Kalmar
{{short description|City in Småland, Sweden}}
{{About|the Swedish city|other uses|}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2014}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name = Kalmar
| image_skyline = Kalmar collage.jpg
| image_caption = Clockwise from top: aerial view of the Kalmar Cathedral, Kalmar Castle, the old water tower in central Kalmar, Öland Bridge and the water tower in Berga.
| image_shield = Kalmar kommuns stadsvapen från 2018.svg
| pushpin_map = Sweden Kalmar#Sweden
| pushpin_label_position =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Sweden}}
| subdivision_type3 = Municipality
| subdivision_name3 = Kalmar Municipality
| subdivision_type2 = County
| subdivision_name2 = Kalmar County
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| subdivision_name1 = Småland
| established_title3 = Charter
| established_date3 = 1100
| area_footnotes = {{cite web |url=http://www.scb.se/Statistik/MI/MI0810/2010A01/Tatorternami0810tab1_4.xls |title=Tätorternas landareal, folkmängd och invånare per km2 2005 och 2010 |date=14 December 2011 |publisher=Statistics Sweden |language=sv |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127055525/http://www.scb.se/Statistik/MI/MI0810/2010A01/Tatorternami0810tab1_4.xls |archive-date=27 January 2012 |url-status=live |access-date=10 January 2012 }}
| area_total_km2 = 19.50
| population_as_of = 2020
| population_total = 41852
| population_metro = 72098
| population_density_km2 = 1866
| timezone = CET
| utc_offset = +1
| timezone_DST = CEST
| utc_offset_DST = +2
| coordinates = {{coord|56|39|41|N|16|21|46|E|region:SE|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_m = 8
| postal_code_type = Postal code
| postal_code = 39x xx
| area_code = (+46) 480
| website = {{URL|kalmar.se/}}
}}
Kalmar ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|æ|l|m|ɑr}}, {{IPAc-en|USalso|ˈ|k|ɑː|l|m|ɑr}},[https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/us/Kalmar "Kalmar"]{{dead link|date=September 2022|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} (US) and {{Cite dictionary |url=http://www.lexico.com/definition/Kalmar |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220804084946/https://www.lexico.com/definition/kalmar |url-status=dead |archive-date=2022-08-04 |title=Kalmar |dictionary=Lexico UK English Dictionary |publisher=Oxford University Press}}{{Cite Merriam-Webster|Kalmar|access-date=January 31, 2019}} {{IPA|sv|ˈkǎlmar|lang|sv-Kalmar.ogg}}) is a city in the southeast of Sweden, situated by the Baltic Sea. It had 41,388 inhabitants in 2020 and is the seat of Kalmar Municipality. It is also the capital of Kalmar County, which comprises 12 municipalities with a total of 236,399 inhabitants (2015). Kalmar is the third largest urban area in the province and cultural region of Småland.
From the thirteenth to the seventeenth centuries, Kalmar was one of Sweden's most important cities. Its name was until the second half of the nineteenth century spelled Calmar. Between 1602 and 1913 it was the episcopal see of Kalmar Diocese, with a bishop, and the Kalmar Cathedral from 1702 is an example of classicistic architecture. It became a fortified city, with the Kalmar Castle as the center. After the Treaty of Roskilde in 1658, Kalmar's importance diminished, until the industry sector was initiated in the 19th century. The city is home to parts of Linnaeus University.
The city plays host to the Live at Heart festival, one of Sweden's largest musical showcase events.
Kalmar is adjacent to the main route to the island of Öland over the Öland Bridge.
History
The area around Kalmar has been inhabited since ancient times. Excavations have found traces of Stone Age gravefields. However, the oldest evidence for there being a town is from the 11th century. The oldest city seal of Kalmar is from somewhere between 1255 and 1267, making it the oldest known city seal in Scandinavia.{{Citation needed|date=October 2016}}
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 in the 13th century, and as such, Queen Margaret called an assembly there between the heads of state of Sweden and Norway, and on 13 July 1397, the Kalmar Union treaty was signed, creating a union which would last until 1523. Kalmar's strategic location, near the Danish border (at the time the Scanian lands, i.e. the provinces of Blekinge, Halland and Scania, were part of Denmark), and its harbour and trade, also involved it in several feuds. There are two events independently labelled the Kalmar Bloodbath, 1505: the first in 1505, when King John of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden had the mayor and city council of Kalmar executed; the second in 1599 by command of Duke Charles, later to become King Charles IX of Sweden.
File:Kalmar slott.jpg today]]
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 of the Church of Sweden in 1603, a position it held until 1915. In 1634, Kalmar County was 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 1703.
