![Aerial photo of Gothenburg 2013-10-27 277](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Aerial_photo_of_Gothenburg_2013-10-27_277.jpg)
Backa also known as Hisings Backa is a suburb in Gothenburg, and was one of Gothenburg’s 20 districts. On January 1, 2011 Backa merged with two other districts of
Gothenburg, Kärra-Rödbo and Tuve-Säve, to form the district of Norra Hisingen. This change was part of a larger reorganisation, reducing the number of districts in Gothenburg from 20 to 10.
Geography and demographics
Backa is predominantly a residential area, featuring mostly high and low rise apartment buildings, many built during the
Million Programme
The Million Programme ( sv, Miljonprogrammet) was an ambitious public housing program implemented in Sweden between 1965 and 1974 by the governing Swedish Social Democratic Party to ensure the availability of affordable, high quality housing t ...
. These are made up of a mix between rented apartments and privately owned condominiums. Backa also features several villa areas.
Backa had a population of 23,570 at the 2008 census. The demographics are slowly changing, and an ageing population has led the local government to focus increasingly on accommodation for the elderly.
[http://www.goteborg.se/wps/wcm/connect/6ab5ff80451ff70cbf86ff356b34a721/Backa%2Bbeskrivning%2Bav%2Bstadsdelen%5B1%5D.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CONVERT_TO=URL&CACHEID=6ab5ff80451ff70cbf86ff356b34a721 , (20) Backa Beskrivning av stadsdelen Mars 2008 , goteborg.se , Swedish , Retrieved 27/1-11] There were approximately 160 associations in Backa, ranging from sports clubs, such as the football club
Hisingsbacka FC
Hisingsbacka FC is a Swedish football club located in Backa in Hisingen, Gothenburg.
Background
Hisingsbacka FC is a football club which was founded in 2005.
Since their foundation Hisingsbacka FC has participated mainly in the middle and lo ...
and Backatorps IF, handball club Backa HK Sharks and floorball club IBF Backadalen Red Lions, to ones associated with cultural and religious questions.
History
The first time Backa is mentioned is in Röde bok, a record of the properties of the Bishop of Oslo in the 1390s. Backa belonged to
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...
in the 13th century, and due to the many wars between Norway,
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark
, establish ...
and
Sweden during that period, Backa was a strategically important area. The mouth of the
Göta Älv river was a particularly strategic point.
[Lychou, Kerstin. Backa Socken – återblickar. Tre Böcker Förlag AB, 1998, p. 9] Backa became a part of Sweden in 1658.
In 1938 the decision was made to incorporate Backa into Gothenburg. Due to opposition from the residents and from the local government, this process was not completed until 1948.
Due to its fertile soil,
[”Göteborg Kulturhistoriskt värdefull bebyggelse, Del II. Ett program för bevarande”. Graphium Västra Aros, 2000, p.236] Backa remained a rural area up until the 1960s, but during the
Million Programme
The Million Programme ( sv, Miljonprogrammet) was an ambitious public housing program implemented in Sweden between 1965 and 1974 by the governing Swedish Social Democratic Party to ensure the availability of affordable, high quality housing t ...
, a project which involved the building of one million apartments between the years of 1965 and 1975, large residential areas were constructed in Backa, which led to a rapid increase in population. Between 1963 and 1965, Brunnsbo Torg, a town square with surrounding apartment buildings, was constructed in Southern Backa, and Northern Backa expanded between 1968 and 1971.
Landmarks
Backa Kyrka
Backa Kyrka is a church, constructed in 1864.
[Lychou, Kerstin. Backa Socken – återblickar. Tre Böcker Förlag AB, 1998, p. 64] It was not inaugurated until four years later, in 1868.
[Grenberger, Alicja. ”Gräv där du bor!: Historiska axplock från Hisings Backa”. 1992, p. 12] According to blue prints by the architect J F Åbom, the construction costs were estimated at 40,453
SEK. Many reparairs and changes have been made to the church since its construction, and the originally tall tower was replaced with the current, shorter, one in 1927; the current retable was installed in 1906; and the cross on top of the building is from 1955. For the 100th anniversary in 1964, the church received generous allowances, which were used to repaint the roof and the benches.
Backa Kyrka stands in the spot of two earlier churches. The first was Medeltidskyrkan, which was constructed in 1692, and the second was 1700–tals kyrkan, an 18th-century church which was demolished to accommodate the construction of Backa Kyrka.
Selma Lagerlöfs Torg
Selma Lagerlöfs Torg is a town square, featuring shops, a library, a school, a kindergarten, a post office, and other services.
There is also a cultural centre, Backa Kulturhus, where children can playact and dance.
Folkets Hus
Backa
Folkets Hus
People's Houses (russian: Народный дом) were originally leisure and cultural centres built with the intention of making art and cultural appreciation available to the working classes. The first establishment of this type appeared in T ...
, which was previously known as Tingstads Folkets Hus, was inaugurated in 1924 after years of collecting funds. It was built as a meeting hall for the people of Backa and the outlying areas, where they could come together for dances, chess, and film screenings. In 1971, the building was sold to the
City of Gothenburg
Gothenburg Municipality (''Göteborgs kommun'' or ''Göteborgs stad'') is a municipality in Västra Götaland County in western Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Gothenburg.
When the first Swedish local government acts were implement ...
, dissolving the association which had run the building's services and events. After some years, however, demands for a meeting hall increased, and the association was reinstated, with the building open to the public. In the early 1990s, the meeting hall became an important location for local youths, where they could engage in such activities as graffiti and break dancing.
Transport
Backa is connected to central Gothenburg through
Göta älvbron
Göta is a Swedish given name, which is the female equivalent of Göte. It may refer to:
* Göta Ljungberg (1893–1955), Swedish singer
* Göta Pettersson (1926–1993), Swedish gymnast
Other uses
* Göta, Sweden
*Göta älv, a river in Sweden ...
,
[Grenberger, Alicja. ”Gräv där du bor!: Historiska axplock från Hisings Backa”. 1992, p. 45] a bridge with sections for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as for cars, busses and trams. By car one can also reach Backa by following
motorway E6[ , AutoKap Sweden AB , bytbil.com , Swedish , Retrieved 27/1-11] through the Tingstadtunneln tunnel.
References
{{Attached KML
Boroughs of Gothenburg