Söderköping

Söderköping is a town in the Swedish province of Östergötland County and the historic province of Östergötland. The city on the Göta Canal is approximately 15 kilometers southeast of Norrkoping on the European road 22 and is the capital of the municipality of the same name.

History

Söderköping is a medieval city in Sweden, which was first mentioned in written sources in the 13th century. However Archaeological finds indicate an older settlement. Söderköping was from the 13th century until the late 16th century, one of the leading Swedish ports for national and international trade with significant contacts with the Hanseatic League and a power center in Sweden. 1302 King Birger Magnusson was crowned in Söderköping and Johan III. had built for himself a house in the city. But led the Scandinavian land uplift causes the port from the late 16th century was no longer navigable for larger vessels. Söderköping lost its importance, and in the 18th century lived only about 700 people in the city. At the beginning of the 19th century Söderköping was a health resort. The industrial development of the 19th century was largely past Söderköping.

Cityscape

Söderköping is one of the best preserved medieval cities in Sweden. Apart from the medieval buildings such as St. Lawrence Church or the house Johan III. dominate wooden houses from the 18th and 19th centuries, the image of downtown. Southeast of the center, the spa complex is from the early 19th century, became known as Söderköping as a spa. The Göta Canal runs along the northern edge of the city at the foot of Ramunderberges.

Economy

Söderköping has little industry and especially small businesses. The city is primarily a service center for the region, but also the tourism plays an important role. Not only is the city's medieval core, and the Göta Canal and the coastal location with the numerous offshore archipelago contribute.