Linköping [ˈˈlɪnʃøːpɪŋ] is a City in southern Sweden, in the Östergötland County and the Ostrogothia Province. With its surroundings it makes up the fifth largest Municipality in Sweden, Linköpings kommun, with 136,190 inhabitants (SCB statistics of November 1, 2003). Of these, 94,298 live in the city itself (SCB statistics of December 31, 2000).

The municipality borders in the west to Motala, and clockwise to Finspång, Norrköping, Åtvidaberg, Kinda, and Mjölby.

Linköping is the center of an old cultural region and celebrated its 700th anniversary in 1987. Dominating the city's skyline from a far distance is the tower of the cathedral.

The city is situated south of lake Roxen (which is part of the historically important water paths Motala ström and Göta kanal) where the main road from Stockholm to Helsingborg crosses the river Stångån (and Kinda kanal ).

This road was part of the Eriksgata route that the newly elected king had to travel according to medieval Swedish Law. In the 20th century road system, it was first called Riksettan (national highway no 1). It is currently called E4 and has been redirected to pass outside the city on the north side. Further contributing to Linköping's excellent communications is its situation on the main southern railway line connecting Stockholm with Malmö and Danish capital Copenhagen. There is also a minor airport.

Palo Alto, California is a twin town to Linköping.

History

Historically, Linköping is famed for being an early diocese, second in Sweden (within its pre-1658 boundaries) only to Skara. The monastery of Vreta Kloster near Roxen north of Linköping was established in 1128, and the oldest parts of the cathedral are also from the 12th century (although it has been changed many times since then, the eye-catching tower being a 19th century product). At several occasions, attempts to achieve a separate Swedish archdiocese were based in Linköping, though when they finally were successful in 1164, Uppsala was chosen in stead.

Religious centers tend to become educational centers, and Linköping was no exception. The cathedral school is known from 1266, possibly the first in Sweden.

Also, Linköping was the site for the final settlement of the dispute between King Sigismund and his uncle Duke Charles, the latter prevailing in the battle of Stångebro (today a sports field near central Linköping) on September 25, 1598. This ultimately led to the rise to the throne of Charles (de facto at the Riksdag at Linköping in 1600 and formally four years later) and the end of the short-lived Swedish-Polish personal union, as well as the execution of five of Charles's political opponents on the main square of Linköping on March 20, 1600.

Linköping was a small town until 1937, when the Saab aircraft industry was formed, starting a period of rapid expansion. Linköping University was established in the 1960s. Today the city is a center of high-technology and software industry.

Politics

Although not renamed a city district (stad), like other major urban municipalities in Sweden have been, the municipality of Linköping does style the speaker of its council Mayor (borgmästare), one of very few contemporary uses of that title in Swedish society. The present Mayor, reflecting the social democratic domination in the council, is Eva Joelsson .

Linköping is also the site of residence for the Governor of Östergötland County.

Culture

Linköping is the home of the multi-purpose Östergötland County Museum and of the Linköping Symphony Orchestra. The city is one of the sites of the Ostrogothia Music Days each summer, and the host of the Student Orchestra Festival in May every other year.

When the area around the main square was re-planned in the 1960s and many old houses were destructed, some of them were moved to Gamla Linköping just outside the central parts of the city, now a very living museal environment and a popular site for both residents and tourists to visit.

Sports

Teams from Linköping are prominent in Volleyball (Team Valla/LiU) and Ice hockey (Linköpings HC).

Notable natives

• Boëthius of Dacia (died 1290)
• Kettil Karlsson Vasa (1433-1465), bishop and statesman
• Hans Brask (1464-1538), bishop
• Anders Ljungstedt (1739-1835), businessman, consul-general
• Jöns Jakob Berzelius (1779-1848), chemist
• Charles Emil Hagdahl (1809-1897), doctor, cookbook compiler
• Hugo Theorell (1903-1982) Nobel Prize laureate in medicine
• Tage Danielsson (1928-1985), author, director, comedian
• Alexander Bard (born 1961)
• Thomas Johansson (born 1975), ATP tennis player
• Lars Winnerbäck (born 1975), singer, songwriter

See also

• Datasaab
• Köping (concept)
• Lidköping

External links

• Linköpings kommun - Official site (in English)
• Architecture in Linköping - Site with facts about architecture in Linköping with a lot of pictures of buildings (in Swedish).