Sigtuna Municipality
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This article treats the town and municipality of Sigtuna. If you are looking for the Sigtuna of the Norse sagas and other early medieval sources, try Old Sigtuna.
| Sigtuna municipality in Metropolitan Stockholm Missing image Municipalities_of_Stockholm.png See also:Municipalities of Sweden | Coat of arms Missing image Sigtuna_City_Arms.jpg | |
| Seat | Märsta | |
| County | Stockholm County | |
| Province | Uplandia | |
| Area Rank | 328 km² 222nd of 290 | |
| Population Rank | 36,322 (2005) 65th of 290 | |
| Density | 111/km² | |
Sigtuna Municipality is a Municipality in central Sweden, just north of Stockholm, being a part of Metropolitan Stockholm. The three towns of the municipality are Märsta (pop. 22,000), Sigtuna (pop. 5,000) and Rosersberg (pop. 1,200), whereof Märsta is the municipal seat and Sigtuna with its old and important history is a popular tourist destination.
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Geography
Sigtuna is situated at the bay Roslagen, stretching around Upplands-Bro and a part of lake Mälaren, in an idyllic nature.
History
Sigtuna was founded on what was then the shore of lake Mälaren about 1,000 years ago, and it took its name from an ancient royal estate (see Uppsala öd) some miles to the west of the location, see Fornsigtuna. Some sources state King Eric the Victorious, others instead give King Olof Skötkonung as the founder.
It worked as a royal and commercial centre for some two and a half centuries, and was one of the most important cities of Sweden. The old church built in the 13th century by the Dominican order at the monastery in Sigtuna still remains, and has undergone comparably few restaurations. The dominican monastery itself was of importance in the Swedish middle ages as it fostered many important Church officials, such as Swedish archbishops. There are also other ruins remaining, and the old city structure has not been remodelled as happened in many other expanding Swedish cities in the 19th and 20th century.
In 1187 Sigtuna was attacked by Couronian (from Latvia) and Estonian raiders from the other side of the Baltic Sea, whereby the Swedish archbishop Johannes was among the casualties. It remained in occupation for some time. It lead to its commercial importance lessening in the 13th century, in favor of Uppsala, Visby, Kalmar and Stockholm.
The coat of arms can be traces to the first known seal in 1311. According to legend, perhaps inspired by the city arms, Sigtuna was once the Royal seat, but this can not be confirmed. The crown may also symbolize that coins were being made in the city at the time.
The city remained insignificant until the second half of the 20th century. In the late 19th century, it still only hosted about 600 people, and was the smallest city in Sweden.
Industry
In the municipality lays the largest workplace in Sweden, the Arlanda airport, with 13,000 employers in 200 companies. As a result, Siguna is travelled through by 18,300,000 visitors yearly, and has the fourth most hotel stays, next to the commercial and regional centras Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö
References
- Nordisk familjebok (article Sigtuna)
External links
- Sigtuna (http://www.sigtuna.se) - Official site
- Raid on Sigtuna (http://heninen.net/sigtuna/english.htm) (1187)hu:Sigtuna