In 1611–1613, it suffered in the Kalmar War, which began with a Danish siege of Kalmar Castle. 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, so there have been 22 sieges altogether; however the castle was never taken.
After the Treaty of Roskilde in 1658, the strategic importance of Kalmar gradually diminished as the borders of Sweden were redrawn further south. In 1689, the King established his main naval base further south in Karlskrona and Kalmar lost its status as one of Sweden's main military outposts.
=Kalmar Cathedral=
File:Kalmar cathedral Kalmar Sweden 001.JPG today]]
The new city of Kalmar was built on Kvarnholmen around the mid-1600s. The transfer from the old town was largely completed by 1658. The new, fortified town was planned following current baroque patterns. Cathedral and town hall face each other across the new main square, Stortorget.
The cathedral was designed by Nicodemus Tessin the Elder and is one of the foremost examples of baroque classicism in Sweden. Its design reflects the complex interaction between the new style, liturgical considerations, tradition and the fortress-city requirements. The work began in 1660, but it was interrupted on several occasions, including when the Scanian War (1675–1679) raged. Construction resumed, and Kalmar Cathedral stood finished in 1703.
=Today=
In more recent times, Kalmar has been an industrial city with Kalmar Verkstad making steam engines, trains and large machinery, later bought by Bombardier who closed the factory in 2005. A shipyard, {{ill|Kalmar Shipyard|sv|Kalmar varv}}, was founded in 1679 and closed 1981. Volvo opened their Kalmar factory for building cars i.e. 264, 740, 760, 960 in 1974, but closed it 1994 and due to further relocation of industry jobs in the 1990s and 2000s around 2000 industrial jobs were lost. Kalmar has a university with over 9,000 students and a research facility for Telia Sonera.
Kalmar has embarked on a comprehensive program to reduce fossil fuel use. A local trucking firm, which employs nearly 450 people, has installed computers that track fuel efficiency and have cut diesel use by 10 percent, paying off the cost of the devices in just a year. The company is now looking to fuel its future fleet with biodiesel.[http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-sweden-carbonfree_goeringmar03,0,5631997,print.story Going green: Entire Swedish city switches to biofuels to become environmentally friendly] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090306182935/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-sweden-carbonfree_goeringmar03,0,5631997,print.story |date=6 March 2009 }}
A large wood pulp plant harnesses the steam and hot water it once released as waste to provide heating, through below-ground pipes, and generates enough electricity to power its own operations and 20,000 homes.
Bicycle lanes are common; for example, the Kalmarsundsleden,{{cite web |url=http://www.kalmar.se/Kalmar%20kommun/Invanare/gata_park/kalmarsundsleden/Vandringsled%20Kalmarsundsleden_info%20(3).pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2013-04-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130920185937/http://www.kalmar.se/Kalmar%20kommun/Invanare/gata_park/kalmarsundsleden/Vandringsled%20Kalmarsundsleden_info%20(3).pdf |archive-date=20 September 2013 |df=dmy-all }} and cars line up at Kalmar city's public biogas pump. Building codes now require thermal insulation and efficient windows for new construction or retrofits. Street lights use low-energy sodium bulbs, and car dealers promote fuel-efficient and hybrid vehicles.
In 2011 Guldfågeln Arena was initiated. It is the new stadium of the football team of the city, Kalmar FF. The capacity of the stadium is 12,000 people and it is currently one of the newest stadiums in Sweden. The stadium was also built to host concerts and did so in the summer of 2011 when Swedish artists Håkan Hellström and The Ark performed.
Climate
Kalmar has an oceanic climate using the -3°C isotherm or a warm-summer humid continental climate using the 0°C isotherm.{{cite web|url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=59020&cityname=Kalmar%2C+Sweden&units=|title=Kalmar, Sweden Climate Summary|publisher=Weatherbase|access-date=21 April 2015}} Summers are warm and winters are fairly cold with temperatures normally hovering around zero. Kalmar is among the hottest Swedish cities, with an all-time record set at {{convert|35.2|C|F}}.{{cite web|url=http://data.smhi.se/met/climate/time_series/month/vov_pdf/SMHI_vov_temperature_wind_jul14.pdf?11360|title=Monthly Weather Data - July 2014 (all-time records section)|publisher=SMHI|access-date=21 April 2015}} The average summer temperatures however are typical for southern Sweden.
