Södertälje ( , ) is a
city
A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
in
Stockholm County,
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
and seat of
Södertälje Municipality
Södertälje Municipality () is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Södertälje.
It borders to Lake Mälaren in the north and the Baltic Sea in the south, and within the Stockholm County ...
. It is also a part of
Greater Stockholm Metropolitan Area. As of 2020, it has 73,872 inhabitants. Södertälje is located at
Mälarens confluence in to the Baltic Sea through the lock in the
Södertälje Canal.
[Nationalencyklopedin, Södertälje. http://www.ne.se/uppslagsverk/encyklopedi/lång/södertälje-(tätort-södertälje-kommun) (hämtad 2020-06-13)] Since year 2000, it is the largest
city
A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
located entirely within the province of
Södermanland
Södermanland ( ), locally Sörmland, sometimes referred to under its Latinisation of names, Latinized form Sudermannia or Sudermania, is a Provinces of Sweden, historical province (or ) on the south eastern coast of Sweden. It borders Österg� ...
.
History
Ancient history
It is estimated that the first people reached the area around what is today Södertälje during the
Stone Age
The Stone Age was a broad prehistory, prehistoric period during which Rock (geology), stone was widely used to make stone tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years and ended b ...
, about 4000 BC. They formed settlements around 3000 BC, when the peasant culture is believed to have reached the area.
[Svartsjö, Christina 2004, ''Centrumförnyelse i Södertälje - utopi eller verklighet!''. Blekinge tekniska högskola] Around 1500 to 400 BC, the strait between Lake
Mälaren and the
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...
narrowed due to the
post-glacial rebound
Post-glacial rebound (also called isostatic rebound or crustal rebound) is the rise of land masses after the removal of the huge weight of ice sheets during the last glacial period, which had caused isostatic depression. Post-glacial rebound an ...
. Thereafter boats had to be towed over the sand ridge, which created job opportunities. Trade and service emerged.
Ansgar
Ansgar (8 September 801 – 3 February 865), also known as Anskar, Saint Ansgar, Saint Anschar or Oscar, was Archbishopric of Bremen, Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen in the northern part of the Kingdom of the East Franks. Ansgar became known as the ...
passed through Södertälje on his voyages to
Birka
Birka (''Birca'' in medieval sources), on the island of Björkö, Ekerö, Björkö (lit. "Birch Island") in present-day Sweden, was an important Viking Age trading center which handled goods from Scandinavia as well as many parts of Continent ...
in his efforts to Christianize Sweden in 829.
Södertälje was first mentioned in historical sources in 1070, when
Adam of Bremen mentioned the town in a description of the road between
Skara and
Birka
Birka (''Birca'' in medieval sources), on the island of Björkö, Ekerö, Björkö (lit. "Birch Island") in present-day Sweden, was an important Viking Age trading center which handled goods from Scandinavia as well as many parts of Continent ...
in his work . However, the area was inhabited long before then.
Södertälje received
city privileges in the 1300s.
The castle Telge Hus was built at Slottsholmen during the 1300s. From here, Telgehus county was administered between the years 1318 and 1527. The county included Öknebo, Hölebo and parts of Svartlösa districts. Archaeological excavations have shown that the castle was surrounded by a moat. It is still partially visible on Slottsholmen's northwestern shore.
Originally, the city was simply called Tälje (several spellings are known; including ''Telge'', ''Talje'', and ''Tælga''). In 1622, the prefix 'south' was added to distinguish from the then recently founded town of
Norrtälje, located 110 km northeast of the city.
Statistics Sweden
Statistics Sweden ( ; SCB, ) is the Swedish government agency operating under the Ministry of Finance and responsible for producing official statistics for decision-making, debate and research. The agency's responsibilities include:
* developin ...
started using the modern spelling in 1900.
The city first used
St. Olof in its coat of arms. At the beginning of the 17th century, he was replaced by
Ragnhild of Tälje (). After her pilgrimages to Rome and Jerusalem, her relics are said to have been buried in Södertälje.
[Nationalencyklopedin 2007, ''Ragnhild av Tälje'']
Duke Charles (Who subsequently became King Charles) actively invested in Södertälje as a commercial and maritime city during his time as Duke of
Södermanland
Södermanland ( ), locally Sörmland, sometimes referred to under its Latinisation of names, Latinized form Sudermannia or Sudermania, is a Provinces of Sweden, historical province (or ) on the south eastern coast of Sweden. It borders Österg� ...
, which contributed to growth. A port was built just south of the city. It was not until the 1740s that the city began with industrial manufacturing in addition to shipping and trade.
[Mellander Rönn, Fredrika, Sundström, Lisa Andersson, Christina 2006, ''Södertäljes stadskärna'', Stockholms läns museum]
1800s to 1950
Södertälje already had a port, but during the 19th century it became necessary to extend it to be able to receive larger vessels.
In 1819 the
Södertälje Canal was inaugurated after 13 years of construction. Just over forty years later, in 1860, rail traffic between Södertälje and Stockholm commenced. The
Western Main Line for trains between the east and west coast of Sweden opened in 1862, with a station in the city.
Around this time Södertälje became known as a
seaside resort
A seaside resort is a city, resort town, town, village, or hotel that serves as a Resort, vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of an official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requi ...
for Stockholmers. In 1849 the Södertälje Bathing Facilities in Badparken park was opened, with both a cold bath facility and a hot bath house. The bathhouses and the Societetshus venue have been demolished, but the Bath hotel at Järnagatan street, Strandhotellet hotel, Stadsparken park and Villa Bellevue still remain from the resort era, which lasted for almost a hundred years until 1945.
The tradition of selling the local
pretzels, , is several hundred years old. They had their heyday during the resort era, i.e. around the beginning of the 19th century onwards.
[Södertälje kommun 2006, ''Historiska kringlor''. Publicerat: 2006-03-30, hämtat 2007-10-20 från ] They were typically sold by older women, often referred to as (English: Pretzel ladies). The pretzels were primarily sold to tourists, especially at the city's railway stations. The sale of pretzels, among other aspects of the resort town, was described in the magazine (English: Swedish Family Journal) in 1881.
[Sätherberg, Herman 1881, ''Södertelge'', Svenska Familj-Journalen]
By the 1900s, Södertälje's population had grown to over 8,000 people. Around the turn of the century several large factories were established in the city: Svenska Centrifug AB (1896), AB Södertelge Verkstäder (1897), Baltic (1906),
Aktiebolaget Astra Apotekarnes Kemiska Fabriker (Astra) (1913), Tobaksmonopolet (1915) och Wedaverken (1917). Perhaps most interesting is the formation of
VABIS, Vagnfabriks-Aktiebolaget in Södertelge (1891). In 1911 it merged with
Scania
Scania ( ), also known by its native name of Skåne (), is the southernmost of the historical provinces of Sweden, provinces () of Sweden. Located in the south tip of the geographical region of Götaland, the province is roughly conterminous w ...
and formed Scania-Vabis. Nowadays, however, the company only uses the name
Scania AB.
