Falun
Stora torget, the Great Square in central Falun Stora torget, the Great Square in central Falun
Coat of arms
Falun
Coordinates: 60°36′N 15°38′E / 60.6°N 15.633°E / 60.6; 15.633Coordinates: 60°36′N 15°38′E / 60.6°N 15.633°E / 60.6; 15.633
Country	Sweden
Province	Dalarna
County	Dalarna County
Municipality	Falun Municipality
Charter	1641
Area[1]
• Total	27.17 km2 (10.49 sq mi)
Population (31 December 2010)[1]
• Total	37,291
• Density	1,372/km2 (3,550/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)

Falun (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈfɑːˈlɵnː]) is a city and the seat of Falun Municipality in Dalarna County, Sweden, with 37,291 inhabitants in 2010.^[1] It is also the capital of Dalarna County. Falun forms, together with Borlänge, a metropolitan area with close to 100,000 inhabitants.

Falun was originally famous for its copper mine, and is today an important service and industrial city even though the mine is closed (since 1992).

History[link]

The town of Falun is known to have existed in the 14th century as a market place for the surrounding lands. Mining for copper had been a local business since the mid-13th century, or possibly as early as 1000,^[2] and the organisation for the extracting of copper and gold from the Great Copper Mountain is believed to be the oldest still-existing enterprise in the world, proved active since 1347, when its charter was granted by King Magnus IV of Sweden. The first share in the company is dated as early as 1288.

However, an enterprise at that time was nothing more than a cooperation among the owners, each contributing with a share of money for constructions, tools, etc., necessary to run the organisation. Depending on their contribution they could use the facilities and share the profit according to the relative share they contributed.

• 

  Falun Center

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  House in Falun

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  View from ski-jump on Falun

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  The "Great Copper Mountain Church" (Stora Kopparbergs kyrka)

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  Church in Falun

The city of Falun received its privileges in 1641. By then Falun was already one of the largest cities in Sweden, with about 6000 inhabitants. Soon, however, the importance of the copper mine began to decrease. In 1687, parts of the mine collapsed in a landslide, creating an 100 m deep pit.^[3] Even though the mine remained in use for the next 300 years, the production gradually diminished, until it closed down in 1992.

The mining area of the Great Copper Mountain has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which also was the name of the mining company of Falun, is today a part of Stora Enso.

Climate[link]

Falun is considered to have a continental subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc).

On average, the coldest month is January with an average low temperature of −11 °C (12.2 °F). Winter is the longest season lasting approximately from mid-November til the end of April ^[4]. With an average high temperature of 22 °C (71.6 °F), July is the warmest month. The most precipitation occurs during the summer months of July and August. The lowest temperature ever recorded in Falun is −40 °C (−40.0 °F) ^[5].

Architectural History[link]

Stora Gruvstugan was designed by Eric Geisler and built between 1771-1785 in a Rococo Style, also referred to as Late Baroque. The building is situated by Falun Copper Mine and used to be the main office to the copper mine. in 1882 the building was rebuilt into Berslagets museum. In the beginning of 1920, the mining came close to the structure which made it fragile and extensive repairs was made to he building.

Västra Skolan was built in 1915, based on a design by the city architect in Falun, Klas Boman. The building functioned as a school up until 2010. The tower was a replica of Kristine Kyrka wherefrom one could view the entire low built city.

Egnellska Huset was built in 1903 and was designed by Falun’s first city architect, Klas Boman. The building functioned as a modern residential building. The building was initially a light yellow color and then later recolored in a more bright yellow color. After two separate fires in 2007 and 2008, the building was restored to its Original appearance.

Falugatan is a street in Falun and has since the 15th century functioned as a connection between eastern and western Falun. Thanks to its location by the river, this site became an important commerce site for city. When Falun, officially became a city, in 1641, it was this street that named the city to Falun. The street kept it appearance up until the 1960’s when Falun was modernized architectural. During the 1960’, four of the five 18th century buildings were demolished and today, the Körsnerska Huset is the only one remaining in its original appearance. Falugatan 1971 Falugatan 1981 Falugatan 1989 Falugatan 2011

Centralpalatset is a building located on Stora Torget in Falun and is a monumental building, decorated in Art Nouveau. It was built between 1895-1896 and was designed by the local architect Ferdinand Boberg. The author Selma Lagerlöf lived in the building, and it was here she wrote The Wonderful Adventures of Nils. In 1947, the initial balconies were removed and in 1955 the whole building was facing a renovation where the facade was redesigned and the whole house scaled down, making it shorter and flatter

Wiklunds Glas was a building on Åsgatan in Falun and was designed in a combination between Art Nouveau and Renaissance in the Low Countries. The building was designed by the Architect J.Wernfeldt and functioned as a location for a glass company. The building was demolished in 1971 when Falun was modernized.

Geislerska Huset was built sometime between 1765 and 1768 by Eric Geisler. The building was built by a technique which later became referred to as Eric Geisler Technique. It was the oldest building in the world built with copper slag stone. The building was demolished in 1977 and on the site today is an office building.

