Karlstad

Karlstad Town Square

Coat of arms

Nickname(s): The Sun

Karlstad

Coordinates: 59°22′42″N 13°30′15″E / 59.37833°N 13.50417°ECoordinates: 59°22′42″N 13°30′15″E / 59.37833°N 13.50417°E

Country

Sweden

Karlstad Municipality

Founded by

King Karl IX

Government

• Chairman of the Executive Board

Per-Samuel Nisser

Area

• City

30.31 km² (11.70 sq mi)

Elevation

64 m (210 ft)

Population (2010 (city); 2015 (metro))

• City

61,685

• Density

2,035/km² (5,270/sq mi)

• Metro

89,245

Time zone

CET (UTC+1)

• Summer (DST)

CEST (UTC+2)

Postal code

65x xx

Area code(s)

(+46) 54

Website

www.karlstad.se

Karlstad [ˈkɑːrlsta] is a city, the seat of Karlstad Municipality, the capital of Värmland County, and the largest city in the province Värmland in Sweden. The city had 61,685 inhabitants in 2010 with 89,245 inhabitants in the wider municipality in 2015, and is the 21st biggest municipality in Sweden. Karlstad has a university and a cathedral.

Karlstad is built on the river delta where Sweden's longest river, Klarälven, runs into Sweden's largest lake, Vänern. It has the second largest lake port in the country after Västerås.

Karlstad is often associated with sunshine and the symbol for Karlstad is a smiling sun. Karlstad is reputed to be one of the sunniest towns in Sweden and a local waitress, known as "Sola i Karlstad" (the Sun in Karlstad) for her sunny disposition, is also commemorated with a statue.

On Karlstad's largest islet, there was a place of counsel called Tingvalla in the medieval age, which had roots from the Viking Age before 1000 AD. It was also used as a market place.

Karlstad was granted its city charter on March 5, 1584 by the Swedish Duke Charles, who would later be crowned King Charles IX of Sweden. The city derives its name from the King – Karlstad literally means Charles' city. The Duke also granted Karlstad the right as a governmental seat in the region, and gave it a substantial amount of land.

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Wikipedia