From 1950 until today
In the 1950s, conditions in Södertälje's central parts were considered outdated. As the city grew, and modern
apartment buildings were constructed in the outskirts, the city centre was still predominantly consisted of relatively small wooden houses. Hence, the city council decided on a major renovation of the central areas, where many buildings around the pedestrian section of Storgatan high street (including adjacent Nygatan and Köpmangatan streets) were demolished. Some of the buildings were moved to the Torekällberget City Museum. However, many of the 17th–19th century buildings around Olof Palmes plats, Marenplan, Saltsjötorget and Stortorget were preserved.
[Södertälje kommun 2006, ''Södertäljes historia i årtal'', 2006-03-30, read 2007-10-20 https://web.archive.org/web/20071026125003/http://www.sodertalje.se/templates/Page____487.aspx]
In 1960, Södertälje was still a fairly small town with a largely homogeneous population of 33,000 inhabitants. In the 1960s, however, the demographics of the city changed radically. The industrial boom and the structural transformation led to economic development and increased investments in the city's industries. The large companies
Scania-Vabis and
Astra were in high demand of labour. Recruitment was primarily made from parts of the country that were severely affected by the industrial boom, mainly
Norrland. When the manpower from other parts of the country was insufficient, foreign labour was brought in. Most of the migrant workers came from
Finland
Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...
, but also
Greece
Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
,
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
and
Yugoslavia
, common_name = Yugoslavia
, life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation
, p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia
, flag_p ...
.
[Södertälje kommun 2001, ''Mångfald och gemenskap'']
During the 1970s, immigration from Finland declined, while many Christian
Assyrians/Syriacs settled in Södertälje, mostly from
Tur Abdin,
Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
. At the end of the 1990s, many
Iraq
Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
is (the majority of which are ethnic Assyrians) arrived, and now Assyrians constitute the largest immigrant group. In total, about 39 percent of the city's population are first or second generation immigrants. In 2013, there were reports in the media that a parallel society founded by the
Assyrian/Syriac minorities had emerged, with norms, rules and a banking system without control from society.
[Oslo 2022. Fremtidens kriminalitetsutfordringer i Oslo, https://web.archive.org/web/20160211060134/https://www.politi.no/vedlegg/lokale_vedlegg/oslo/Vedlegg_2161.pdf, read 11 feb 2016] Swedish law enforcement allocated extensive resources. A trial against the mafia-like organisation (English: The Södertälje network) ended in 2013.
[Norsk polisrapport var gammal, http://www.svt.se/nyheter/regionalt/sodertalje/norsk-polisrapport-var-gammal, Sveriges Television, read 10 August 2015]
Södertälje also has a growing population of about 1,500
Mandaeans
Mandaeans (Mandaic language, Mandaic: ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀࡉࡉࡀ) ( ), also known as Mandaean Sabians ( ) or simply as Sabians ( ), are an ethnoreligious group who are followers of Mandaeism. They believe that John the Baptist was the final and ...
, most with Iraqi origins.
Construction of Almnäs garrison started in 1970.
Svea Engineer Corps and the Engineering Troops Cadet School (INGKAS) relocated to Almnäs. They were joined by Swedint, the Armed Forces International training school, in 1984. During the 1990s, the
Life Guards were also present at Almnäs. After 1996, the armed forces underwent a major reorganisation and left Almnäs altogether in 2004. The area is now a
business park.
Many of the city's modern attractions were built in the 1980s. A museum based on the book by French writer
Arthur Good was built. The museum is called
Tom Tits Experiment after the author's pen name
Tom Tit. The new
bath house opened in 1987, and is now one of the most visited bathing facilities in the country. During the 2010 and 2020 centuries, several infrastructure projects were completed or started. Further widening of the canal and the lock was initiated, as well as the upgrade of the railway around
Södertälje Hamn railway station to increase capacity.
Administrative history
The City of Södertälje was transformed to a
city municipality during the
Swedish municipal reforms of 1862. The city grew and subsequently incorporated Västertälje parish in 1946 and Östertälje parish in 1963. The city municipality expanded further in 1967, until it became the seat of the present-day
Södertälje Municipality
Södertälje Municipality () is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Södertälje.
It borders to Lake Mälaren in the north and the Baltic Sea in the south, and within the Stockholm County ...
.
Within the
Church of Sweden
The Church of Sweden () is an Evangelical Lutheran national church in Sweden. A former state church, headquartered in Uppsala, with around 5.5 million members at year end 2023, it is the largest Christian denomination in Sweden, the largest List ...
, Södertälje was part of Södertälje City parish. It incorporated the western part of in 1946, and received the name (English: Södertälje parish). It has since also incorporated the parish of Tveta. Between 1973 and 2010, part of the city was part of Västertälje parish. The eastern part of Södertälje still belongs to Östertälje parish.
Until 1971, the city belonged to the
judicial district Södertälje Council Court. In 1971, it was changed to Södertälje District Court.
Historical population figures
Cityscape
During the 1600s, the city was hit by two major fires; in 1630 and 1650. After the fire in 1650, the devastation was vast. All important buildings except the church were destroyed; including the school and town hall. After the fires, extensive
urban planning
Urban planning (also called city planning in some contexts) is the process of developing and designing land use and the built environment, including air, water, and the infrastructure passing into and out of urban areas, such as transportatio ...
was implemented under the leadership of Anders Torstensson, where the old irregular
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...
neighbourhoods were replaced by a
grid plan of streets. The 1650s plan remained largely in place until the redevelopment of the city centre in the 1960s, and still characterises many parts of the central areas. Most of the older buildings have disappeared due to city fires or demolition.
The central parts of Södertälje are today mainly the neighbourhood around what is commonly referred to as called Gågatan, which is the pedestrian part of Storgatan street. Stortorget was originally the absolute centre of the city. The reason that the area would subsequently expand (mainly in a southerly direction) is largely due to the fact that the
Central Railway Station was placed near the city park. Unlike most other cities in the country, no railroad has ever been drawn through Södertälje's central parts, which meant that very little central area had to be designated for tracks. Another interesting detail is that the old Södertälje largely consisted of wooden houses. It is commonly believed that this is because Södertälje never has been a major administrative centre, such as a
county capital or
episcopal see
An episcopal see is the area of a bishop's ecclesiastical jurisdiction.
Phrases concerning actions occurring within or outside an episcopal see are indicative of the geographical significance of the term, making it synonymous with ''diocese'' ...
. For a trade city, it wooden structures were considered sufficient. The original wooden buildings are especially well preserved in the areas around Fredsgatan and Västgötagatan streets. The older wooden houses that previously existed in the central parts have largely been moved up to Torekällberget, which is Södertälje's
open-air city museum. The first apartment building in stone was built as late as 1865. The property was at Järnagatan 8, next to Saltsjötorget square, and was built by industrialist DJ Ekeberg. When Järnagatan was lowered in 1907, the basement level became the areas that are occupied by shops today.
Södertälje's old City Hotel is situated on Saltsjötorget square. It was built to accommodate the high demand for rooms that arose during the time the city was a
seaside resort
A seaside resort is a city, resort town, town, village, or hotel that serves as a Resort, vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of an official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requi ...
