History
Like all the major players of the Baltic, Stockholm is what it is because of water. Its strategic location at the convergence of Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea has been key to the city's success for a thousand years. The story of Stockholm's founding lies somewhere between history and mythology, but the physical presence of a population center located at what is known as Gamla Stan (Old Town) is an archaeological fact. The high ground that makes up the 14 major islands of Stockholm has been appealing to settlers since the days of the Vikings.
Stockholm has been the political center of the land we now call Sweden since the 13th century, meaning it has been a royal residence and population magnet for the past 800 years. The Danes and Swedes and various other groups wrestled over the great port for hundreds of years and this period of conflict culminated in what is known as the Stockholm Bloodbath in 1520, during which more than 80 proponents of Swedish independence were executed by the Danish crown. Despite this traumatic event, King Gustav I eventually overthrew Christian II of Denmark and became the founder and first monarch of the newly founded Sweden.
Under Gustav, Stockholm lost its Baltic frontier town status and became tied to the state, which forced it to act more as a capital than an independent port, and while the organization and structure of the city's government evolved during his reign, the physical properties of the city remained unchanged. It wasn't until the 1600s that Stockholm really began to transform, instigated in part by a fire that destroyed a large section of the old town in 1625. As the city's buildings stretched toward the hills surrounding the core islands, so did the population, increasing to over 50,000 by the end of the century. The control of important exports such as iron, copper and butter enabled Stockholm to flourish and in return import luxury goods.
The 18th century was a difficult one for Stockholm, characterized by war, disease and economic depression. Several fires throughout the century wiped out a large portion of the city but resulted in building codes and helped ensure that reconstruction efforts would prove to be more lasting. During the decades that followed architecture and culture flourished and Stockholm began to take shape as the city we know today. Industry shaped the 19th century and for all of the shipping and manufacturing that developed in the city, public works projects made sure that Stockholm remained clean and livable for its growing population.
Education and technological innovation were key to giving Stockholm a reputation for civil advancement in the 20th century. Modernism and Art Nouveau changed the look of the city and a move away from industrial manufacturing toward service industries, design and eventually high-tech businesses made Stockholm a clean and model European capital. As the home to an ethnically diverse population and several multinational corporations, Stockholm today has cast off its medieval chains and emerged on the global scene as a highly coveted place to live, work and play.
