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'Örebro' [œrə'bruː] is a city in Närke in central Sweden. Örebro is the seat of Örebro Municipality (pop. 128,977 in 2006) and the capital of Örebro County (pop. 275,030 inhabitants (2006).

Contents

History

Sites of interest

Notable natives

Sports

Culture

See also

External links

History

Örebro received its Royal Charter and city privileges not later than 1404.
''Örebro'' literally means a bridge over gravel banks, which is how the geography looks, with the stream Svartån draining into the lake Hjälmaren. The location became a natural seat of commerce in the (Scandinavian) medieval time, and is mentioned in print in the 13th century. Old buildings from the early days include the foundations of the city church, a building which has undergone several modifications. The natural center of the city is otherwise the magnificent Örebro Castle, situated on an islet in the Svartån, and dividing the town into a northern and a southern part. This castle was constructed during the reign of King Gustav Vasa in the 1560s.



Notable events in Örebro's history include the national diet meeting at Örebro in 1810, where Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte was elected crown prince of Sweden.
Although a trade town, Örebro remained small until the second half of the 19th century, when it grew rapidly as a center of the national shoe manufacturing industry (see: History of Närke).

Sites of interest

Örebro's old town ''Wadköping'' is located on the banks of the Svartån. It contains many 18th and 19th century wooden houses, along with museums and exhibitions.
The water tower of Örebro, nicknamed ''Svampen'' (''The Mushroom'') is a popular destination as an outlook tower. In 1958, a replica of the tower was built in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Örebro University is one of Sweden's most recent, being upgraded from ''högskola'' (university college) in 1999. It currently has around 14,070 students and a staff of 1,100.
Gustavsvik, the largest water park in the Nordic countries, is located a kilometer from Örebro. With more than 700,000 visitors per year, it is one of the most popular tourist and leisure establishments in Sweden. Only Liseberg, Gröna Lund and Skansen are more popular.

Notable natives

★ Olaus Petri, (16th century) Principal reformator in Sweden

★ Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson, (1390s–1436) rebellious politician and later Sweden's first ''rikshövitsman'' (Primeminister)

★ Leni Björklund, former Minister for Defence

★ Biljana Plavšić, former president of Bosnia and Hergezovina, now a prisoner for 11 years, just outside Örebro.

★ Hjalmar Bergman, author

★ Manne Siegbahn, Nobel Prize in Physics laureate

★ Gunnar A. Sjögren, Saab designer

★ Johan Röjler, ice speed skater

★ Mary Stavin, former Miss World who appeared in two James Bond movies, Octopussy and A View to a Kill, as agent Kimberley Jones.

★ Ernst Kirchsteiger TV-profile

★ Millencolin, punk rock band

★ Nasum, grindcore band

★ Witchcraft, doom metal band

★ Nina Persson, lead singer of the pop group The Cardigans

★ Peter Andersson, former NHL hockey player

Sports

★ Örebro SK

★ Karlslunds IF

Culture

★ Swedish Chamber Orchestra

See also

★ Örebro Municipality

★ Nerikes Allehanda

★ Julmust

★ Örebro Hundred

External links

★ Örebro - Official site