollhättan Vänersborg
• Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Trollhättan" . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

v t e Municipalities and seats of Västra Götaland County
Municipalities	Ale Alingsås Åmål Bengtsfors Bollebygd Borås Dals-Ed Essunga Falköping Färgelanda Götene Gothenburg Grästorp Gullspång Härryda Herrljunga Hjo Karlsborg Kungälv Lerum Lidköping Lilla Edet Lysekil Mariestad Mark Mellerud Mölndal Munkedal Öckerö Orust Partille Skara Skövde Sotenäs Stenungsund Strömstad Svenljunga Tanum Tibro Tidaholm Tjörn Töreboda Tranemo Trollhättan Uddevalla Ulricehamn Vänersborg Vara Vårgårda
Municipal seats	Alingsås Åmål Bengtsfors Bollebygd Borås Ed Falköping Färgelanda Götene Gothenburg Grästorp Gullspång and Hova Henån Herrljunga Hjo Karlsborg Kinna Kungälv Kungshamn Lerum Lidköping Lilla Edet Lysekil Mariestad Mellerud Mölndal Mölnlycke Munkedal Nödinge-Nol Nossebro Öckerö Partille Skara Skärhamn Skövde Stenungsund Strömstad Svenljunga Tanumshede Tibro Tidaholm Töreboda Tranemo Trollhättan Uddevalla Ulricehamn Vänersborg Vara Vårgårda
Counties of Sweden Sweden

v t e 50 most populous urban areas of Sweden
1. Stockholm 1,652,895 (2023)  2. Gothenburg 674,529 (2023)  3. Malmö 339,316 (2023)  4. Uppsala 174,982 (2023)  5. Upplands Väsby 156,517 (2023)  6. Västerås 131,643 (2023)  7. Örebro 128,658 (2023)  8. Linköping 116,851 (2023)  9. Helsingborg 116,029 (2023)  10. Jönköping 103,032 (2023)  11. Norrköping 98,229 (2023)  12. Lund 98,308 (2023)  13. Umeå 94,243 (2023)  14. Gävle 86,533 (2023)  15. Södertälje 78,377 (2023)  16. Borås 75,565 (2023)  17. Halmstad 72,979 (2023)  18. Växjö 74,052 (2023)  19. Eskilstuna 70,646 (2023)  20. Karlstad 69,615 (2023)  21. Sundsvall 70,918 (2023)  22. Östersund 53,992 (2023)  23. Trollhättan 50,069 (2023)  24. Luleå 49,646 (2023)  25. North-east Gothenburg 48,217 (2023)  26. Tumba 46,893 (2023)  27. Lidingö 44,642 (2023)  28. Borlänge 44,299 (2023)  29. Kalmar 42,622 (2023)  30. Kristianstad 41,198 (2023)  31. Skövde 40,422 (2023)  32. Karlskrona 36,423 (2023)  33. Falun 39,939 (2023)  34. Skellefteå 39,146 (2023)  35. Varberg 38,575 (2023)  36. Uddevalla 35,639 (2023)  37. Åkersberga 37,714 (2023)  38. Nyköping 39,770 (2023)  39. Landskrona 33,859 (2023)  40. Örnsköldsvik 33,399 (2023)  41. Vallentuna 33,918 (2023)  42. Motala 31,367 (2023)  43. Trelleborg 31,366 (2023)  44. Ängelholm 31,089 (2023)  45. Märsta 30,576 (2023)  46. Falkenberg 29,671 (2023)  47. Lerum 28,789 (2023)  48. Alingsås 27,895 (2023)  49. Karlskoga 27,261 (2023)  50. Kungälv 28,912 (2023)
as of 2020, according to Statistics Sweden

v t e 50 most populous urban areas in the Nordic countries
Denmark  Finland  Iceland  Norway  Sweden
1. Stockholm 1,605,030 2. Copenhagen 1,330,993 3. Helsinki 1,268,296 4. Oslo 1,019,513 5. Gothenburg 599,011 6. Malmö 339,313 7. Tampere 334,112 8. Aarhus 280,534 9. Bergen 259,958 10. Turku 252,468 11. Stavanger/Sandnes 237,369 12. Reykjavík 228,231 13. Oulu 208,939 14. Trondheim 186,364 15. Odense 180,302 16. Uppsala 177,074 17. Upplands Väsby och Sollentuna 149,461 18. Aalborg 140,897 19. Västerås 128,534 20. Örebro 126,009 21. Lahti 119,068 22. Jyväskylä 117,974 23. Fredrikstad/Sarpsborg 116,373 24. Linköping 115,672 25. Helsingborg 113,816 26. Kristiansand 111,633 27. Drammen 109,416 28. Jönköping 100,259 29. Norrköping 97,854 30. Lund 94,393 31. Porsgrunn/Skien 93,778 32. Umeå 90,412 33. Kuopio 88,520 34. Pori 84,026 35. Gävle 77,586 36. Södertälje 75,773 37. Borås 73,980 38. Esbjerg 72,398 39. Halmstad 71,316 40. Växjö 71,009 41. Eskilstuna 70,342 42. Joensuu 67,811 43. Karlstad 65,856 44. Vaasa 65,414 45. Randers 62,482 46. Kolding 61,121 47. Horsens 59,449 48. Sundsvall 58,807 49. Vejle 57,655 50. Lappeenranta 55,743

• Trollhättan
• Municipal seats of Västra Götaland County
• Swedish municipal seats
• Populated places in Västra Götaland County
• Populated places in Trollhättan Municipality
• Trollhättan Municipality
• Cities in Västra Götaland County