Eksjö | |
|---|---|
 Old Eksjö in July 2007 | |
  Eksjö  Eksjö | |
| Coordinates:57°40′01″N14°58′13″E / 57.66694°N 14.97028°E /57.66694; 14.97028 | |
| Country |  Sweden |
| Province | Småland |
| County | Jönköping County |
| Municipality | Eksjö Municipality |
| Founded | 1403 |
| Area | |
• Total | 8.34 km2 (3.22 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 215 m (705 ft) |
| Population (31 December 2010)[1] | |
• Total | 9,701 |
| • Density | 1,163/km2 (3,010/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 575 xx |
| Area code | (+46) 38 |
| Climate | Dfb |
| Website | Official website |
Eksjö is alocality and the seat ofEksjö Municipality inJönköping County,Sweden, with 9,701 inhabitants in 2010.[1]
The city of Eksjö most likely appeared sometime in theMiddle Ages when it was the centre for thething, a regional council. It is first mentioned on April 22, 1345, under the name "Ekesiö" in an estate sale court protocol.[2] It was given itscharter in 1403 by the KingErik av Pommern.
In the 16th century Eksjö was one of the sixSwedish cities in the province ofSmåland. The others wereJönköping,Kalmar,Västervik,Växjö andVimmerby.
After the crowning of KingGustav Vasa in 1524, the partisan leaderNils Dacke led a rebellion. Dacke took control of the area and was supported by the locals, also in Eksjö. After Dacke had been killed by the Royal army, his body parts were hung in public places, including in Eksjö, to quench any notions of new uprising.
This may also have contributed to the decision of Gustav Vasa to revoke the city charter of Eksjö in 1544. There are several monuments and folk museums honouring these times around the province and in Eksjö municipality, and in the dense Smålandian forests where Dacke lived.
In August 2015, afire occurred inOld Eksjö.[3]
During theNorthern Seven Years' WarRantzau's army that had been pillaging Östergötland reached Eksjö after successfully avoiding Swedish enclosure attempts by crossinglake Sommen that had recently frozen.[4][5] As Rantzau arrived Eksjö was burnt to the ground in 1568 and subsequently rebuilt at a somewhat different location. The construction was led by the DutchmanArendt de Roy.
The city emerged as a centre for the oxen trades but never really prospered and remained a small town until a heath outside the town became the point of assembly for theSmåland Regiment. The city continued to be in the centre of military establishments, with the coming of the engineering battalion and the Husars of Småland, in southern Sweden, hence the lack of large industrial establishments.[clarification needed]
Like many other Swedish cities, Eksjö was struck by fire in the 19th century, with half of the city burning down in 1856. But the northern part of the original wooden city remained intact, with some buildings dating back to the reconstruction of the city in 1568. 56 buildings are registered historic landmarks. A fire in August 2015 that killed one person destroyed some 17th-century buildings.[7][8]
Municipalities and seats ofJönköping County | ||
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| Municipalities |  | |
| Municipal seats | ||
Authority control databases: Geographic |
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