. The
City council
A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough counc ...
decided to commission a new hotel on the site. Architect Ernst Haegglund was hired to design the building. The square also houses the old building for Svensk-Engelska Mineralolje AB, which was completed between 1931 and 1932 after drawings by architect Albin Stark. Between 1991 and 2008, the building served as
city hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...
. The current city hall was built on the opposite side of the central station. The new building was designed by BSK Arkitekter, and inaugurated in the autumn of 2008 by
King Carl XVI Gustaf. The building serves both as municipal offices and
cultural centre
A cultural center or cultural centre is an organization, building or complex that promotes culture and arts. Cultural centers can be neighborhood community arts organizations, private facilities, government-sponsored, or activist-run.
Africa
* ...
.
The
Central Railway Station is situated behind the City Hotel. It is one of few Swedish railway stations with two station houses. The first building is entirely in brick, and was designed in 1860 by
Adolf W. Edelsvärd. The yellow station building was added in the 1910s and was designed by
Folke Zettervall. Today, only the yellow building is used for ticket sales. The older station house is occupied by a bar, café and convenience store. The open square between the two station houses, the bus station and the railway tracks is called Stationsplan.
To the west of the station, across Järnagatan lies Villa Bellevue. During the era when Södertälje was a
seaside resort
A seaside resort is a city, resort town, town, village, or hotel that serves as a Resort, vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of an official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requi ...
, it was one of the city's most notable buildings. It was built in 1871 by the royal pastry chef Davidsson, after drawings by architect Ernst Jacobsson. The new city hall is situated next-door to the property. Villa Bellevue is located on the border between the city centre and the centrally located neighbourhood of Mariekälla, which is named after one of the city's water springs. On Parkgatan, which is a parallel street to the district's main street Mariekällgatan, lies Villa Walhall. The villa was built in 1875 by engineer Ludvig Jerving. Villa Walhall and Villa Bellevue were considered so typical of the
resort town Södertälje that they were described and depicted in a series of articles in the magazine in 1881.
Most restaurants and bars are located around Lake Maren. Marenplan square (formerly called Stadshamnen port), served as Södertälje's most important port until the construction of Mälarhamnen port in 1880. When Marenplan served as city port, ships carrying goods would moor there, and sell their merchandise to individuals and traders waiting at the quay. Boat traffic to inner Maren continued until 1963, when the Maren Bridge between Strandgatan and Lotsudden was built. The bridge was only intended as a temporary solution, and became demolished in 1993. The Maren Bridge subsequently replaced a
pedestrian and bicycle bridge. The initial plan was to have the bridge removed during the summer months to allow boats to moor in inner Maren seasonally. The bridge subsequently became year-round fixed link. The Sorbonne house lies where Lotsudden and Marenplan meet. It was built in 1905, and served as
studio for photographer David Sorbon until 1928. The building was completely renovated in 1985–86, to accommodate several residential apartments and a restaurant.
Just above Marenplan lies the square Olof Palmes plats, which was named after the murdered Prime Minister
Olof Palme
Sven Olof Joachim Palme (; ; 30 January 1927 – 28 February 1986) was a Swedish politician and statesman who served as Prime Minister of Sweden from 1969 to 1976 and 1982 to 1986. Palme led the Swedish Social Democratic Party from 1969 until as ...
. Among the buildings on the square is the old bank palace that used to belong to Södertälje Sparbank. Like many other buildings in Södertälje, the city's patron saint
Ragnhild of Tälje (Swedish: ) is depicted on the facade. The importance of Olof Palmes plats was especially high when it served as hub for the city buses, which have since been moved to the
Central Railway Station. The streets Storgatan, Badhusgatan and Järnagatan begin at Olof Palmes plats.
Most department stores and high street shopping are located on (English: the Pedestrian street), which is the pedestrian part of Storgatan that runs between Torekällgatan and Stortorget. The pedestrian street is dominated by modern
department stores, built during the 1960s.
The largest are (architect Erik and Tore Ahlsén), , and (which initially was a Domus department store). A notable exception to the otherwise modern structures is
Skandinaviska Enskilda Bankens bank palace, which was built between 1901 and 1902 at the initiative of the tobacco trader TH. Gustafsson. The local architect Tore E: son Lindhberg made the drawings. In 1939, the facade was modernized, and subsequently restored when the building was completely renovated in 1975.
The hospital on Orionkullen was built 1777–78. Until 1823, the building served as
lazaretto of the
Royal Order of the Seraphim. After 1823, the building became a private residence. From 1844, the buildings were used as city hall and for higher education. In 1907 the council administration moved from Orionkullen, allowing the educational institution to expand. As the school faculty moved to the new
secondary school
A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., b ...
building at Erik Dahlberg's road, a girls' school moved in. The girls' school at Orionkullen closed in 1968. The building is home to a
cultural centre
A cultural center or cultural centre is an organization, building or complex that promotes culture and arts. Cultural centers can be neighborhood community arts organizations, private facilities, government-sponsored, or activist-run.
Africa
* ...
today.
The area where the secondary school moved is east of
the canal, the Museum of Biology and the present day city hospital. After the 1960s upper secondary school reform, the institution became a
Gymnasium Secondary school. Close to the school lies Mälarparken, which is home to the professional
Miniature golf course. They local team has won several championships. The city council offices were also located by the park before moving to the intersection of Nygatan/Torekällgatan. Södertälje's current hospital is across the street from the secondary school. It houses one of the
county
A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...
's six
trauma centres. It opened in 1907, but has been expanded and renovated on several occasions, most recently in 2017.
As the land
post-glacial rebound
Post-glacial rebound (also called isostatic rebound or crustal rebound) is the rise of land masses after the removal of the huge weight of ice sheets during the last glacial period, which had caused isostatic depression. Post-glacial rebound an ...
made Södertälje Canal shallower, it became increasingly difficult for merchants to get between Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea to sell their goods. It was decided to build a square in Södertälje, where they could meet to and hold markets. The location of the square was carefully selected so it would be located
equidistant between the city's ports at Baltic Sea and Lake Mälaren. This way, merchants did not have to drag their goods longer than was absolutely necessary. The main square in Södertälje is thus not primarily designed as a trading place for the city's inhabitants themselves. For hundreds of years, Stortorget was very important because of the lively square trade held there. At that time, Stortorget was regarded as the city's centremost place. In modern times, when most trade is conducted in stores, the importance of the square has diminished. Marenplan has increasingly taken over the role as the most central location in the city. The most famous building on Stortorget is perhaps the old yellow wooden City Hall building, which was opened in 1735. The City Hall originally stood on the west side of the square. It was temporarily relocated to Västra Kanalgatan during the redevelopment of the city centre in the 1960s. Since 1982, the City Hall has been in its present location. Today it houses art galleries and a café. Across the square lies the current Södertälje District Court, which was designed by Åke Lindqvist, and built by Anders Diös.
