Märsta

The origin of the name Märsta goes back to around 500 AD. At that time most of the valleys in Märsta were still under water, which explains the name. Mär- is found in the Swedish word "mjärde" which is a fishing tool, and -sta means a place (area or somekind of habitat) like the Swedish word "stad" meaning city. Märsta means "place to fish" or "fishing-place".

Märsta is situated north of Steningevik, which is a bay of the lake Mälaren. The center of the town is located in a valley called Märstadal and the area Sätuna, which also holds the train station of the town.

The rest of the town's buildings spread upon and below the hills that form the valleys in Märsta. The stream that flows through the town out to Steningevik is called Märstaån. It is also located along the motorway E4 about 37 km north of central Stockholm, 33 km south of Uppsala and about 4 km from Arlanda Airport.

The coat of arms of Märsta resulted from merging the seals of the two hundreds of Ärlinghundra and Seminghundra, which are today located in Märsta. The combined seal, showing a key and axe crossed in gold on a blood-red ground, is known to have been in use from 1568. The key was the symbol of Ärlinghundra and symbolised "the key to heaven's gates". The axe was the symbol of Seminghundra and symbolized the axe which killed Saint Olaf; Seminghundra was also known as an execution place for convicts during the Middle Ages.

Märsta existed as a municipality of its own between 1952 and 1970. The coat of arms was created in 1954 and became obsolete as municipal arms when Märsta was merged into Sigtuna Municipality in 1971.

File:Märsta Tower nearer nr1 original Publish.jpg

File:Arkaden restaurant and office area in Marsta City.jpg

The area has been populated since the Stone Age and due to the location of traditional Viking-land has rich archaeological remains from the Bronze Age, Iron Age and Viking Age. There are many runestones and older ruins of stone castles and walls in the Märsta area.

The area of today's modern Märsta consisted of big farms and small communities, that were (and still are) typical for the landscape of the province Uppland.

Märsta was just one of these farms but due to the location and importance of travelling between Stockholm and Uppsala, the farm had to turn into an inn. The important travelling road can be traced back to the Viking Age and even older ages.

During the days of the Swedish Empire many of the old nobles became land owners in the area and built palaces like Steninge, Skånelaholm, Rosersberg and Venngarn.

Even Sweden's oldest public school is located in Husby-Ärlinghundra, the parish of Märsta. It was built in 1697 and is today a museum.

The first telegraph pole in Sweden was placed in Märsta 1853 and the train station got built in the 1860s. It is currently the northern termini of the commuter railways in Stockholm, and a minor interchange to SJ. The name Märsta got along only because it was common for travellers even though they were placed on neighbouring farms.

The Märsta municipality was formed in 1952 due to a fusion of the parishes of Husby-Ärlinghundra, Norrsunda, Odensala and Skånela. In 1967 the parishes of Vidbo, Lunda and Skepptuna also merged into the municipality. In 1971 the cities of Sigtuna and Märsta were forged together and formed Sigtuna Municipality with Märsta as the seat of the ruling council.

In 1957 the Swedish government decided to build Stockholm's new international airport, Stockholm Arlanda, at Halmsjön, east of Märsta. In its decision the government mentioned the building of a town where the employees at the new airport could live. The town was located IN Märsta. A plan for the residential area was made in 1960 and during the 1960s the population of Märsta quadrupled. A large part of the buildings in Märsta was built in the 1960s. Expansion of Märsta to the east is restricted due to the 55 dB(A) noise area restrictions in force. There are not many older houses in the central parts of Märsta but south of Märsta, Steninge Castle is located, with an environment dating back to 1690. Steninge Castle is a popular tourist attraction.

There is a private cinema, "Biokällan i Forum" in Märsta.{{cite web |url=http://www.sigtuna.se/sv/Kultur--Fritid/Kultur-II/Biografer/ |title=Biografer |access-date=2011-10-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514210905/http://www.sigtuna.se/sv/Kultur--Fritid/Kultur-II/Biografer/ |archive-date=2011-05-14 }}

There is a public theatre facility, Sigtuna Municipal Theatre, "Kulturum" which is Märstas venue for theater, concerts and conferences. The theater was completed in autumn 1980 and was inaugurated in November of that year. The salon has 454 seats. Local productions, performances and conferences are held at "Kulturum". The theater is used for many different purposes, such as local productions, performances, arts school concerts, conferences and more. Once a month the City Council uses the Sigtuna Municipal Theatre as meeting room.{{cite web |url=http://www.sigtuna.se/sv/Kultur--Fritid/Kultur-II/Kulturumteatern/ |title=Kulturumteatern |access-date=2011-10-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110806122204/http://www.sigtuna.se/sv/Kultur--Fritid/Kultur-II/Kulturumteatern/ |archive-date=2011-08-06 }} Kulturum is in the same building as Märstas gymnasium, (Arlandagymnasiet).

