Malmö

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Malmö

Malmö

Malmö is the port city and seat of Skåne län in southern Sweden. It was originally known as Malmhaug and was founded in the 13th century. In the late Middle Ages, the herring trade attracted German merchants from Lübeck, who settled in the city and named it Elbogen. After the union with Sweden in 1658, the city went into economic decline, partly due to the loss of certain trading privileges enjoyed under Danish rule, the numerous wars between Sweden and Denmark, and poor port conditions. With the construction of the harbor in 1775, there was some revival, but not much economic development until after the arrival of the railway in 1856. After that the city boomed and since the middle of the 19th century Malmö has been an industrial and transport center, and is now Sweden's third largest city. Nowadays, a wide range of imports and exports pass through its busy port. Among Malmö's notable historical buildings is Malmöhus, a 16th century castle and fortress that now serves as a museum. Another landmark is the 14th century Saint Peter's Church also known as Sankt Petri, a beautiful example of early Baltic Gothic architecture, and this is the oldest building in the city. The other important church is the Church of Our Saviour, founded in 1870. The city's further famous old building is the Tunneln, built around 1300, 300 meters west of the Sankt Petri Church. Malmö's oldest parts were built between 1300 and 1600, and the layout of the central part of the city and some of the oldest buildings date from this period.