Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
influence. The Danes had enjoyed control of Sweden's west coast since the Middle
Ages, and extracted extortionate tolls from all vessels entering the country. Sweden's
medieval centre of trade had been 40km further up the Göta River than present-day
Gothenburg, but to avoid the tolls it was moved to a site north of the present
location. It wasn't until Karl XI chose the island of Hisingen, today the site of the
city's northern suburbs, as the location for Sweden's trading nucleus that the
settlement was first called Gothenburg.
Over the ensuing centuries, the British, Dutch and German traders who settled
here during left a rich architectural and cultural legacy. The city is graced with
terraces of grand
merchants' houses
featuring carved stone, stucco and painted tiles.
The influence of the Orient was also strong, reflecting the all-important trade links
between Sweden and the Far East, and is still visible in the chinoiserie detail on many
buildings. This trade was monopolized for over eighty years during the nineteenth
century by the hugely successful
Swedish East India Company
, whose Gothenburg
auction house, selling exotic spices, teas and fine cloths, attracted merchants from all
over the world.
3
The old town and the harbour
he
old town
is divided in two by the
Stora Hamnkanalen
, to the north of which is the
harbour
, where the impressive shipyards make for a dramatic backdrop. The streets
south of the canal stretch down to Rosenlundskanalen and the excellent Stadsmuseum.
Straddling the Stora Hamnkanalen is the stately main square,
Gustav Adolfs torg
, a
good starting point for sightseeing around the old town; you can easily see the whole
area in a day.
Gustav Adolfs torg
At the centre of
Gustav Adolfs torg
, a copper statue of Gustav II Adolf points
ostentatiously to the spot where he reputedly declared: “Here I will build my city.”
This isn't the original German-made statue of the city founder however: that one was
kidnapped on its way to Sweden and, rather than pay the ransom demanded, the
Gothenburgers commissioned a new one.
Rådhuset
To the east of Gustav Adolfs torg, with the canal behind you, stands the
Rådhuset
,
which isn't a town hall as the name suggests, but has housed the criminal law courts
since 1673. The dull Neoclassical facade is dramatically improved by an extension
designed by the ground-breaking Functionalist architect Gunnar Asplund in 1937.
Nordstan
Norra Hamngatan • Mon-Fri 10am-8pm, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 11am-5pm •
W
nordstan.se
Heading north from Gustav Adolfs torg along Östra Hamngatan, you'll pass Sweden's
biggest shopping centre, the amorphous
Nordstan
. Packed with glitzy boutiques and
branches of just about every Swedish chain store you choose to mention, it's
Gothenburg's most ostentatious show of wealth.
Centralstation
If you have time to spare and haven't yet seen the city's impressive
Centralstation
, take a
short detour along Burggrevegatan to Drottningtorget. Dating from 1856, this is the
