Falkenberg
Encyclopedia
Falkenberg is a locality
and the seat of Falkenberg Municipality
, Halland County
, Sweden
, with 18,972 inhabitants in 2005.
The town has a population of 19,000 (out of a municipal total of 40,000) and is located at the mouth of the river Ätran. The name consists of the Swedish words for falcon
(falk) and mountain
(berg). The main beach of the town, Skrea strand
, was awarded a Blue Flag
once again in 2007.
on the east shore of the river Ätran, which eventually would give the town its name. Halland was at that time part of the Kingdom of Denmark
. It is known that falconry
was pursued in the area. However, in Hallandia antiqua et hodierna
, that specified a location ("mountain") where the falconry should have taken place, and which should have given name to the town, has later been shown to be incorrect.
The area north of Ätran was from time to time Norwegian or Swedish. It was on this side that a market town developed. At around 1300 a church was built. From the 14th century until the Northern Seven Years' War
(1563-1570) a second town, Ny-Falkenberg (New Falkenberg) was located close to the town. The fort was destroyed by Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson
's troops in 1434. The town gained market rights at the latest in 1558.
Along with the rest of the Halland, Falkenberg was to be temporarily Swedish in accordance with the Treaty of Brömsebro (1645). The Treaty of Roskilde
thirteen years later made the province permanently Swedish. For a long period it struggled to keep its privileges with regard to trade and jurisdiction from the Danish time. Also like the rest of the county, it only started to slowly industrialise in the late 19th century. In the 20th century it has gained a reputation as a seaside resort
.
, which runs as a dual carriageway
just outside the town, and the West Coast Railway Line. County road 150 and County road 154 connect to Torup
and Svenljunga
. Falkenberg railway
operated from the 1890s to the 1950s. The town has seven bus routes.
, has since the late 1980s established itself in the second league (currently Superettan
). The table tennis
team, Falkenbergs BTK
, has won ten national championships, as well as one European championship. In the early 2000s, Falkenbergs VBK
developed to become one of the best volleyball
teams in the country and accordingly won the national championship 2007. BK Falkarna has played ten seasons in the top bowling
league.
Other sports clubs located in Falkenberg include:
Sport venues in the town include Falkenberg Stadium, hosting Falkenbergs FF, Falkenberg Sports Centre, hosting Falkenbergs VBK and Klitterbadet
, a bath house.
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 Falkenberg Municipality
Falkenberg Municipality
Falkenberg Municipality is a municipality in Halland County on the Swedish west coast. The town Falkenberg is the municipal seat....
, Halland County
Halland County
Halland County is a county on the western coast of Sweden. It corresponds roughly to the cultural and historical province of Halland. The capital is Halmstad....
, 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 18,972 inhabitants in 2005.
The town has a population of 19,000 (out of a municipal total of 40,000) and is located at the mouth of the river Ätran. The name consists of the Swedish words for falcon
Falcon
A falcon is any species of raptor in the genus Falco. The genus contains 37 species, widely distributed throughout Europe, Asia, and North America....
(falk) and mountain
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
(berg). The main beach of the town, Skrea strand
Skrea strand
Skrea strand is an about two kilometre long beach in Falkenberg, Sweden. It has a 250 metre long pier and about 1,600 cabins. An indoor bath, Klitterbadet, is located close to the beach.-History:...
, was awarded a Blue Flag
Blue Flag beach
The Blue Flag is a certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education that a beach or marina meets its stringent standards.The Blue Flag is a trademark owned by FEE which is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation consisting of 65 organisations in 60 member countries in Europe,...
once again in 2007.
History
In the early part of the 13th century the Danish king built a fortFalkenberg (fort)
Falkenberg was a fort in Falkenberg, Sweden. It was first mentioned in 1298. It would later give the town, which was previously known as Ätraby, its name. The fort was the location for several Nordic treaties during the fourteenth century...
on the east shore of the river Ätran, which eventually would give the town its name. Halland was at that time part of the Kingdom of Denmark
Kingdom of Denmark
The Kingdom of Denmark or the Danish Realm , is a constitutional monarchy and sovereign state consisting of Denmark proper in northern Europe and two autonomous constituent countries, the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic and Greenland in North America. Denmark is the hegemonial part, where the...
. It is known that falconry
Falconry
Falconry is "the taking of wild quarry in its natural state and habitat by means of a trained raptor". There are two traditional terms used to describe a person involved in falconry: a falconer flies a falcon; an austringer flies a hawk or an eagle...
was pursued in the area. However, in Hallandia antiqua et hodierna
Hallandia antiqua et hodierna
Hallandia antiqua et hodierna is a Swedish language book on the history of Halland. It was written by Jacob Richardson and was published in two parts in 1752 and 1753;a planned third part was never published. The book is strongly influenced Suecia antiqua et hodierna and was based on two journeys,...
