Kalmar: Guide, Hotels, Map & Photos
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SEK 756 - 1,590 Scandic Kalmar
 This hotel is just 5 minutes’ drive from both Kalmar Central Station and Kalmar Airport. Guests enjoy free Wi-Fi internet and pool and sauna access.… MoreSEK 595 - 1,295 Rasta Kalmar
 Located close to Öland Bridge, this newly renovated hotel offers free breakfast, private parking and rooms with cable TV. Kalmar Airport is only 4 km… MoreSEK 665 - 1,995 Slottshotellet
 Situated among 18th and 19th century villas in a park setting, this charming hotel is 3 minutes’ walk from Kalmar Castle. Wi-Fi internet and a light… MoreSEK 695 - 1,295 Slottshotellet Budget Accommodation
 Situated within a 5-minute walk of Kalmar Castle and the city’s Central Station, this good-value hotel provides free Wi-Fi and a free light evening … MoreSEK 470 - 980 Vandrarhem Svanen
 This waterfront hostel is located on the island of Ängö, 1.5 km from Kalmar Central Station. It offers a communal kitchen, a guest TV lounge, a saun… MoreSEK 750 - 1,490 Nya Frimurarehotellet - Sweden Hotels
 Housed in a late 19th-century building, this hotel is on Larmtorget Square and just 100 metres from Kalmar Central Station. It offers free Wi-Fi and f… MoreSEK 585 - 970 Hotell Svanen
 This waterfront hotel is only a 15-minute walk from the Kalmar Cathedral. It offers a sauna, a breakfast room with garden views and private parking.
… MoreSEK 795 - 1,524 Calmar Stadshotell
 This hotel is housed in an impressive Art Nouveau building on Kalmar’s main square, Stortorget. Its cosy Scottish pub offers hearty traditional food… MoreSEK 790 - 990 Brofästet Hotell & Konferens
 Located 1 km from central Kalmar, Brofästet Hotell & Konferens provides good-value accommodation next to the Öland Bridge. Free parking spaces are f… MoreSEK 690 - 1,890 Clarion Collection Hotel Packhuset
 Housed in an historic converted storehouse, the Clarion Collection Hotel Packhuset boasts spectacular views across the sound of Kalmarsund and the Öl… MoreSEK 725 - 1,945 First Hotel Witt
 This hotel is located opposite Kalmar Cathedral, only 500 metres from Kalmar Train Station. It offers free Wi-Fi and free access to the relaxation are… MoreSEK 695 - 1,095 Hotell Hilda
 Housed in a building from the 1800s, this hotel is less than 10 minutes’ walk from Kalmar Castle and the popular Kvarnholmen shopping district. Kalm… MoreSEK 638 - 2,215 Best Western Kalmarsund Hotell
 This eco-friendly hotel is 5 minutes’ walk from Kalmar Central Station and a 15-minute walk from Kalmar Castle. It has a top-floor relaxation centre… More | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kalmar: Guide
Kalmar is a city in Småland in south east Sweden, situated by the Baltic Sea. It has 34,000 inhabitants, and is the seat of Kalmar Municipality with a total of 60,000 inhabitants. It is also the capital of Kalmar County, which is comprised of 12 municipalities with in total 236,000 inhabitants.
From the thirteenth to the seventeenth centuries, Kalmar was one of Sweden's most important cities. Between 1602 to 1913 it was the capital of Kalmar Diocese, with a bishop, and the Kalmar Cathedral from 1702 is still a fine example of Classicism|classicistic architecture. It became a fortified city, with the still mighty Kalmar Castle as the center. After the Treaty of Roskilde 1658 Kalmar's importance diminished, until the industry sector was initiated in the 19th century.
Geographically Kalmar is the main route to the island of Öland thanks to the Öland Bridge.
History
The area around Kalmar has been inhabited since ancient times. Diggins have found traces of stone age gravefields. The oldest sources of there being a town are however from the 11th century. According to a medieval folk tale, the Norwegian patron Saint Olav had his ships moved to the Kalmar Strait in 1027. Written contemporary records are sparse, but on a runestone from the 11th century, there is a mention of the same strait. Whether Kalmar was a town or just a small settlement adjacent to the Kalmar Strait is debatable. So is also the origin of the name Kalmar -- the most likely explanation is that it is an old Swedish word for "stone banks". However, when Icelandic saga-writer Snorri Sturluson visited Kalmar in 1219, he referred to it as Kaupbær, which means merchant town. In the 13th century, Kalmar is known to have flourished as one of Sweden's wealthiest cities, thanks to rich merchants mainly from Germany.
The oldest city seal of Kalmar is from somewhere between 1255-1267, making it the oldest known city seal in Scandinavia.
In the 12th century the first foundations of a castle were established, with the construction of a round tower for guard and lookout. The tower was continuously expanded on in 13th century, and as such, Queen Margaret I of Denmark|Margaret called an assembly there between head of states of Sweden and Norway, and on July 13, 1397, the Kalmar Union treaty was signed, which would last until 1523. Kalmar's strategical location, near the Danish border (which was close as Terra Scania belonged to Denmark), and its harbour and marchancy, also led it into several feuds. There are two events independently labelled Kalmar bloodbath: The first in 1505, when King John of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden let execute the mayor and city council of Kalmar; the second in 1599 by command of Duke Charles, later to became King Charles IX of Sweden.
In the 1540s, first King Gustav Vasa, and later his sons Erik XIV of Sweden and John III of Sweden would organize a rebuilding of the castle into the magnificent Renaissance castle it is today.
Kalmar became a diocese in 1602, a position it held until 1903. In 1634, Kalmar County is founded, with Kalmar as the natural capital. In 1660, the Kalmar Cathedral was begun by drawings of Nicodemus Tessin the Elder. It would be inaugurated in 1702.
In 1611-1613, it suffered in the Kalmar War, which began with Danish troops besieged the Kalmar Castle. And 1611 is mentioned as the darkest year of Kalmar's history, but by no means the only dark year; much blood has been shed in the vicinity of the castle. The last was during the Scanian War in the 1670s, leading its sieges to a total of 22 -- yet, it was never conquered.
In 1658, the Scanian lands were annexed by Sweden, and the strategical importance of Kalmar gradually diminished as the borders were drawn to a southern latitude. In 1689, the King established his main naval base south in Karlskrona and Kalmar had been freed of its place as one of Sweden's main military outpost.
Today
In more recent times, Kalmar has been an industrial city with Kalmar Mekaniska Verkstad making steam engines and large machinery. It has a University of Kalmar|university with over 9,000 students () and a research facility for Telia Sonera.
Gallery
Notable natives
Ivar Kreuger
Jenny Nyström
Sister Cities
| || Wilmington, Delaware, United States
See also
Kalmar Municipality
Kalmar Airport
Kalmar Mekaniska Verkstad
Spawn of Possession
University of Kalmar
References
, Nordisk familjebok
External links
- Official site
Local news, weather forecast, events and TV-guide.
This "Travel Guide" section is drawn from the Wikipedia article "Kalmar". We hope you will edit and improve it. It is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.