Växjö

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Växjö
Växjö (Sweden)
Växjö
Växjö
Coordinates: 56°53′N 14°47′E / 56.883, 14.783
Country Sweden
Municipality Växjö Municipality
County Kronoberg County
Province Småland
Area [1]
 - Total 29.29 km² (11.3 sq mi)
Population (2005-12-31)[1]
 - Total 55,600
 - Density 1,899/km² (4,918.4/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)

Växjö (pronounced [vɛkːɧøː]) is a city in Småland in southern Sweden. Växjö is the seat of Växjö Municipality and is the administrative, cultural and industrial centre of Kronoberg County. Furthermore it is the episcopal see of the Diocese of Växjö.

Contents

History

Växjö Cathedral

The city's name is believed to be constructed by the words "väg" (road) and "sjö" (lake), meaning the road over the frozen Växjö Lake that farmers took in the winter to get to the marketplace that later became the city.

Växjö received its city charter in 1342, but was an important market and commercial centre already at the pass of the first millennium. In the 12th century the construction of Växjö Cathedral was begun and hence Växjö grew to become an important religious centre in the Diocese of Växjö. The city arms displays Saint Sigfrid, a national saint, wearing the traditional Catholic bishop outfit, and in his left hand holding a miniature of the Cathedral. Sigfrid allegedly lived and died in Växjö, and was buried in the cathedral at his death.

The religious significance led to the creation of other institutions such as Växjö Old Lyceum, one of Sweden's oldest educational institutions with Carolus Linnaeus, the father the biological classification, as one of its students.

Notable locations

Växjö University has 15,000 students (2008).

Industries include Alstom and Aerotech Telub. Växjö houses Sweden's National Glass Museum [1] and claims to be the capital of the "Kingdom of Crystal" [2] as well as of the "Kingdom of Furniture" [3].

The Swedish Emigrant Institute [4] was established in 1965 and resides in the House of Emigrants near the Växjö lake in the heart of the city. It contains archives, library, museum, and a research center relating to the emigration period between 1846 and 1930, when 1.3 million (or 20%) of the Swedish population emigrated, mainly to the USA. Archives, dating to the 17th century, of birth and death records as well as household records are available on microfiche.

Immediately north of Växjö is Kronoberg Castle, a ruined fortress constructed in the 15th century. This castle was used as base by rebel Nils Dacke during the Dacke War. The fortress has thick walls and an interesting array of artillery portals that face out onto the lake Helgasjön to the north. The city also holds another castle, Teleborg Castle built in 1900 and situated near the University.

Notable natives

Sister cities

Växjö has two sister cities.

References

  1. ^ a b "Tätorternas landareal, folkmängd och invånare per km2 2000 och 2005" (xls) (in Swedish). Statistics Sweden. Retrieved on 2008-05-15.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Växjö is one of 133 towns with the historical City status in Sweden.
Localities in Växjö Municipality, Kronoberg County, Sweden
Localities:
Björnö  · Braås  · Furuby  · Gemla  · Ingelstad  · Lammhult  · Norrhult-Klavreström (part of)  · Nöbbele  · Rottne  · Tävelsås  · Växjö (seat)  · Åby  · Åryd

Coordinates: 56°52′48″N 14°48′00″E / 56.88, 14.8

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C3%A4xj%C3%B6"

More about V%C3%A4xj%C3%B6: växjö kommun, växjö lakers,

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