Borlänge
Encyclopedia
Borlänge ˈboːˈɭɛŋːə is a locality
and the seat of Borlänge Municipality
in Dalarna County
, Sweden
, with 49200 inhabitants in 2011.
and Ludvika
, via Borlänge was inaugurated and at the same time the construction of Domnarfvets Jernverk, the ironworks
of neighbouring village Domnarvet
, had started. Thanks to its railway station the village of Borlänge became highly important in servicing the ironworks.
In 1898, Borlänge was granted privileges by the national Swedish government as a town of its own (Swedish: köping) with about 1 300 inhabitants, but still today it belongs to the Church of Sweden
's regionally-historically dominant parish of Stora Tuna, centered on a large medieval cathedral
by that name (meaning great enclosed farmyards), now located in a rural district east of the city. In the 1900's, the Stora Kopparbergs Bergslag - the owner of the ironworks in Domnarvet at the time - built a papermill in an adjacent village to Borlänge called Kvarnsveden. Many area residents emigrated
to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
In 1944, the City of Borlänge was incorporated after the market town joined the industrial towns of Domnarvet and Kvarnsveden. In 1971 the municipality of Borlänge was established when the Stora Tuna municipality merged with the City of Borlänge.
During all of the 20th century Borlänge has been a typical heavy industry community with relatively good economic growth; today the service industry is also thriving and in considerable expansion.
(SSAB
) and the paper mill of Kvarnsveden (Stora Enso
). As a city with a structure heavily divided by rails and roads, with a modern city center, Borlänge also houses the head office for a state authority - the National Swedish Transport Administration Trafikverket.
Borlänge promotes itself as The Number One Shopping City in Dalarna
. This is possible due to the Kupolen area, situated about 1 kilometer west
of the city centre. The Kupolen area includes Kupolen ('The Dome
') Shopping Centre and the surrounding region. Though the district was first built to catch the interest from bypassers it has withdrawn the focus from the nearby downtown
area and has overtaken the role as the heart of Borlänge.
, named after the Norse god of poetry, has a history of 18 seasons in the Swedish Premier Division (Allsvenskan
). Brage play in green and white and host their home games at Domnarvsvallen
Stadium in Borlänge with a seating capacity
of 6,500. Another Borlänge team which has had a great deal of success in the sport, with both domestic and foreign fans following their progress, is the multicultural soccer team Dalkurd FF
.
Other sports clubs located in Borlänge include:
, Sugarplum Fairy
and Miss Li
and offers the possibility to get a degree in popular music at BoomTown Music Education, a branch of the School of Music at Luleå University of Technology.
Located in Borlänge is also Peace & Love
, Sweden’s biggest festival and the only one with an outspoken message of Solidarity, Diversity and Understanding.
Urban areas in Sweden
Urban area is a common English translation of the Swedish term tätort. The official term in English, used by Statistics Sweden, is, however, locality. There are 1,940 localities in Sweden . They could be compared with census-designated places in the United States.A tätort in Sweden has a minimum of...
and the seat of Borlänge Municipality
Borlänge Municipality
Borlänge Municipality is a municipality in Dalarna County in central Sweden, with an area of 586.4 km². The municipality has a population of 47,640...
in Dalarna County
Dalarna County
Dalarna County is a county or län in middle Sweden. It borders the counties of Jämtland, Gävleborg, Västmanland, Örebro and Värmland. It is also bordered by the Norwegian counties of Hedmark and Sør-Trøndelag in the west...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, with 49200 inhabitants in 2011.
History
Originally Borlänge was the name of a tiny village, and the first historical information about it is from 1390. The village was insignificant up until about 1870. In 1875 a railway between FalunFalun
Falun is a city and the seat of Falun Municipality in Dalarna County, Sweden, with 36,447 inhabitants in 2005. It is also the capital of Dalarna County...
and Ludvika
Ludvika
Ludvika is a bimunicipal locality and the seat of Ludvika Municipality, Dalarna County, Sweden, with 14,018 inhabitants in 2005.-Overview:The conurbation of Ludvika extends over the border of Smedjebacken Municipality, where about 400 inhabitants live....
, via Borlänge was inaugurated and at the same time the construction of Domnarfvets Jernverk, the ironworks
Ironworks
An ironworks or iron works is a building or site where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and/or steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e...
of neighbouring village Domnarvet
Domnarvet
thumb|The ironworks around 1900Domnarvets Jernverk , is a steelworks in Borlänge, Sweden. Since 1978 Domnarvet is a part of SSAB. The works was founded in 1872-78 and was originally a part of Stora Kopparbergs Bergslag....
, had started. Thanks to its railway station the village of Borlänge became highly important in servicing the ironworks.
In 1898, Borlänge was granted privileges by the national Swedish government as a town of its own (Swedish: köping) with about 1 300 inhabitants, but still today it belongs to the Church of Sweden
Church of Sweden
The Church of Sweden is the largest Christian church in Sweden. The church professes the Lutheran faith and is a member of the Porvoo Communion. With 6,589,769 baptized members, it is the largest Lutheran church in the world, although combined, there are more Lutherans in the member churches of...