On the northern side of Stortorget square is (English: Church of
Ragnhild of Tälje) from the 1100s–1300s. It is the main church in Södertälje parish in the
Diocese of Strängnäs. After many renovations, the church is today a large building with three arches. The oldest parts consist of grey brick walls that comprise the lower parts of the
bell tower
A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell to ...
and the two westernmost compartments of the longhouse. Renovations were made after the city fire in 1650. Further additions were made in the 1670s, when the Cronberg-Hackerska
choir
A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...
in the middle of the southern wall. It was probably designed by
Erik Dahlbergh, and is now used as a baptismal chapel. During the fires during the
Russian Pillage of 1719–21, it was one of few buildings that survived. A major restoration under the direction of architect B. Romare took place between 1960 and 1961. A few years after this, two of the windows next to the baptismal chapel received new stained glass windows by F. Heybrock. The exterior of the church was repaired in 1986–1987, with the facades partially receiving their current colour scheme.
Above Stortorget and Gågatan lies Nygatan street, which is almost exclusively home to modern buildings. Among them, Roxyhuset (English: the Roxy house) is worth mentioning. The building was designed by architect Björn Hedvall, and was completed in 1939. Its lower level housed a
cinema until 1992, when it moved to Lunagallerian on Storgatan street. After this, the Roxy House was partially renovated, and a convenience store, restaurant and nightclub moved in. Nygatan street is also home to Södertälje's old
Telegraph station. It was built 1939–1940, after drawings by U. Ahlbom. Around the time the telegraph station was put into operation, automation of the Swedish telephone network began. The station was subsequently closed after just 30 years. Below the station lies Torekällskolan school. It is the oldest of the city's schools that is still in use. Since its opening in 1869, it has been rebuilt on numerous occasions.

Holmfastvägen road begins in the city's central parts, and connects to the area Geneta in the western parts of the city. The road originally went all the way to Näsby, next to Lake Måsnaren. It was built during the 11th century, thus marking the early importance of the area around Södertälje. A large runic inscription called the
Holmfast Inscriptions (Swedish: ) describe the construction by Viking Holmfast, including reinforcing the land and building bridges. Archaeologists find it likely that Holmfast's old bridges remain under the roadway. Around the engraving, which is located in close proximity to the road, have today been cleaned up and put up signs from the
Swedish National Heritage Board with translations of the inscription.
[Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk](_blank)
- Rundata entry for Sö 311.[Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk](_blank)
- Rundata entry for Sö 312.
Retail parks are a fairly new feature in Södertälje. Until the early 2000s, the only really large collection of shops, apart from local neighbourhood centres, was in the eastern part of the city. With the construction of , just east of Weda, availability of shops increased. The area around
Scaniarinken previously contained some shops, but has subsequently been extended to form . Some shops are also located around Hansaplan in the area Södra, close to
Södertälje Hamn railway station.
Bridges
Until 1924, when the
upgraded canal opened, there was just one single bridge connecting the eastern and western parts of the city. It was a
swing bridge, near the old lock, at Mälarehamnen. It was built in 1910 at
Södertelge Verkstäder. After it was replaced by a more modern bridge, the old swing bridge was moved to
Stäksundet in the province of
Uppland
Uppland is a historical province or ' on the eastern coast of Sweden, just north of Stockholm, the capital. It borders Södermanland, Västmanland and Gästrikland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea.
The name literally ...
.
At times there was also an iron bridge that was rolled out over the lock itself. It was also possible to use rowing boats to cross. Boat services were usually operated women, predominantly
dalkullor. A crossing would cost 2–5
öre, depending on season. The rowing boats could carry up to around five people. At the narrowest place, the distance across was just 12 metres. Embarking by Viksgatan street was especially popular. Many were willing to pay to avoid having to walk to the swing bridge and back again if they lived around the areas of Tältet or Hagaberg. During the winter, simple
footbridge
A footbridge (also a pedestrian bridge, pedestrian overpass, or pedestrian overcrossing) is a bridge designed solely for pedestrians.''Oxford English Dictionary'' While the primary meaning for a bridge is a structure which links "two points at a ...
s supported by pontoons were laid out – making the crossing free of charge.

There are currently three places where it is possible to cross
the canal on foot or by car, plus two railway bridges. The northernmost link is the Mälarbron bridge, which has three predecessors: the
swing bridge from the 19th century, and another swing bridge that was used between 1910 and 1924. Both stood about 150 meters south of the current Mälarbron bridge. In 1924, the first
bascule bridge
A bascule bridge (also referred to as a drawbridge or a lifting bridge) is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances a span, or leaf, throughout its upward swing to provide clearance for boat traffic. It may be single- o ...
opened. It was often referred to as simply or (English: "the Bascule bridge" or "the Country Road Bridge"). It was a double flap bridge with two fixed bridge vaults on each side. Ragnar Hjort made the architectural design. After
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, it could no longer handle the increased traffic volume. Hence, the current Mälarbron was commissioned, and opened in 1971. It is equipped with a control tower. Today the bridge together with the whole route from
Landsort in to
Mälaren is remote controlled from the locks in Södertälje.
The most central crossing is at the
canal lock, and consists of the two bridges Marenbron, which crosses Lake Maren, and Slussbron, which crosses
the canal itself. In 1963, the first bridge over the Maren was built. It was intended as a temporary link, and was subsequently demolished in 1993. The Marenbron was later replaced by a pedestrian and bicycle bridge. The initial plan was to have it removed during the summer, allowing small boats to reach the inner parts of the lake. It did however become a year-round fixed link. In September 2003, a
referendum
A referendum, plebiscite, or ballot measure is a Direct democracy, direct vote by the Constituency, electorate (rather than their Representative democracy, representatives) on a proposal, law, or political issue. A referendum may be either bin ...
among the residents of
Södertälje Municipality
Södertälje Municipality () is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Södertälje.
It borders to Lake Mälaren in the north and the Baltic Sea in the south, and within the Stockholm County ...
was held, where they could decide if they wanted a new car bridge to be commissioned at the site. The costs were estimated to 40 million
Swedish krona
The krona (; plural: ''kronor''; sign: kr; code: SEK) is the currency of Sweden. Both the ISO code "SEK" and currency sign "kr" are in common use for the krona; the former precedes or follows the value, the latter usually follows it but, espec ...
. At the referendum, 56.5 percent voted no and 39.4 percent favourably, meaning no new car bridge was built. Suggestions to build an
arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its structural load, loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either si ...
or
bascule bridge
A bascule bridge (also referred to as a drawbridge or a lifting bridge) is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances a span, or leaf, throughout its upward swing to provide clearance for boat traffic. It may be single- o ...
for pedestrians and cyclists have been brought forward. It would allow boats to pass under and reach the inner parts of Lake Maren in the centremost parts of the city. Pedestrians have also been able to cross the canal itself by walking across the lock gates.
The Saltsjöbron and E4-bron bridges constitute the southernmost crossing for cars and pedestrians. They run between the districts of Södra and Viksängen in Södertälje's southern parts. Saltsjöbron is a
bascule bridge
A bascule bridge (also referred to as a drawbridge or a lifting bridge) is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances a span, or leaf, throughout its upward swing to provide clearance for boat traffic. It may be single- o ...
, and the road that goes across it is called Viksängsleden. It is equipped with a bicycle and pedestrian path. E4-bron is a
vertical-lift bridge
A vertical-lift bridge or just lift bridge is a type of movable bridge in which a span rises vertically while remaining parallel with the deck.