, that specified a location ("mountain") where the falconry should have taken place, and which should have given name to the town, has later been shown to be incorrect.
The area north of Ätran was from time to time Norwegian or Swedish. It was on this side that a market town developed. At around 1300 a church was built. From the 14th century until the Northern Seven Years' War
Northern Seven Years' War
The Northern Seven Years' War was the war between Kingdom of Sweden and a coalition of Denmark–Norway, Lübeck and the Polish–Lithuanian union, fought between 1563 and 1570...
(1563-1570) a second town, Ny-Falkenberg (New Falkenberg) was located close to the town. The fort was destroyed by Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson
Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson
Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson was a Swedish rebel leader and later statesman. He was the leader of the Engelbrekt rebellion in 1434 against Eric of Pomerania, king of the Kalmar Union.-Biography:...
's troops in 1434. The town gained market rights at the latest in 1558.
Along with the rest of the Halland, Falkenberg was to be temporarily Swedish in accordance with the Treaty of Brömsebro (1645). The Treaty of Roskilde
Treaty of Roskilde
The Treaty of Roskilde was concluded on 26 February or 8 March 1658 during the Second Northern War between Frederick III of Denmark–Norway and Charles X Gustav of Sweden in the Danish city of Roskilde...
thirteen years later made the province permanently Swedish. For a long period it struggled to keep its privileges with regard to trade and jurisdiction from the Danish time. Also like the rest of the county, it only started to slowly industrialise in the late 19th century. In the 20th century it has gained a reputation as a seaside resort
Seaside resort
A seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...
.
Communications
The town is located along a traditional trade route along the Swedish west coast. These transport needs are currently catered by European route E6European route E6
European route E 6 is the designation for the main north-south road in Norway, and the west coast of Sweden, running from the southern tip of Sweden, at Trelleborg, into Norway and through almost all of the country north to Finnmark. The route ends close to the Norwegian border with Russia...
, which runs as a dual carriageway
Dual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
just outside the town, and the West Coast Railway Line. County road 150 and County road 154 connect to Torup
Torup, Sweden
Torup is a locality situated in Hylte Municipality, Halland County, Sweden with 1,239 inhabitants in 2005. It is one of the most rainy places in the country.-Climate:...
and Svenljunga
Svenljunga
Svenljunga is a locality and the seat of Svenljunga Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 3,379 inhabitants in 2005.- References :...
. Falkenberg railway
Falkenberg railway
Falkenberg Railway was an 891 mm gauge narrow gauge railway line between Falkenberg and Limmared in Sweden. It was inaugurated 28 September 1894 and was in use until 1959/1961.-History:...
operated from the 1890s to the 1950s. The town has seven bus routes.
Areas of the town
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Sport
The town hosts several teams at national level. The football team , Falkenbergs FFFalkenbergs FF
Falkenbergs FF, also known simply as Falkenberg or FFF, is a Swedish football club based in Falkenberg. The club, formed on 3 January 1928 and the ladies section was created in 1955, is currently playing in the second highest Swedish league, Superettan. Falkenberg are affiliated to the Hallands...
, has since the late 1980s established itself in the second league (currently Superettan
Superettan
Superettan is the second highest league in the league system of Swedish football and comprises 16 Swedish football teams. It was created in 2000. Before that, the second level league in Sweden had been Division 1....
). The table tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
team, Falkenbergs BTK
Falkenbergs BTK
Falkenbergs Bordtennisklubb is a Swedish table tennis club formed on November 30, 1925.The club played its first season in the top league in 1951 and has over the years won ten national championships and one European championship.Several world class players has represented the club, including...
, has won ten national championships, as well as one European championship. In the early 2000s, Falkenbergs VBK
Falkenbergs VBK
Falkenbergs VBK is a Swedish volleyball club, formed in 1985 by a merger of Ätradalens VK and Köinge JUF. It has played in the highest league since 2002. It won the league for the first time in 2007. The club reached the final of the Swedish championships in 2006 and won the championships for the...
developed to become one of the best volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
teams in the country and accordingly won the national championship 2007. BK Falkarna has played ten seasons in the top bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
league.
Other sports clubs located in Falkenberg include:
- GoIF GinstenGoIF GinstenGoIF Ginsten is a Swedish football club located in Falkenberg.-Background:GoIF Ginsten currently plays in Division 4 Halland Elit which is the sixth tier of Swedish football. They play their home matches at the Ginstavallen in Falkenberg....
- Skrea IFSkrea IFSkrea IF is a Swedish football club located in Falkenberg.-Background:Skrea IF currently plays in Division 4 Halland Elit which is the sixth tier of Swedish football. They play their home matches at the Skrea IP in Falkenberg....
Sport venues in the town include Falkenberg Stadium, hosting Falkenbergs FF, Falkenberg Sports Centre, hosting Falkenbergs VBK and Klitterbadet
Klitterbadet
Klitterbadet is a bath house in Falkenberg, Sweden. It started as an outdoor bath in 1969, but was rebuilt as an indoor bath in 1983. It is the only 50 meter salt water pool with eight lines in Sweden....