Rådhuset (Town Hall) is located on Stora Torget in Falun. Was built between 1649 and 1653, initially as a one floor building, but in the 1960’s a second floor was added onto the building. In 1761, the building was destroyed in a fire, but was quickly rebuilt and is still, today, standing on the same site.

Varmbadhuset a community swimming pool facility in Falun. It was designed in a National Romantic Style by the city architect Klas Boman and built in 1911. In the 1960’s a sport center was planned out for Falun and Varmbadhuset lost its importance and faced demolition in 1974, despite strong protests from the residents in Falun. On the site today is the police station.

In 1961, an architectureal competion was organized in Falun. The neighborhood (Falan) between the western side of Stora Torget and Faluån was to be modernized. The competition was won by Uhlin och Malms Arkitektkontor in Stockholm. The final design was built in 1968 with two buildings along the western side of the Plaza. Since 1968, the buildings have been rebuilt many times.

• Falun Staden Som Försvann. 2011. ^[7]

Today[link]

For education, the city holds part of the University College of Dalarna (Högskolan Dalarna).

In sports, Falun hosts the annual Swedish Ski Games at its skiing arena Lugnet, Falun. The city's most successful sport team is the bandy team Falu BS which has played in the Swedish top division for many years. Also, IBF Falun, the floorball male and female teams have been very successful. Falu FK play in in Division 2 Norra Svealand.

Lugnet, Falun Stadion has also hosted the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships three times: 1954, 1974, and most recently in 1993.

The city lost out to Calgary, Canada, in 1981 for the 1988 Winter Olympics. Again, Falun applied for the 1992 Winter Olympics but lost out to Albertville, France, in 1986. The city lost despite the best efforts of one of ABBA's singers who recorded a single in support of the bid.

Falun is the hometown of The Battle, one of the world's most famous snowboard competitions.

Iron and Copper byproducts from the mine are still used as a paint ingredient, in the production of the nationally well known and culturally important Falu Red paint, particularly used on wooden houses.

Notable residents and former residents of Falun[link]

• Ferdinand Boberg, architect
• Björn Dixgård, musician
• Guledimus Prime, architect, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, and writer
• Mattias Flink, mass murderer
• Maria Hjorth, golfer
• Patrick Johansson, drummer
• Tomas Jonsson, ice hockey player
• Anders Kallur, ice hockey player
• Jenny Kallur, athlete, World Championships finalist 2005 in 100 m hurdles
• Susanna Kallur, athlete, World Record Holder 60 meter hurdles
• Lina Leandersson, actress
• Marcus Ljungqvist, road bicycle racer
• Thomas Quick, serial murderer
• Ernst Rolf, actor and singer
• Sabaton, power metal band
• Mattias Ekstrom, racing driver
• Georg Skarstedt, actor
• Walter Steiner, ski jumper
• Ulf Stenlund, tennis player
• Georg Stiernhielm, civil servant, linguist and poet
• Gunnar Säve-Söderbergh, palaeontologist
• Lars Tures, food and wine expert
• Putte Wickman, jazz clarinetist
• In Mourning, progressive death metal band

In popular culture[link]

The short story "Die Bergwerke zu Falun" ("The Mines of Falun") was published by E. T. A. Hoffmann in 1819.

See also[link]

• Biathlon World Championships
• Falukorv
• Great Copper Mountain
• Gruvrisskolan - elementary school
• Mattias Flink
• Thomas Quick

Sports[link]

The following sports clubs are located in Falun:

• Falu BS
• Falu FK
• Korsnäs IF FK
• Slätta SK

Annual music concert[link]

Starting in 2008 Falun has been the home of a Rock and metal concert called Rockstad Falun

References[link]

External links[link]

Media related to Falun at Wikimedia Commons

• Falun – Official site : falun.se
• Falun – Democracy City : falun.se/democracy

v t e Municipalities and seats of Dalarna County Municipalities Älvdalen Avesta Borlänge Falun Gagnef Hedemora Leksand Ludvika Malung-Sälen Mora Orsa Rättvik Säter Smedjebacken Vansbro Municipal seats Älvdalen Avesta Borlänge Djurås Falun Hedemora Leksand Ludvika Malung Mora Orsa Rättvik Säter Smedjebacken Vansbro Counties of Sweden Sweden

v t e Administrative seats of Swedish counties (län) Falun (Dalarna) Gävle (Gävleborg) Gothenburg (Västra Götaland) Halmstad (Halland) Härnösand (Västernorrland) Jönköping (Jönköping) Kalmar (Kalmar) Karlskrona (Blekinge) Karlstad (Värmland) Linköping (Östergötland) Luleå (Norrbotten) Malmö (Skåne) Nyköping (Södermanland) Örebro (Örebro) Östersund (Jämtland) Stockholm (Stockholm) Sundsvall (Västernorrland) Umeå (Västerbotten) Uppsala (Uppsala) Västerås (Västmanland) Växjö (Kronoberg) Visby (Gotland)