The vertical lift offers several benefits over other movable bridges such as the bascule and swi ...
, crossed by the eponymous
E4 Motorway, and marks the southern fork with
E20. It was built in the 1960s, together with the motorways around the city. Saltsjöbron was built in 2002 to relieve the E4-bron, and to provide an alternative in case of mechanical failure after one occurred in 1990.
Parallel to Saltsjöbron and E4-bron lays the railway bridge predominantly used by local and freight trains. It opened in the summer of 2010, and is hence the youngest bridge in the city. It replaced the old railway bridge from 1921, which was located immediately east of the current bridge. The old bridge was replaces as it was unable to handle heavy trains, nor deep-going maritime vessels. It was also too noisy. The distance between the bridge pillars on the new bridge is wider, to enable
the canal to be broadened further. The old railway bridge had a small pedestrian path. After it was demolished in autumn of 2010, pedestrians must cross at Saltsjöbron instead. The old railway bridge replaced an even older bridge from 1860 that crossed around the area of Tältet. That bridge was demolished in the 1920s, when Saltskog railway station had been closed and replaced
Södertälje Södra railway station (subsequently renamed Södertälje Hamn).
The
Igelsta Bridge is the southernmost of the city's bridges. It is the main route for long distance and regional trains across
Södertälje Canal. It is 2140 meters long, reaches as high as 48 meters above the canal, making it Sweden's tallest and longest railway bridge (after the Swedish part of the
Øresund Bridge). Igelstabron spans between
Pershagen and Hall. The bridge forms part of the Grödingebanan on the
Western Main Line and opened in 1995.
Södertälje Syd railway station is located on the bridge's eastern
abutment
An abutment is the substructure at the ends of a bridge span or dam supporting its superstructure. Single-span bridges have abutments at each end that provide vertical and lateral support for the span, as well as acting as retaining walls ...
.
Accidents and incidents
On 13 February 2016, all four members of the English rock band
Viola Beach (along with their manager Craig Tarry) were killed during their first overseas tour when their car fell from a bridge in Södertälje. The
Swedish Police Authority opened an inquiry and found that Tarry, who was driving, had no traces of alcohol nor drugs in his blood.
They also found that Tarry had engaged the brakes before reaching the bridge, ruling out the possibility that he had fallen asleep, and authorities said the incident ultimately remained "completely inexplicable".
Church buildings
Södertälje belongs to the
Diocese of Strängnäs within the
Church of Sweden
The Church of Sweden () is an Evangelical Lutheran national church in Sweden. A former state church, headquartered in Uppsala, with around 5.5 million members at year end 2023, it is the largest Christian denomination in Sweden, the largest List ...
. A total of eight
church buildings
A church, church building, church house, or chapel is a building used for Christian worship church service, services and Christian religion, Christian activities. The earliest identified Christian church is a house church founded between 233 A ...
are located within Södertälje. The oldest and most important to this day is ''Sankta Ragnhilds kyrka'' (English: Church of
Ragnhild of Tälje) from the 1100s–1300s, which is located on the main square Stortorget. Further churches belonging to Södertälje parish are (St. Michael's Church) in Geneta, (Hovsjö Church) and (Lina Church) in Lina Hage. Lina kyrka was designed by Tallius Myhrman. It is renowned for its design, and has been depicted in several Swedish architecture magazines.
The main church in Östertälje parish is (All Saints' Church) in Östertälje. The parish also operates (Hagaberg's chapel) on the grounds of Hagaberg
Folk high school. It was built in 1894 as a chapel on Vartofta farm in
Västergötland
Västergötland (), also known as West Gothland or the Latinized version Westrogothia in older literature, is one of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden (''landskap'' in Swedish), situated in the southwest of Sweden.
Vä ...
. The chapel was moved to its present location in 1914, after having been dismantled and transported by train. In the centre of the Brunnsäng area lays the church Brunnsäng kyrka, which is the youngest in the city. There is also a chapel at Södertälje hospital.
There are several congregations not affiliated with the Church of Sweden in the city. The
Catholic Church in Sweden has ''Sankt Ansgar's'' church by Mälarbron. The associated parish has members from a vast hinterland around the city. There is a sizable community of Orthodox Christians in Södertälje. The
Syriac Orthodox Church has two bishops in the city, besides five Syrian Orthodox churches, two soccer teams and a TV channel that airs programs in Neo-Aramaic, Arabic and English. The minority group of
Sweden Finns have services in the Finnish language within the Church of Sweden. There is also a Finnish-speaking
Pentecostal congregation.
Transportation
Roads
The
E4 and
E20 Motorways have their southern fork after which they form separate roads at Saltskog junction in Södertälje.
[Nationalencyklopedin, Södertälje. http://www.ne.se/uppslagsverk/encyklopedi/lång/södertälje-(tätort-södertälje-kommun) (hämtad 2020-06-06)] Other major roads passing through the city are
Riksväg 1 (to
Trosa and further south), and Länsväg 225 (to
Nynäshamn via
Ösmo). These towns, plus Mariefred, Stockholm, Trosa and Gnesta, are served by regular buses. Riksväg 57 (to Katrineholm via Flen ) also begins in Södertälje.
Trains
Given the many railways that go to or through Södertälje, services are both frequent and diverse. International trains to cities like Oslo and Copenhagen call in Södertälje, in addition to local, regional and national services. There are four stations within the urban area of the city:
Södertälje Centrum (central station),
Södertälje Syd,
Södertälje Hamn and
Östertälje.
Due to its topography and the fact that it is divided by a canal, it has been difficult to build good train connections in and through the city.
Despite this, Södertälje is one of the largest railway hubs in Sweden.
When the railway to Södertälje was commissioned, it was decided that
the main line would not be drawn through what was then the immediate city centre. The decision was one of the factors behind the urban planning of the area Mariekälla, just south of the Järnatullen city toll.
[Svenska Familj-Journalen / Band 20, årgång 1881 / 368, https://runeberg.org/famijour/1881/0372.html]
The railway station in Södertälje became (English: Södertälje Upper).
Its initial name of caused confusion as it was then well outside the city, which was resolved by the name change. The
central station was named (English: Södertälje lower). In 1885, the stations' names were changed again, with Södertelge upper being named Saltskog, and Södertelge nedre becoming Södertälje Central. Both railway stations opened in October 1860, together with the railway to Stockholm. The railway would subsequently become extended further south towards Katrineholm and Gothenburg and become the
Western Main Line.
The railway Norra Södermanlands Järnväg through the northern part of the province of
Södermanland
Södermanland ( ), locally Sörmland, sometimes referred to under its Latinisation of names, Latinized form Sudermannia or Sudermania, is a Provinces of Sweden, historical province (or ) on the south eastern coast of Sweden. It borders Österg� ...
opened in 1895, which meant that Södertälje also got a railway connection to Eskilstuna.
Södertelge Öfre opened with a simple wooden station building with two platforms and a warehouse. A modern stone building replaced the old station in 1885.
The
Central Railway Station stands out by having two station buildings. The oldest is entirely in red brick, and was designed by the railway architect
Adolf W. Edelsvärd. The yellow building was added in the 1910s and was designed by
Folke Zettervall . In October 1921, the station
Södertälje Södra opened together with the new double track through the city.
