The city was founded in 1614 by KingChristian IV of Denmark (the city's name literally means 'Town of Christian' or "Christian's town") as aplanned city after the burning of the nearby town ofVä and moving thecity rights of the neighbouring town of Vå and Åhus to the new town. The purpose of the town was to safeguard the eastern half of the Danish province of Scania against any future raids from Sweden in the north, but also as a symbol of the power of Christian himself. One of these raids had sacked the nearby town of Vä in 1612. Vä then lost its charter and the people were relocated to the new, better fortified city. The king also founded the town ofKristianopel in easternBlekinge to serve a similar purpose.
Construction of the towns was a great prestige project for the king, andKristianstad's church is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful buildings constructed by King Christian IV, or even northern Europe's most beautifulRenaissance church. This meant that the church was built considerably larger than there was initially use for. The king also wanted a castle or fortress constructed inside the town but shortage of funds made this impossible, of the intended castle only an arsenal was constructed which today serves as the main building of the local museum. Also in Christianstad the town planning of the Renaissance could be laid down for the first time at the foundation of the town. This makes the Kristianstad town centre of today exceptionally well-kept and easy to get around in.
In 1658 Scania, Kristianstad and the eastern third of Denmark was ceded to Sweden following theTreaty of Roskilde.
Pylyp Orlyk was after 1709 chosen as aHetman in exile by thecossacks and the Swedish kingCharles XII. While inBender Orlyk wrote one of the first stateconstitutions in Europe. ThisConstitution of Pylyp Orlyk was confirmed byCharles XII and it also names him asthe protector of Ukraine. After 1714 Orlyk now together with several other cossacks followed the Swedish kingCharles XII toSweden. Orlyk with his family and about 40 other Cossacks arrived inYstad,Sweden in late November 1715. After some months in Ystad they lived in the city of Kristianstad for some years.[7] Orlyk wrote numerous proclamations and essays aboutUkraine including the 1710Constitution of Pylyp Orlyk.[8]
Kristianstad served as capital ofKristianstad County between 1719 and 1997. It now houses the administration and the regional parliament of theSkåne Regional Council. For a long time Kristianstad also was a very important garrison town, theWendes Artillery Regiment (A 3) and theNorth Scanian Regiment (P 6) being the town's most prominent military units. Also the town housed for many years the so-called Scanian Fortification Brigade. The Wendes Artillery Regiment served with distinction in the Napoleonic Wars. One of Sweden's higher courts of appeal was located in Kristianstad before being moved toMalmö in 1917.
Until 1996, Kristianstad was a city of residence inKristianstad County, but in 1997 merged withSkåne County. Since the county councils were also merged intoRegion Skåne, the city became the seat of its regional council from 1999. The County Administrative Court in Skåne County was also located in Kristianstad until 2008.
In Kristianstad, seven countries have maintained honoraryconsulates during different periods. A RoyalDanish Vice Consulate was established in 1855 and elevated to a consulate in 2002, but was withdrawn in 2012. ANorth American consular agency existed 1873 — 1887 (the same man was the Danish deputy consul and North American consular agent). The independentKingdom of Norway established a deputy consulate in 1907, which was, however, withdrawn in 1937, to be re-established in 1946 and elevated to a consulate in 1988, but it is now revoked.Argentina had a vice consulate 1911 — 1935.Finland also had a vice consulate in Kristianstad 1923 — 1925 and 1931 — 1967.Lithuania established a consulate in 1995 and it is the only consulate left in Kristianstad today.Germany established a consulate in 1996, but it is now withdrawn.
Sweden's lowest point, at 2.41 meters belowmean sea level, is located in Kristianstad. Because of this, parts of the city have to be protected from flooding by a system oflevees and water pumps. To expand the city, large areas of low-lying wetlands have had to be walled in, especially to the east. To prevent future flooding of the city center, the existing levees are in the process of being reinforced and new levees against bothHelge å andHammarsjön are under construction. An extensive system of ponds and dams is also under construction. The threat of flooding became substantial during late winter 2002, when the greater part of the public parkTivoliparken was under water.[9] However, the wetlands around the city are starting to be regarded more as an asset, not least thanks to the creation ofKristianstads Vattenrike Biosphere Reserve.[10] Today the Vattenriket is a Unesco biosphere reserve.
Kristianstad has by now crossed a vital threshold, as the city and adjacent municipality, with a population of 80,000, in essence use no oil, natural gas or coal to warm homes and businesses, even throughout the extensive chilly winters. It is an absolute turnaround from 20 years ago, when all of its heating came fromfossil fuels.[13]
Absolut Vodka, owned byPernod Ricard, is produced in the town ofÅhus located within the municipality. Kristianstad was the main military seat inScania for a long time, boosting military camps and trainings. After the reforms and military cutbacks of the 1990s all of these have been closed, although a new military presence is being established in nearbyRinkaby which holds an old military training ground.
In and around Kristianstad are numerous enterprises concerned with agriculture and it is usually said that every Swede everyday eats something produced from Kristianstad.[14]Kristianstad University, specialized in educating teachers and nurses, is located at the old garrison ground for the I6 North Scanian Infantry Regiment (later mechanized as Pansar Regiment 6).
The Swedish Film industry (Svensk Filmindustri) commenced its activities in Kristianstad in the 1910s,[15] before moving to Stockholm in 1920. Today the old studio is a museum where you can visit Sweden's very first film studio, preserved and restored to its original condition from 1909. The pioneering days of film in Kristianstad with 'Svenska bio' are the prelude to the heyday of Swedish film and its international breakthrough.[16]
Kristianstad Art Gallery is located in the old post office building from 1917, designed by architect Erik Lallerstedt, and shares an entrance with the Kristianstad Regional Museum. Kristianstad Art Gallery is run by the cultural heritage organization Regionmuseet Skåne on behalf of Kristianstad Municipality and was inaugurated in December 2001. The focus is on contemporary art.[17]
Kristianstad Österlen Airport is located 16 km (10 mi) south of Kristianstad. Since December 2024, the airport stop regular commercial passenger flights. The nearest airports to the city areRonneby Airport, located 92 km (57 mi) to the east andMalmö Airport, located 92 km (57 mi) to the south west of the city.
The city's coat of arms depicts two lions holding the King Christian IV's crowned insignia, the monogram C4. The coat of arms was only slightly modified after the Swedish takeover following the 1658Treaty of Roskilde in which the eastern third of Denmark was ceded to Sweden. Since 1971, the coat of arms is used byKristianstad Municipality. A reason for the Swedes to continue using the old coat of arms could be its colours – blue and yellow.At the end of the 19th century, Christianstads Enskilda Bank (founded in 1865) issued banknotes with portraits of Christian IV instead of the Swedish king (the individual banks' right to issue banknotes ceased in 1898).[18]
In 2011, Sweden hosted the 22ndWorld Scout Jamboree of the International Scout Movement. The Jamboree had about 40 000 participants from 144 countries and was organized at Rinkabyfältet, Kristianstad.
Every summer there is a major beach handball tournament taking place in the seaside resort ofÅhus in the municipality. The Åhus Beach handball Festival is Europe's largest beach handball tournament. During 10 days over 1000 teams, 10000 players and 2300 leaders gather on the beach to compete in the sport. The festival was founded in 1997.