's regionally-historically dominant parish of Stora Tuna, centered on a large medieval cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
by that name (meaning great enclosed farmyards), now located in a rural district east of the city. In the 1900's, the Stora Kopparbergs Bergslag - the owner of the ironworks in Domnarvet at the time - built a papermill in an adjacent village to Borlänge called Kvarnsveden. Many area residents emigrated
Swedish emigration to the United States
During the Swedish emigration to the United States in the 19th and early 20th centuries, about 1.3 million Swedes left Sweden for the United States...
to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
In 1944, the City of Borlänge was incorporated after the market town joined the industrial towns of Domnarvet and Kvarnsveden. In 1971 the municipality of Borlänge was established when the Stora Tuna municipality merged with the City of Borlänge.
During all of the 20th century Borlänge has been a typical heavy industry community with relatively good economic growth; today the service industry is also thriving and in considerable expansion.
Industry
Borlänge has always been an industrial town surrounding the iron mill of DomnarvetDomnarvet
thumb|The ironworks around 1900Domnarvets Jernverk , is a steelworks in Borlänge, Sweden. Since 1978 Domnarvet is a part of SSAB. The works was founded in 1872-78 and was originally a part of Stora Kopparbergs Bergslag....
(SSAB
SSAB
SSAB Swedish Steel AB , or simply SSAB is a Swedish company, formed in 1978 and specialised in processing raw material to steel. Industrivärden is the largest shareholder.-Swedish operations:...
) and the paper mill of Kvarnsveden (Stora Enso
Stora Enso
Stora Enso Oyj is a Finnish pulp and paper manufacturer, formed by the merger of Swedish mining and forestry products company Stora and Finnish forestry products company Enso-Gutzeit Oy in 1998. It is headquartered in Helsinki, and it has approximately 29,000 employees...
). As a city with a structure heavily divided by rails and roads, with a modern city center, Borlänge also houses the head office for a state authority - the National Swedish Transport Administration Trafikverket.
Shopping
Dalarna
', English exonym: Dalecarlia, is a historical province or landskap in central Sweden. Another English language form established in literature is the Dales. Places involving the element Dalecarlia exist in the United States....
. This is possible due to the Kupolen area, situated about 1 kilometer west
West
West is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.West is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of east and is perpendicular to north and south.By convention, the left side of a map is west....
of the city centre. The Kupolen area includes Kupolen ('The Dome
Dome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
') Shopping Centre and the surrounding region. Though the district was first built to catch the interest from bypassers it has withdrawn the focus from the nearby downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
area and has overtaken the role as the heart of Borlänge.
Sport
The city boasts a soccer team that has been successful in the past, although it is currently going through some hard times. IK BrageIK Brage
IK Brage is a Swedish football club located in Borlänge. The club, formed 1925, has played 18 seasons in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan. The 2010 season will be played in the second highest Swedish league, Superettan...
, named after the Norse god of poetry, has a history of 18 seasons in the Swedish Premier Division (Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
). Brage play in green and white and host their home games at Domnarvsvallen
Domnarvsvallen
Domnarvsvallen is a football stadium in Borlänge Municipality, and the home arena for IK Brage and Dalkurd FF. Domnarvsvallen has a total capacity of 5,500 spectators.The arena is mostly in wood, and was built in 1925 when IK Brage was founded....
Stadium in Borlänge with a seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 6,500. Another Borlänge team which has had a great deal of success in the sport, with both domestic and foreign fans following their progress, is the multicultural soccer team Dalkurd FF
Dalkurd FF
Dalkurd FF is a Kurdish-Swedish football club, formed in 2004 and located in Borlänge, Sweden. The club started in Division 7, Sweden's next lowest division, in 2005 and is best known for their record-fast trip to Division 1, Sweden's third highest league, winning every division they had...
.
Other sports clubs located in Borlänge include:
- Forssa BKForssa BKForssa BK is a Swedish football club located in Borlänge. -Background:Forssa Bollklubb were founded on 16th April 1934 at Hushagens school. The club played their first match on the 17th May 1934 winning 4-0 against IK Fylking. In 1978 the club played the biggest match in their history against...
- IF TunabroIF TunabroIF Tunabro is a Swedish football club located in Borlänge. -Background:IF Tunabro currently plays in Division 4 Dalarna which is the sixth tier of Swedish football. They play their home matches at the Gyllevallen in Borlänge....
- Islingby IKIslingby IKIslingby IK is a Swedish football club located in Borlänge. -Background:Islingby IK currently plays in Division 4 Dalarna which is the sixth tier of Swedish football. They play their home matches at the Idunvallen in Borlänge....
- Kvarnsvedens IKKvarnsvedens IKKvarnsvedens IK is a Swedish football club located in Borlänge in Dalarna County. -Background:Football was first played in 1907 under the name Kvarnsvedens GOIF and this continued until 1935 when operations were shut down for financial reasons. A new club was started in 1936 called Övermora IS and...