Södertälje Södra replaced the old railway station in Saltskog, whose station house was demolished in 1947
or possibly earlier.
The next traffic diversion occurred in 1994, when the
Igelsta Bridge opened. Unlike the other bridges in Södertälje, it is built on sail-free altitude above the canal.
Södertälje Syd railway station (English: Södertälje South) is located on its western
abutment
An abutment is the substructure at the ends of a bridge span or dam supporting its superstructure. Single-span bridges have abutments at each end that provide vertical and lateral support for the span, as well as acting as retaining walls ...
. It is the city's current station serviced by long distance
inter-city
Inter-city rail services are Express train, express trains that run services that connect cities over longer distances than Commuter rail, commuter or Regional rail, regional trains. They include rail services that are neither short-distance co ...
and
high-speed rail
High-speed rail (HSR) is a type of rail transport network utilising trains that run significantly faster than those of traditional rail, using an integrated system of specialised rolling stock and dedicated railway track, tracks. While there is ...
. The old railroad below the bridge is used by commuter trains. Platforms are located both on the bridge, and on the old tracks below.
The waiting hall is situated on a concourse level between the tracks. After Södertälje Syd opened, the stations in the city once again changed their names. Södertälje Södra became Södertälje Hamn (English: port), and the Central Station became Södertälje Centrum. Igelsta station had previously changed name to Östertälje.
Today, Södertälje is a railway hub
for
Svealandsbanan, the
Western Main Line and Nyköpingsbanan . Both the more recent Grödingebanan for long-distance trains and the old main line run in the direction towards Stockholm. The many railways that pass through Södertälje mean that it is possible to travel to Sweden's three major cities (Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö) without changing trains.
Waterways
The first functioning
canal through Södertälje was built between 1806 and 1819
after drawings by water engineering engineer Eric Nordewall. The canal has since been extended and broadened on several occasions.
[Nationalencyklopedin, Södertälje kanal. http://www.ne.se/uppslagsverk/encyklopedi/lång/södertälje-kanal (hämtad 2020-06-06)] Within the scope of the Mälarprojektet initiative, the canal was expanded between 2016 and 2020 to handle vessels that are 160 meters long and 23 meters wide. The project encompassed a longer and wider
lock
Lock(s) or Locked may refer to:
Common meanings
*Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance
*Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal
Arts and entertainme ...
, and dredging of the sides of the canal to make them straighter. The width of the water surface was thus kept unchanged.
Every day, over 40 boats pass through
Södertälje canal, carrying more than 5 million metric tonnes of goods each year. Of these, about 4 million tonnes are shipped into Lake
Mälaren, and 1 million tonnes to the
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...
. Primarily, coal, cement, iron, limestone and chalk are carried through the canal. The port of Södertälje also acts as a transhipment terminal from rail to trucks and ships.
The port of Södertälje consists of four
wharf
A wharf ( or wharfs), quay ( , also ), staith, or staithe is a structure on the shore of a harbour or on the bank of a river or canal where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers. Such a structure includes one or more Berth (mo ...
s: Sydhamnen, Oljehamnen, Igelsta, and Uthamnen. Sydhamnen primarily handles containers and
roll-on/roll-off cargo, including imported cars. The oldest wharf is Uthamnen. Here, smaller quantities of odd bulk cargo are handled, mainly road salt. Combustible goods are primarily transported to the Igelstahamnen to the Igelsta
heating plant. Oljehamnen handles imports of gas, liquid chemicals, oil and similar products. Since the 1950s, the port of Södertälje has been important for the Swedish import of cars. About 80,000 cars are handled per year, which corresponds to about 30 percent of total national car imports. Cars shipped to Södertälje are of Volkswagen, Škoda, Audi, Ford, Porsche, Opel and Mercedes brands.
City buses
Owing to Södertälje's location close to a
county border, both
SL and Sörmlandstrafiken operate buses in the city. The
city bus network consists of around fifteen bus lines. They use the
Central Railway Station as hub. Before Järnagatan street became pedestrian, most buses would use that round through the city centre. Most now take Nygatan street. In addition to regular city buses, there are special services adapted to
pensioner
A pensioner is a person who receives a pension, most commonly because of retirement from the workforce. This is a term typically used in the United Kingdom (along with OAP, initialism of old-age pensioner), Ireland and Australia where someone of p ...
s and people with
disabilities
Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physica ...
known as Närtrafiken buses.
Night services operate all night both weekends and weekdays. The city is served by two circular bus routes, one on each side of
the canal.
Economy
Södertälje is particularly known for its two large companies,
Astra Zeneca and
Scania
Scania ( ), also known by its native name of Skåne (), is the southernmost of the historical provinces of Sweden, provinces () of Sweden. Located in the south tip of the geographical region of Götaland, the province is roughly conterminous w ...
. Measured in sheer number of companies, the retail, wholesale and restaurant sectors dominate, with about 1,000 companies. The building and construction industry has about 600 companies in the Södertälje, and some 450 companies in the consultancy sector. In total, there are over 4,000 businesses in the city. Södertälje has a high number of small businesses with five or fewer employees.
Large corporations
Aktiebolaget Astra, Apotekarnes Kemiska Fabriker was founded in 1913 by pharmacist Adolf Rising. Initially, the company had only ten employees, but already developed strongly during the first years. The company started with only five employees, but grew exponentially in its first years of trading. One of the reasons was an increased need for medication due to the
first world war
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. The company merged with its British competitor
Zeneca in 1999, and formed the pharmaceutical group
Astra Zeneca. The company's pill factory in Gärtuna in south-eastern Södertälje is the largest of its kind in the world, employing over 3,200 people.

In 1891,
Vagnfabriks-Aktiebolaget i Södertelge (abbreviated VABIS) started as manufacturier of railway cars, petrol engines, automobiles, trucks, motor-powered draisines, motorboats and marine engines.
In 1911 they merged with
Maskinfabriks-aktiebolaget Scania and formed ''Scania-Vabis''. The company only uses the name
Scania AB today. The head office remains in its original location, by
Saltskogsfjärden south of the city centre of Södertälje. Together with its subsidiaries, Scania currently employs over 9,000 people in Södertälje, making the Group the largest employer.
Retail trade
Most retail shopping is available in the city centre; predominantly on Storgatan and Järnagatan streets, but also adjacent areas. The ''Kringlan'' department store was one of the first modern department stores when it opened in 1965.
The name Kringlan (English: The
Pretzel) is a reference to the long-lasting local tradition of selling pretzels in Södertälje.
Other department stores include ''Luna'' and ''Telgehuset''. Retail shopping outside the city centre is mainly located in Moraberg on the eastern side of the
canal
Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface ...
, as well as Vasa Handelsplats in the western part. Larger stores are also located around Hansaplan in the Södra area.
Education
KTH Royal Institute of Technology has a campus in Södertälje, where they conduct university education within
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is the study of physical machines and mechanism (engineering), mechanisms that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and engineering mathematics, mathematics principl ...