{{Weather box
|location = Kalmar (2002–2020); extremes since 1901
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high C = 11.6
|Feb record high C = 17.0
|Mar record high C = 20.6
|Apr record high C = 25.7
|May record high C = 32.5
|Jun record high C = 33.0
|Jul record high C = 35.2
|Aug record high C = 33.1
|Sep record high C = 28.5
|Oct record high C = 23.5
|Nov record high C = 17.4
|Dec record high C = 13.2
|year record high C = 35.2
|Jan avg record high C = 8.5
|Feb avg record high C = 8.7
|Mar avg record high C = 14.9
|Apr avg record high C = 18.9
|May avg record high C = 23.5
|Jun avg record high C = 27.2
|Jul avg record high C = 28.1
|Aug avg record high C = 27.2
|Sep avg record high C = 22.7
|Oct avg record high C = 17.6
|Nov avg record high C = 12.5
|Dec avg record high C = 9.2
|year avg record high C = 29.4
|Jan high C = 2.3
|Feb high C = 2.8
|Mar high C = 6.4
|Apr high C = 11.4
|May high C = 16.3
|Jun high C = 20.6
|Jul high C = 22.6
|Aug high C = 22.1
|Sep high C = 18.0
|Oct high C = 11.9
|Nov high C = 7.2
|Dec high C = 3.9
|year high C =
|Jan mean C = -0.5
|Feb mean C = -0.2
|Mar mean C = 2.3
|Apr mean C = 6.2
|May mean C = 10.8
|Jun mean C = 15.1
|Jul mean C = 17.5
|Aug mean C = 16.9
|Sep mean C = 13.3
|Oct mean C = 8.3
|Nov mean C = 4.6
|Dec mean C = 1.3
|year mean C =
|Jan low C = -3.2
|Feb low C = -3.1
|Mar low C = -1.8
|Apr low C = 1.0
|May low C = 5.3
|Jun low C = 9.6
|Jul low C = 12.3
|Aug low C = 11.7
|Sep low C = 8.6
|Oct low C = 4.6
|Nov low C = 2.0
|Dec low C = -1.3
|year low C =
|Jan avg record low C = -14.9
|Feb avg record low C = -13.8
|Mar avg record low C = -10.0
|Apr avg record low C = -5.2
|May avg record low C = -1.7
|Jun avg record low C = 3.0
|Jul avg record low C = 6.6
|Aug avg record low C = 4.9
|Sep avg record low C = 1.2
|Oct avg record low C = -3.8
|Nov avg record low C = -6.7
|Dec avg record low C = -11.4
|year avg record low C = -17.7
|Jan record low C = -31.0
|Feb record low C = -26.5
|Mar record low C = -27.6
|Apr record low C = -12.7
|May record low C = -5.8
|Jun record low C = -1.2
|Jul record low C = 2.6
|Aug record low C = 0.4
|Sep record low C = -5.7
|Oct record low C = -8.8
|Nov record low C = -17.3
|Dec record low C = -25.3
|year record low C = -31.0
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 36.3
|Feb precipitation mm = 33.9
|Mar precipitation mm = 27.1
|Apr precipitation mm = 24.8
|May precipitation mm = 37.8
|Jun precipitation mm = 42.1
|Jul precipitation mm = 75.3
|Aug precipitation mm = 60.2
|Sep precipitation mm = 32.9
|Oct precipitation mm = 53.4
|Nov precipitation mm = 57.1
|Dec precipitation mm = 42.3
|year precipitation mm =
|source 1 = SMHI{{cite web
| url = https://www.smhi.se/data/meteorologi/ladda-ner-meteorologiska-observationer/#param=precipitationMonthlySum,stations=all,stationid=66430
| title = SMHI Open Data
| publisher = Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute
| language = sv
| accessdate = 3 June 2021
}}
|source 2 = SMHI Monthly Data 2002–2020{{cite web
| url=http://www.smhi.se/klimatdata/meteorologi/temperatur/2.1240
| title=Yearly and Monthly Statistics
| publisher=SMHI
| language=sv
| date=3 June 2021
| access-date=20 April 2015
| archive-date=2 May 2019
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502092934/http://www.smhi.se/klimatdata/meteorologi/temperatur/2.1240
| url-status=dead
Gallery
=History=
File:Kalmar stads sigill på 1200-talet (naturlig storlek, ur Nordisk familjebok).png|The seal of Kalmar, 13th century
File:Kalmar Dahlberg.jpg|Engraving from Suecia antiqua et hodierna, circa 1700
File:Kalmar 1906.jpg|Town plan, 1906
=Main sights=
File:Kalmar Slott Aug2011.jpg|Kalmar Castle
File:Kalmar Domkyrka 0055.JPG|Kalmar Cathedral
File:Rådhuset Kalmar.jpg|Town hall
File:Olandsbron.jpg|In 1972, the {{convert|6|km|0|abbr=on}} long Öland bridge was built from Kalmar to the town of Färjestaden on Öland
