Västerås (Swedish:[vɛstɛˈroːs]ⓘ) is a city in centralSweden on the shore ofLake Mälaren in the province ofVästmanland, 100 kilometres (62 miles) west ofStockholm. The city had a population of 127,799 at the end of 2019,[2] out of the municipal total of 158,653, over 100,000 more than the next largest of the 17 localities included in theVästerås Municipality.[4][5]Västerås is the seat of Västerås Municipality, which is the capital ofVästmanland County and anepiscopal see.
Västerås is one of the oldest cities in Sweden and Northern Europe. The area has been populated since the NordicViking Age, before 1000 CE.Anundshög, Sweden's largest burial mound, is located just outside the City of Västerås. It was built about 500 CE and is over 68 m (74 yards) wide and is almost 9 m (10 yd) high. In the beginning of the 11th century, Västerås was the second largest city in Sweden; by the 12th century, it had become the seat of the bishop.[citation needed]
The nameVästerås originates fromVästra Aros ('West Aros'), first recorded asWestraarus in the mid-13th century. In older sources, the city was often called simplyAros'river mouth', butVästra was added to distinguish it fromÖstra Aros—the former name ofUppsala. The name reflects its location at the mouth of theSvartån River in LakeMälaren.[6]
In the ensuing centuries, acathedral and a monastery were built; the Gothic cathedral, rebuilt byBirger Jarl on an earlier site, and consecrated in 1271, was restored in the 19th century.[7] The first City Arms date from the end of the 13th century. A castle commands the town from an eminence; it was captured by KingGustav I and rebuilt by him, andEric XIV was confined there from 1573 to 1575.[7] Gustav also called together theriksdag in Västerås. During the riksdag assembly, the decision was made to convert Sweden into a Protestant state and to remove the power of the Catholic Church.Rudbeckianska gymnasiet, the oldestgymnasium (secondary school) in Sweden, was built in Västerås byJohannes Rudbeckius in 1623.In the 18th and 19th centuries, the growing ofcucumber became popular, and Västerås received the nicknameGurkstaden (the Cucumber City), which it still retains today.
Västerås is predominantly known as an industrial city, but also a retailing and logistics city. The city wants to distinguish itself asVästerås – Mälarstaden, meaning "Västerås—the city by LakeMälaren", in order to attract tourists and new inhabitants, as well as students to the localUniversity,Mälardalen University (approximately 16,000 enrolled students in Västerås and in the nearbyEskilstuna). To this effect, the city has started using a designed logo as branding in some official contexts, partially replacing thecoat of arms, as well as rebuilding several old harbor areas to make them more attractive to live in. Västerås has the largest lakeside commercial and recreational port in Scandinavia on Lake Mälaren. The lake has many islands, and there are tourist boats that go out to them daily in the summer.The city also has askyscraper colloquially nicknamed "Skrapan" (English:The Scraper) which has Sweden's highest-locatedcocktail bar, called Sky Bar, on the 24th floor of the building. Until 2017, Västerås hostedPower Big Meet, an annual event for owners and enthusiasts of classic American cars. The event moved to Lidköping in 2017, with arrangers citing having outgrown the available facilities in Västerås.[8] Long-time Power Big Meet collaborator Klas Brink instead arranged the competing Västerås Summer Meet at the same location as Power Big Meet had been arranged for years.[9]
According to theKöppen climate classification, Västerås experiences ahumid continental climate bordering, according to the original −3 °C (27 °F) isotherm, anoceanic climate (Dfb/Cfb) with cold winters and warm summers.Summers tend to be quite unpredictable with sunny spells but with a risk of sudden showers. The sunniest weather usually occurs when high-pressure systems are blocking the low-pressure systems that usually move in from the Atlantic Ocean. Daytime temperatures in July mostly hover around 22 °C (72 °F), but may sometimes exceed 25 °C (77 °F) and occasionally even 30 °C (86 °F).Winters are usually cold with a snow cover that lasts for several months. Some winters can be mild with longer spells without snow on the ground. The weather differs a lot whether the air masses are coming from the Atlantic Ocean or from the Eurasian continent. In the first case, temperatures over 5 °C (41 °F) might be expected. In the second case, the temperature may not rise above −15 °C (5 °F) in the middle of the day.Lake Mälaren is usually frozen from December until the end of March.