,
Logistics
Logistics is the part of supply chain management that deals with the efficient forward and reverse flow of goods, services, and related information from the point of origin to the Consumption (economics), point of consumption according to the ...
and other subjects all the way up to
Master's level including
Master of Science in Engineering. Education is given in cooperation with the city's two large corporations
Scania AB and
AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca plc () (AZ) is a British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company with its headquarters at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus in Cambridge, UK. It has a portfolio of products for major diseases in areas includi ...
. In 2018, KTH moved in to a newly built campus in ''Södertälje Science Park'' drawn by the architect firm
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
. The Royal Institute of Technology has 1,200 students and hired researchers in Södertälje.
Several universities conduct higher education at the learning centre Campus Telge. When it started it was located in Mariekälla, but moved to new premises that previously housed the headquarters of
Astra AB in 2015. Both individual courses and whole university programmes are offered within a variety of subjects, meaning students can study at the campus all the way until graduation. Education within Yrkeshögskolan (English: Higher Vocational Education) is also held.
Hagabergs folkhögskola started as a Bible Institute in 1910, and became a
folk high school in 1957. It is run by the
Swedish Evangelical Mission. Around 250 students study at the academy, of which 20 reside at the
boarding school
A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instruction. The word "boarding" is used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals. They have existed for many centuries, and now extend acr ...
. The curriculum mostly centres on studies of Christian theology. The general introductory course for students pursuing a career within the
Church of Sweden
The Church of Sweden () is an Evangelical Lutheran national church in Sweden. A former state church, headquartered in Uppsala, with around 5.5 million members at year end 2023, it is the largest Christian denomination in Sweden, the largest List ...
, as well as , which is mostly non-religious and supplements normal
secondary school
A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., b ...
education.
In 2017, Södertälje had 13
secondary schools, five of which were
municipal and eight operated as
charter schools.
Culture
Södertälje's primary
theatre
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a Stage (theatre), stage. The performe ...
is Oktoberteatern at Marenplan, which has a number of new productions each year. The venue opened in 1928. It originally contained a cinema called Castor, but was turned in to a theatre after a renovation in 1984. Södertälje is also home to Sweden's only professional Finnish-language theatre group; Teatteri Kipinä.
One of the most popular
cultural centre
A cultural center or cultural centre is an organization, building or complex that promotes culture and arts. Cultural centers can be neighborhood community arts organizations, private facilities, government-sponsored, or activist-run.
Africa
* ...
around the city is Kulturhuset i Ytterjärna (English: The Cultural Centre in Ytterjärna). The complex houses a theatre, café, conference rooms and offices. It opened in 1992, and won second prize for Sweden's most popular modern building in 2001. During construction, special attention was paid to the acoustics of the premises, which has resulted in many concerts being held here. The concert hall has about 500 seats, and together with other anthroposophical activities receives about 30,000 visitors annually. Other cultural activities include exhibitions on architecture and garden art.
The stages Estrad and Trombon at the City Hall often show theatre as well as concerts and film. The association Molto has organised concerts and creative activities for youth since 2008. A recurring tradition in Södertälje is the local
revue ''Täljerevyn'', which makes humorous cabarets about the city, local traits and politics every year.
Museums
Torekällberget
open-air museum
An open-air museum is a museum that exhibits collections of buildings and artifacts outdoors. It is also frequently known as a museum of buildings or a folk museum.
Definition
Open air is "the unconfined atmosphere ... outside buildings" ...
(colloquially referred to as just or simply ) with the city museum Södertälje Stadsmuseum, is one of the most popular sights to visit in the city. The museum first opened in 1929 when the landmark
windmill and a few other buildings were moved to the site. In connection with the redevelopment of the city centre in 1961, many old buildings were moved to Torekällberget. The museum is divided into the environments "Staden" (English: the City) and "Landet" (English: the Countryside). The urban environment is built around the main square Tenngjutartorget, where markets often are held. The square is surrounded by buildings from the 1700–1800s. Several species of domestic animals are kept at the museum. The environment conveys a picture of life in rural farms around Södertälje in the 1800s and earlier. There is also a stage where ballroom dancing and performances are often arranged during the summer months.
The vehicle museum
Marcus Wallenberg-hallen (English: The Marcus Wallenberg Hall) is situated by
Saltskogsfjärden, next to the headquarters of
Scania AB. The museum is named after the industrialist
Marcus Wallenberg Jr. The collections include a number of older vehicles and environments; like the first mass-produced car in Sweden from 1903. It also features railway cars that were owned by the
Swedish State Railways, used between the late 1800s until the early 1900s. Exhibited objects have been restored to their original condition. A little less than half of the museum consists of newer vehicles manufactured during the 2000s.

Södertälje is home to a large science museum based on the book ''La Science Amusante'' by French writer
Arthur Good. The museum is called ''Tom Tits Experiment'' after the author's pen name
Tom Tit. It started as a temporary exhibition at Södertälje Hall of Arts (Swedish: Södertälje Konsthall), but became so popular that it was turned in to a permanent museum. The museum is located in an old industrial building at Storgatan street. Today, it is the largest
Science centre in Sweden. It occupies four floors, and has a park that is open during the summer season. The exhibitions contain more than 400 science experiments. Tom Tits Experiment received around 190,000 visitors in 2018.
(English: Saltskog manor) was the home of the
industrialist and mecenate Carl Fredrik Liljevalch. Today it serves as a museum. The farm dates back to the 16th century. Liljevalch acquired it in 1881. Previously, the farm had been owned by the families Lovisin, Gyllenstierna, Dufva and Tamm. Liljevalch did however became the first to actually settle there permanently. He took an active part in the daily activities on the farm, and aspired that Saltskog gård would serve as a textbook example of ideal farming. He undertook extensive renovations of the farm and the estates to make them a cultural centre filled with art. An extension was made to the main building; and a smaller villa was added, together with a barn, stables and outhouses. The garden contains several unusual species of trees and is designed as an
English landscape garden
The English landscape garden, also called English landscape park or simply the English garden (, , , , ), is a style of "landscape" garden which emerged in England in the early 18th century, and spread across Europe, replacing the more formal ...
. Two new commemorative rune stones were carved. Today, the manor is run by a non-profit association. They have restored much of the premises in their original condition. There are several artist
studios and exhibition halls. Concerts, lectures and exhibitions are held all year round. During the summer season, theatre is also performed in the gardens.
(English: The Museum of Biology) was donated to the city by patron Carl Fredrik Liljevalch. The building is in Art Nouveau style, and located on Erik Dahlbergs road. It opened to the public in 1913, thus making it the oldest museum in the city. The exhibitions were created by Gustaf Kolthoff and his son Kjell Kolthoff, and show animals and birds from the province of Sörmland (where Södertälje is located) in their natural environments. In total, there are over 100 different species on display. Kjell Kolthoff painted the large
dioramas that have remained to this day. The museum was completely renovated and reopened in 1983.
