Varberg

Varberg and all of Halland are well known for their 'typical west coast' sandy beaches. In Varberg the coast changes from wide sandy beaches to rocky terrain that continues north into the Bohuslän archipelago and as far as the North Cape. Varberg is a charming and popular summer resort and many people from inland cities such as Borås are either moving to Varberg or holidaying there."

Geography

History

A fortress called Varberg (at that time written Wardbergh, "watch hill") was erected in the 1280-ies as part of a chain of military establishments along the coast, in what was then Danish territory. In the middle of the 14th century, the old settlement Getakärr 1 km north of the fortress took its new name from the fortress. The town was moved 5 km northwards around the year 1400. It was destroyed in the beginning of the 17th century and rebuilt near the fortress. In 1645 Halland passed from Denmark to Sweden by the Treaty of Brömsebro for a period of 30 years. It had at that time about 600 inhabitants. The transfer was made permanent by the Treaty of Roskilde in 1658. The town was moved again after a fire in 1666, to the location were the city centre is today. The city was devastated by a huge fire in 1863 and was subsequently rebuilt with stone or brick houses. In 1890 the population figure had passed 4,000 and with industrialization it reached 8,500 in 1930. The local government reform of 1971 made Varberg the seat of the much larger Varberg Municipality, with a population of today almost 56,000 inhabitants. Although several houses were torn down in the 1970s, most of the city centre still remains intact.

Sights

Near Varberg there is the VLF transmitter Grimeton, an interesting radiotechnical facility and classified by UNESCO to be a World Cultural Heritage. It can be visited during the summer.

References

External links

Category:Populated places in Halland County Category:Municipal seats of Halland County Category:Swedish municipal seats Category:Coastal cities and towns in Sweden