Send Gift Baskets to Norrkoping, Sweden

The city’s foundations date back to medieval times when settlers used the falls and rapids around the Motala stream estuary to power their mills. Fish such as salmon were also abundant in the stream. There are references to a church from the 12th century, but the exact dates are unknown. Saint Olaf, Norway’s patron, was honored with this statue.

Sophia of Denmark donated her salmon fishing rights to the Skänninge monastery in 1283, establishing the city’s name. There are no written documents before a document from 1384 that record the town’s city status and Albrekt of Sweden signed this document, which is currently in the city archive. There was a market in Köping, while Nörr or Norr means “north.” A smaller town called Söderköping, or “South Market,” is nearby.

Several battles were fought in and around the city in subsequent centuries. Due to this, Norrköping’s medieval past is no longer preserved. The southern part of Norrköping was burned down during the Northern Seven Years’ War (1563–1570). John III of Sweden, who rebuilt the city, designed the current street layout.

Under Gustavus Adolphus‘ supervision, a weapon industry was established in 1618. It was also a popular port due to its proximity to the industries of Finspång. The large-scale textile industry was also initiated in addition to the weapon industry. The industrialist Louis De Geer (1587–1652) was an important benefactor. Norrköping had 6,000 residents when De Geer died, making it the second largest city in Sweden.

During the Russian Pillage of 1719-21, the Russians burned the city to the ground again in 1655 and 1719. Only a few stones left from the Johannisborg castle were used in building new houses.

In the 1740s, Norrköping had three sugar refineries; in the 1750s, snus was introduced as a large-scale, influential industry. Saint Olof and Saint Hedvig’s churches and several other old houses date back to this time. In 1762, the Egges Teater became the first theater in Sweden outside of Stockholm.