The world's oldest propeller-driven steamship which still has its original engine is S/S Ejdern. It was originally built by
Götaverken in Gothenburg in 1880. During its first years, Ejdern operated in the Gothenburg archipelago, Lake Roxen, and several ports in central Sweden. Since 1906, it has had its home port in Södertälje. The first route from the port in Södertälje was to Mörkö, and cargo hauls in eastern Lake Mälaren . Between 1914 and 1957, the boat had one single owner, Rickard Fredmark. He sold the boat to the City of Södertälje. At that time, the ship was unprofitable and in very poor condition. The city subsequently decided that the boat was to be scrapped. In 1964 the boat was donated to an association for the preservation of old boats. Enthusiasts of this particular vessel broke out and formed (English: The Museum Association S/S Ejdern), who still own the boat today. Since 1976 they operate museum routs around Södertälje. From 1984, the boat is once again coal powered. S/S Ejdern has a capacity of 90 people, and often operates the route to
Adelsö and Viking city
Birka
Birka (''Birca'' in medieval sources), on the island of Björkö, Ekerö, Björkö (lit. "Birch Island") in present-day Sweden, was an important Viking Age trading center which handled goods from Scandinavia as well as many parts of Continent ...
.
Wendela Hebbes hus (English: Wendela Hebbe's house) is a museum of
Wendela Hebbe, who was the first female professional
journalist
A journalist is a person who gathers information in the form of text, audio or pictures, processes it into a newsworthy form and disseminates it to the public. This is called journalism.
Roles
Journalists can work in broadcast, print, advertis ...
in Sweden. She became employed at the newspaper ''
Aftonbladet'' in 1841, where she wrote about theatre and music, and translated books. Besides being a journalist, she also wrote fairy tales. The building is a yellow wooden house, with two floors. It first stood at Snäckviken, close to the headquarters of
Astra AB. The property was purchased by
Lars Johan Hierta
Lars Johan Hierta (; 22 January 1801 – 20 November 1872) was a Swedish Publishing, newspaper publisher, Social criticism, social critic, businessman and politician. He is best known as the founder of the newspaper ''Aftonbladet'' in 1830. Hier ...
in 1863 to serve as a summer house for Wendela, her daughter Signe and the jointly unrecognised son Edvard Faustman. After being acquired by Södertälje Municipality it was moved to its present location between the canal and Marenplan in the city centre, and underwent extensive renovations. The venue houses a restaurant and a museum section with furniture and paintings from the Hebbe and Faustman families. It also acts as a
cultural centre
A cultural center or cultural centre is an organization, building or complex that promotes culture and arts. Cultural centers can be neighborhood community arts organizations, private facilities, government-sponsored, or activist-run.
Africa
* ...
, hosting theatres and exhibitions.
(English: Södertälje Museum of Arts) showcases various exhibitions of paintings, sculptures and other artistic installations. The museum opened in 1968, and relocated to its current premises in Luna in 1978. In 2015, Grafikens Hus (English: House of Graphics) decided to relocate to the city from nearby Mariefred, meaning there would be two art museums in Södertälje.
Libraries
Södertälje's city library was originally run by an independent association, but was taken over by the city council in 1945. It moved to its present location in 1978.
Lectures, courses and theatre are also held at the premises. The library has branches in Hölö, Järna, Enhörna, Hovsjö and Mölnbo. The libraries in Enhörna, Hölö and Mölnbo are combined school and public libraries.
Sports
In
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
,
Södertälje BBK or SBBK is one of the best in the country, and ''Södertalje KINGS'' became Swedish Champions in 2013, 2014 and 2015. In total SBBK has won 10 golds for the male team ''Södertalje KINGS'' and 12 golds for the female team ''Telge Basket''. SBBK has in total 132 Swedish Championships since the star in 1968.
Täljehallen is the home for SBBK.
The city is home to
Södertälje SK, a classic and successful
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
team currently playing in Sweden's second-highest league –
HockeyAllsvenskan – with
Scaniarinken as their home arena.
Assyriska FF and
Syrianska FC are also two successful
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
clubs started in 1974 and 1977. They play at the same arena;
Södertälje Fotbollsarena.
The
Södertälje Rugbyklubb was formed in 1968.
Södertälje Rugbyklubb
/ref> The Södertälje Storm Rugby League club are a pioneering Rugby league
Rugby league football, commonly known as rugby league in English-speaking countries and rugby 13/XIII in non-Anglophone Europe, is a contact sport, full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular Rugby league playin ...
team, playing in the Swedish National Rugby League, which was formed in 2015.
There is an indoor swimming arena in which elite training and races are held, named ''Sydpoolen'' (English: the South pool).
Climate
Södertälje, and the rest of Stockholm region has a humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...
(Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
''Dfb'') and displays four distinct seasons. Due to the city's high northerly latitude, daylight varies widely from more than 18 hours around midsummer, to only around 6 hours in midwinter. Södertälje has much warmer and sunnier weather than other locations at the same latitude mainly because of the influence of Gulf Stream
The Gulf Stream is a warm and swift Atlantic ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and flows through the Straits of Florida and up the eastern coastline of the United States, then veers east near 36°N latitude (North Carolin ...
.
Summers have an average daytime high temperatures of and lows of around , but there are periods of heat waves and many days with temperatures above +). Winters are cold, though sometimes milder with temperatures ranging from , while spring and autumn mainly cool.
Annual precipitation is with light to moderate rainfall throughout the year. Snow mainly occurs from December through March, but snow cover duration varies between winters.
Notable people
* Hasse Aro, host of TV show '' Efterlyst''
* Kennedy Bakircioglu, footballer
* Nicklas Bergfors, ice hockey player
* Mats Berggren, writer
*Björn Borg
Björn Rune Borg (; born 6 June 1956) is a Swedish former professional tennis player. He was ranked as the world No. 1 in men's singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for 109 weeks. Borg won 66 singles titles during his caree ...
, tennis player (born in Stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
, youth in Södertälje)
* Louay Chanko, footballer
* Johan Edlund, guitarist and vocalist of Tiamat
In Mesopotamian religion, Tiamat ( or , ) is the primordial sea, mating with Abzû (Apsu), the groundwater, to produce the gods in the Babylonian epic '' Enûma Elish'', which translates as "when on high". She is referred to as a woman, an ...
* Jan Guillou, author and journalist
* Carl Hagelin, ice hockey player
* Harry Källström, rally driver
* Felix Michel Melki, football player
* Alexander Michel Melki, football player
* Patrik Nordin, ski mountaineer and cross-country skier
* Karin Rådström, chief executive officer of Mercedes-Benz Trucks
* Torsten Sjögren (1896–1974), psychiatrist, geneticist and eugenicist
* Bengt Westerberg, former leader of the Liberal People's Party
* Erkan Zengin, footballer (born in Kulu, Konya
Kulu is a municipality and district of Konya Province, Turkey. Its area is 2,234 km2, and its population is 51,612 (2022). Kulu is situated approximately 110 km from Ankara
Ankara is the capital city of Turkey and List of national ...
, Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
youth in Södertälje)
References
article ''Södertälje''
from Nordisk Familjebok (1919)
External links
* Official website o
''Södertälje''
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sodertalje
Populated lakeshore places in Sweden
Populated places in Södertälje Municipality
Municipal seats of Stockholm County
Swedish municipal seats
Port cities and towns of the Baltic Sea
Cities in Sweden