File:Kalmar läns Museum 2015 01.JPG|Kalmar County Museum
=General views=
File:Stortorget i Kalmar, juli 2009, bild 1.JPG|Main square
File:Rådmannen 6.JPG|Houses on the main square
File:Kalmar alt.jpg|Street in Kalmar
File:Lilla torget i Kalmar.JPG|Square in Kalmar
File:KalmarCastle.JPG|Scenic photograph of Kalmar Castle in the summer sun
File:Mermaid sculpture kalmar 1.jpg|Mermaid sculpture Kalmar
Sports
The following sports clubs are located in Kalmar:
Notable people
- Mikael Adolphson – historian
- Khamzat Chimaev – UFC Fighter
- Charlotta Djurström – theatre director
- Lena Hallengren – politician, Minister for Health and Social Affairs
- Richard Hobert – film director
- Helena Josefsson – musician, lead singer in Sandy Mouche
- Ivar Kreuger – civil engineer and industrialist
- Jangir Maddadi – designer living in Kalmar
- Margaret I of Denmark - ruler who here created the Kalmar Union
- Carl Gustaf Mosander – chemist who discovered lanthanum, erbium, terbium
- Anna-Stina Nilstoft – painter
- Jenny Nyström – painter and illustrator
- Pehr Olsson – farmer and politician
- Henrik Strindberg – composer
- Hans Villius – historian
Twin towns – sister cities
Kalmar is twinned with eleven cities:{{cite web|title=Våra vänorter|url=http://www.kalmar.se/Demokrati/internationellt-arbete/kalmars-vanorter/|work=kalmar.se|access-date=27 April 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427153056/http://www.kalmar.se/Demokrati/internationellt-arbete/kalmars-vanorter/|archive-date=27 April 2014|df=dmy-all}}
- {{flagicon|ISL}} Árborg, Iceland
- {{flagicon|NOR}} Arendal, Norway
- {{flagicon|UGA}} Entebbe, Uganda
- {{flagicon|POL}} Gdańsk, Poland
- {{flagicon|RUS}} Kaliningrad, Russia
- {{flagicon|LIT}} Panevėžys, Lithuania
- {{flagicon|TUR}} Samsun, Turkey
- {{flagicon|FIN}} Savonlinna, Finland
- {{flagicon|DEN}} Silkeborg, Denmark
- {{flagicon|USA}} Wilmington, United States
- {{flagicon|GER}} Wismar, Germany
See also
- Kalmar Municipality
- Kalmar Airport
- Kalmar Verkstad
- Spawn of Possession
- Linnaeus University
- Kalmar Nyckel, historical ship named after the city of Kalmar
- Kalmar FF, premier division football club from the city
- Ragnarök
Notes
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
References
- {{in lang|sv}} [https://runeberg.org/nfbm/0358.html Article Kalmar], Nordisk familjebok, [http://www.kulturarvsportalen.se/domkyrka/pages/historia.html Kalmar domkyrkas historia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100811075633/http://www.kulturarvsportalen.se/domkyrka/pages/historia.html |date=11 August 2010 }}
External links
{{Commons}}
{{wikivoyage|Kalmar}}
- [http://www.kalmar.se/ Kalmar Municipality] – Official site
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070118141030/http://www.ikalmar.se/ iKalmar] – a social network for citizens of Kalmar
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20051023200840/http://www.kalmar.se/templates/Page.aspx?id=3775 Kalmar Castle]
- [http://www.kalmarcity.se/ Kalmar City] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220084355/http://www.kalmarcity.se/ |date=20 December 2014 }} – pictures from nightlife in Kalmar
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060102070158/http://www.hik.se/ University of Kalmar]
- [http://www.barometern.se/ Barometern Oskarshamns-Tidningen] – daily newspaper from Kalmar and Oskarshamn
{{Localities in Kalmar Municipality}}
{{Kalmar County}}
{{Swedish Seats}}
{{30 most populous cities of Sweden}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Populated places in Kalmar Municipality
Category:Municipal seats of Kalmar County
Category:Coastal cities and towns in Sweden
Category:Port cities and towns of the Baltic Sea
Category:County seats in Sweden
Category:Swedish municipal seats
Category:Viking Age populated places
Category:Populated places established in the 12th century