Send Gift Baskets to Eskilstuna, Sweden

In the Middle Ages, English monk Saint Eskil established his diocese of the South coast of Lake Mälaren at Eskilstuna. In an attempt to convert the pagan Vikings of Strängnäs, 30 kilometers (19 miles) east of Eskilstuna, Saint Eskil was stoned to death. His monastery church in Tuna was the place of burial for St. Eskil. Eventually, Strängnäs was Christianized and granted the privilege of becoming a diocese of South Lake Mälaren. In later years, the word “Tuna” was augmented with the word “Eskil.” As a result of its proximity to the medieval city of Torshälla, Eskilstuna did not receive municipal privileges. During the Protestant Reformation, Swedish king Gustav Vasa destroyed the monastery of Saint Eskil and replaced it with the royal castle of Eskilstuna House. Upon the grant of city privileges in 1659, Tunafors and Karl Gustavs Stad (“City of Karl Gustav”), located on the west bank of the river, were included in the city’s boundaries. As a result of King Karl X Gustav’s encouragement, Karl Gustavs Stad was built around Reinhold Rademacher’s iron forges. In the beginning, small arms and artillery were produced in the forges.

The Karl Gustavs Stad became a free town in 1771, allowing manufacturers and craftsmen to establish tax-free workshops and factories. In 1879, Eskilstuna and the city were merged.

It became one of Sweden’s most important industrial cities during the Industrial Revolution, earning the nickname “Stålstaden” (“The City of Steel”). In addition to firearms, the city produced cutlery, scissors, keys, machine tools, and precision instruments. The city’s coat of arms includes a figure of a steelworker as a tribute to the industry. Some people refer to Eskilstuna as the Sheffield of Sweden. At their peak, both cities were home to several steel production companies.