, a bath house.
Buildings
- Falkenberg Church
- Falkenberg Town HallFalkenberg Town HallFalkenberg Town Hall is a listed modern building, built 1958-1959 and inaugurated 16 August 1960. Lennart Tham was chosen as architect after no less than three competitions, the last one in 1949. The building process was delayed due to the need to build a new fire station, as the town hall would be...
- Falkenberg Old Town HallFalkenberg Old Town HallFalkenberg Old Town Hall is a former town hall, built 1826. The building has given name to the adjacent square, Rådhustorget....
- Falkhallen
- Saint Lawrence churchSaint Lawrence church, FalkenbergSaint Lawrence church is located in Falkenberg old town, Sweden and probably built around 1300. It was the town's parish church until 1892, when it was replaced with Falkenbergs church....
People and groups from Falkenberg
- Rutger BackeRutger BackeRutger Backe is a Swedish football player, Falkenberg. He started his career in local club IF Böljan. He joined Allsvenskan club Halmstads BK in 1972, with whom he played until 1981. Backe played 207 matches in the top league, scoring 77 goals. He was the Allsvenskan top scorer with 21 goals,...
, footballer - Stellan BengtssonStellan BengtssonStellan Bengtsson is a former Swedish table tennis player. He won, as first Swede, the singles at the World Table Tennis Championships 1971...
, table tennis player - By NightBy NightBy Night is an extreme metal act from Falkenberg in Sweden, formed by André Gonzales , Simon Wien , and Per Qvarnström in 1999. After several line-up changes, bassist Henrik Persson joined and stayed, later on singer Christoffer Andersson as well...
, death metal/extreme metal band - Ulf "Tickan" Carlsson, table tennis player
- Nina BjörkNina BjörkNina Björk is a Swedish feminist, author and journalist. She is most well known for Under det rosa täcket , a feminist book written in 1996....
, author, journalist, feminist - Walter Dickson, author
- Erik "Spänst" SvenssonErik SvenssonErik "Spänst" Svensson was a Swedish athlete who competed mainly in the triple jump.He competed for Sweden in the 1932 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles, California, in triple jump, where he won the silver medal, and in long jump, where he came fourth...
, athlete - Jojje JönssonJojje JönssonJan-Ove "Jojje" Jönsson, born June 30, 1955 is a Swedish actor and playwright.Jojje won a Golden Mask for best male supporting actor in a play 2000 and 2001. He is most widely known for his roles in the farces of Stefan & Krister, from the 1990s and onwards...
, actor - Carl-Johan Vallgren, author
- Pär ZetterbergPär ZetterbergPär Zetterberg is a Swedish former football midfielder, who played most of his career for R.S.C. Anderlecht.Zetterberg started his career at his local club, Falkenbergs FF, but after only seven games at senior level he became professional, joining the Belgian team RSC Anderlecht...
, football player - Annika AnderssonAnnika AnderssonKerstin Annika Andersson is a Swedish comedian. She has won the Guldmask, awarded for private theatre productions, twice; as best actor in 2001 for Dagens dubbel and best supporting actress in 2000 for Inte nu älskling.- References :...
, comedian - Vains of JennaVains of JennaVains of Jenna are a rock band formed in Falkenberg, Sweden during January 2005. They have since relocated to Los Angeles, California. They will be performing around the States with the help of and -History:...
, rock band - Sonic SyndicateSonic SyndicateSonic Syndicate is a melodic death metal band from Falkenberg, Sweden. They are influenced by Swedish melodic death metal bands such as In Flames, Soilwork and metalcore bands like Killswitch Engage.....
, melodic death metal/melodic metalcore band - Peter KarlssonPeter Karlsson (table tennis)Peter Karlsson , is a table tennis player. He was 1991 World Champion in men's doubles , and 2000 European Champion in men's singles.-Commitment:...
, table tennis player - Jan WidströmerJan WidströmerJan Widströmer is a Swedish artist, now living in Falkenberg, Sweden.His father was a primary school teacher and a founder of a school for adults of which he was the headmaster; his mother was a piano teacher.- Education :...
, artist - Frida Johansson, rower
- Frida SvenssonFrida Svensson (rower)Frida Svensson is a professional sculler. She won a gold medal in the women's single sculls at the 2010 World Rowing Championships in Lake Karapiro, the victory was notable for narrowly defeating Ekaterina Karsten who has dominated women's sculling since 1996...
, rower - Union SquareUnion SquareUnion Square may refer to:Asia* Union Square * Union Square station on Dubai MetroCanada* Union Square, Nova ScotiaUnited States* Union Square, Baltimore, Maryland* Union Square * Union Square, San Francisco, California...
, rock band