Music
Music is an important part of Borlänge. It has been the hometown of many new young musicians in Sweden such as Mando DiaoMando Diao
Mando Diao is an alternative rock band from Borlänge, Sweden. The band got their breakthrough with the release of the album Hurricane Bar. Their main fan base is in Sweden, Germany, and Japan although their influence has recently spread to Western Europe, most notably the UK.-Origin:The roots of...
, Sugarplum Fairy
Sugarplum Fairy
Sugarplum Fairy is a pop-rock band from Borlänge, Sweden. The members took the name from a version of the Beatles' song "A Day in the Life" where John Lennon counts the song in by saying "sugar-plum-fairy, sugar-plum-fairy"...
and Miss Li
Miss Li
Linda Carlsson , better known by her stage name Miss Li, is a Swedish singer. She was born in Borlänge, but now lives in Stockholm. Her single "Don't Try To Fool Me" has been featured on the Showtime original series Weeds, as well as Grey's Anatomy...
and offers the possibility to get a degree in popular music at BoomTown Music Education, a branch of the School of Music at Luleå University of Technology.
Located in Borlänge is also Peace & Love
Peace & Love
Peace & Love is the largest festival in Sweden and the only one with an outspoken message of Solidarity, Diversity and Understanding, which runs through the whole event. It started in 1999 and is located in Borlänge, Sweden...
, Sweden’s biggest festival and the only one with an outspoken message of Solidarity, Diversity and Understanding.
Notable natives
- Jussi BjörlingJussi BjörlingJohan Jonatan "Jussi" Björling was a Swedish tenor. One of the leading operatic singers of the 20th Century, Björling appeared frequently at the Royal Opera House in London, La Scala in Milan, and the Metropolitan Opera in New York City as well as at other major European opera...
, tenor - Lars FrölanderLars FrölanderLars Arne Frölander is a Swedish swimmer. He grew up in Ornäs in Borlänge Municipality. He competed in 5 consecutive Olympic Games . The highlight of his career was when he won the gold in the 100 metre butterfly event at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000...
, swimmer - Mando DiaoMando DiaoMando Diao is an alternative rock band from Borlänge, Sweden. The band got their breakthrough with the release of the album Hurricane Bar. Their main fan base is in Sweden, Germany, and Japan although their influence has recently spread to Western Europe, most notably the UK.-Origin:The roots of...
, rock band - Sugarplum FairySugarplum FairySugarplum Fairy is a pop-rock band from Borlänge, Sweden. The members took the name from a version of the Beatles' song "A Day in the Life" where John Lennon counts the song in by saying "sugar-plum-fairy, sugar-plum-fairy"...
, rock band - Per FosshaugPer FosshaugPer "Pelle" Fosshaug is a Swedish bandy player, born on February 24, 1965. Fosshaug played in midfield for many clubs in Sweden, as well as for the Swedish national bandy team, for which he made a record 129 appearances between 1994 and 2005. His career began in the 1982/1983 season where he played...
, bandy player - DozerDozerDozer is a stoner rock band from Sweden.- Early years :Dozer was formed in Borlänge, Sweden in 1995, playing local youth centres and supporting any bands that came to their hometown. In 1998 the band recorded a Split EP with the American band Unida...
, stoner rock band - Erik ErikssonErik ErikssonErik Eriksson of Spraxkya, in Borlänge, Dalarna, , was a Swedish politician. He was the first chairman of the Centre Party, but not its founder....
, Centre PartyCentre Party (Sweden)The Centre Party is a centrist political party in Sweden. The party maintains close ties to rural Sweden and describes itself as "a green social liberal party". The ideology is sometimes called agrarian, but in a European context, the Centre Party can perhaps best be characterized as social...
's first chairman - Lars Jonsson, hockey player
- SatorSator (band)Sator is a Swedish rock band. The band was founded in Borlänge and have released 7 albums. They notably released a song about a disgruntled Baby Doc Duvalier complaining about his fortunes, called "Baby Doc Holiday"...
, rock band - Cryonic TempleCryonic TempleCryonic Temple is a power metal band from Borlänge, Sweden, formed in 1996. Their Lyrical themes are Fantasy, War, Battle, Warriors...-Albums:* Chapter I * Blood, Guts & Glory * In Thy Power * Immortal -Demos:...
, metal band - Astral DoorsAstral DoorsAstral Doors is a Swedish heavy metal band formed in 2002. They have released five studio albums and an EP. Their latest work is Requiem Of Time, released in February 2010...
, heavy metal band - Miss LiMiss LiLinda Carlsson , better known by her stage name Miss Li, is a Swedish singer. She was born in Borlänge, but now lives in Stockholm. Her single "Don't Try To Fool Me" has been featured on the Showtime original series Weeds, as well as Grey's Anatomy...
, musician - RootvältaRootvältaRootvälta is a reggae band from Borlänge in Sweden.The band was founded in 1988 and so far three albums have been released.- Band members :* Mattias Björkgren * Jan Gävert...
, reggae band - Mattias RitolaMattias RitolaMattias Ritola is a professional Swedish ice hockey player currently playing for MODO of the Swedish Elite League .-Playing career:...
hockey player