Like many similar sized Swedish towns and central communities Märsta has pre school and pedagogical care facilities available to its citizens and also high schools and a gymnasium, (Arlandagymnasiet). Märsta also has a school for adult education. There is a public library in the town centre, (Märsta Centrum).

There are some local businesses in Märsta and also two major factories producing paint, Beckers Industrial Coatings AB,{{cite web |url=http://www.becker.se/ |title = AB Wilh. Becker}} producing industrial paint, and Becker Acroma, now part of Sherwin-Williams. There are also some transport and spedition companies in the area. But most employment opportunities for people living in Märsta are at Stockholm Arlanda Airport and in Stockholm City.

File:Marsta bostadsomrade.jpg|Residential area in Märsta

File:Highrise at Märsta Station Sweden.jpg|Residential high rise in Märsta

File:Märsta från Kanonkullen.jpg|Central parts of Märsta

File:Märsta Railway Station Twilight.jpg|Märsta Railway Station

File:Valsta Centrums nya hoghus.jpg|Valsta Centrum

File:Pendeltag Marsta Station.jpg|Commutertrain at Märsta Railway Station

File:Märsta City from Icehall.jpg|Märsta in the evening

File:Marsta Muren Tingvalla.jpg|Large residential complex in Tingvalla, Märsta

File:Sculpture "Blue Shape" by Larz Eldbåge in Marsta Sweden.jpg|The sculpture "Blue Shape" by Larz Eldbåge in Märsta

File:Märsta Kulturskola och Bibliotek.jpg|Märsta Music and Culture School and Library

File:Downtown_Marsta_Sweden.jpg|High rise in central parts of Märsta

File:Märsta Port in Märsta Sweden Panorama.jpg|Märsta Entrance Residential Area

File:Marsta Tower, Marsta, Sweden in daylight.jpg|New high rise at Märsta station seen from south

File:Märsta Water Tower By Night.JPG|Valsta Watertower in Märsta By Night

File:Marsta railway station north of Stockholm.jpg|Märsta railway station seen from train side.

File:Marsta Railway Station Sweden.jpg|Märsta railway station

File:Maarsta Tower in Sweden.jpg|High rise at Märsta railway station

File:Märsta station fp nr 1 Publish.jpg|Märsta railway station.

File:Märsta från luften nr 2 Publish.jpg|Märsta from east.

File:Marstanewcoloredhousesnr1 Publish.jpg|Residential area in the center of Märsta through a fish eye lens.

Image:HusbyÄrlinghundraKyrka.jpg|The church of Husby-Ärlinghundra. One of many churches in Märsta dating back to the early Medieval age.

File:Ekillagård bron small.jpg|Ekillagård Pedestrian Bridge.

File:Ekillaskolan Marsta Sweden.jpg|Ekillaskolan in Märsta.

File:Sculpture "The moon has landed" by Larz Eldbaage at Steningehojden, Marsta, Sweden.jpg|Sculpture in a roundabout at Steningehöjden.

File:Märstasyriskortodoxakyrkannr1 Publish.jpg|St Johannes Orthodox Church in Valsta, Märsta.

File:Färglada hus Märsta ww Publish.jpg|New residential area close to Märsta Centrum.

File:Arlandagymnasiet kunskapens hus Marsta Sweden.jpg|Arlandagymnasiet, a large Upper secondary school in Märsta

File:Forum and Cabinen in Marsta Sweden.jpg|Forum in Märsta, Sweden. This is a local cinema and cultural meeting point run by the municipality

File:Valsta Water Tower, Marsta, Sweden.jpg|Valsta watertower in Märsta is a famous landmark

File:Marsta Tower in daylight.jpg|New high rise building in centre of Märsta

File:Swedish commuter trains.jpg|Commuter trains waiting for next assignment in Märsta

File:Marsta Centrum Sweden.jpg|Entrance to Märsta Centrum shopping area

File:Saetuna school Marsta Stockholm Sweden.jpg|Saetuna Upper Primary school in Märsta

File:Pinbackshallen Marsta.jpg|Pinbackshallen indoor icehockey rink in Märsta

File:Arkaden again cc Publish.jpg|Arkaden close to Märsta Centrum

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons}}

• [http://www.sigtuna.se Sigtuna Municipality] – Official site
• [http://www.marsta.nu Märsta.nu] – Information site
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060303091743/http://www.hembygdmarsta.se/ History About Native Home Districts Of Märsta] – Official site (archived 3 March 2006)

{{Localities in Sigtuna Municipality}}

{{Municipalities of Stockholm County}}{{50 most populous urban areas of Sweden}}{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Marsta}}

Category:Populated places in Sigtuna Municipality

Category:Municipal seats of Stockholm County

Category:Swedish municipal seats

Category:Viking Age populated places