Aerial photo of a wintry Västerås.
The highest official temperature reading of 36.0 °C (96.8 °F) was recorded on 9 July 1966. The lowest temperature of −36.5 °C (−33.7 °F) was recorded on 24 January 1875.[10]
The Åkesta observatory stands 4 km to the north of the town, inÅkesta.[11]
Climate data for Västerås (2003–2018 averages & extremes since 1901)
In 1891, Turbine House, a smallhydroelectric dam was built onSvartån, in central Västerås. This early electrification encouragedASEA, a large electricity equipment manufacturer, to concentrate its operations in Västerås, shifting focus away fromArboga. After the 1988 merger with the power systems companyBrown, Boveri & Cie,ASEA becameABB. As a result, Västerås is home to its ABB Swedish subsidiary headquarters. ABB in Västerås maintains production, e.g. robots and drive systems for industry, high-voltage direct current transmission and power grids.
ASEA headquarters
A number of business units have been spun out of ABB. Principal among them is Hitachi Energy (Hitachi).Since the Westinghouse takeover of ABB's nuclear business it is owned byWestinghouse Electric Company. It is situated mainly in Finnslätten, an industrial area in the northern part of Västerås. Westinghouse Sweden produces nuclear fuel and offers nuclear services forBoiling Water Reactors andPressurized water reactors. As of 2014[update], Westinghouse Sweden had more than 1000 employees.[14] The plant has provided fuel for Ukraine since 2005. On 11 April 2014, after the Russian annexation of Crimea, the contract withEnergoatom for theSouth Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant was extended through 2020.[15]
Mälarenergi AB is a city-owned district heating and electric power provider for Västerås and surrounding area. Mälarenergi owns and operates a number of plants of which the biggest one is the heat and power plant in Västerås. It is Sweden's largest combined heat and power plant, and the latest unit (number 6) uses waste as fuel.Other major industries includeBombardier Transportation, which is active in railway business with production of propulsion systems for trains with worldwide customers,GE Power Sweden,Enics, Quintus Technologies AB (high pressure metal working and material densification equipment for the manufacturing industry) andNorthvolt AB which designs, develops and manufactures lithium-ion battery cells and complete battery systems for electric vehicles, heavy transport, mining, and energy industries, as well as portable devices.
One of the historical reasons that made Västerås a city is its trading-friendly location by the river Svartån and lake Mälaren. The city remains one of the main logistical centers in Sweden due to its central location in the densely populated regionMälardalen and favourable infrastructure connections with railways, waterways and highways. Amongst others,ICA AB has one of its main distribution centres located in Västerås.Västerås is the birthplace of multinational clothing retailerH&M. Their first store was opened in the town centre in 1947.[16]Erikslund Shopping Center, on the outskirts of Västerås, was Sweden's biggest mall untilMall of Scandinavia opened in 2015, and theretail park is the third biggest in sales afterKungens Kurva andBarkarby.[17][18]
De grönvita (The Green and White),Västerås SK – Founded on 29 January 1904, "The Green and White" is the most successfulbandy team in Sweden, with 22 Swedish Championships won (20 male, 2 female). They have the largest permanent indoor arena for bandy in Sweden,ABB Arena Syd. TheBandy World Championship have been played in Västerås several times.
VIK Västerås HK, known as VIK Västerås Hockey Klubb. The club had its greatest moment in 1992/1993 when the club won the regular series in the Swedish Elitleague (VIK reached quarter finals in the playoff). In 2000 the club was degraded from the league and faced a financial crisis. The club was declared bankrupt. During the fall of 2000 the club restarted in the lowest division which the team won. Today (2019) they are playing inHockeyallsvenskan, the second tier. Among hockey players from Västerås you find:Nicklas Lidström,Tommy Salo,Patrik Berglund,Mikael Backlund and many more.
Västerås SK, in the fall of 2023, the team qualified to the top tier league of Swedish football,Allsvenskan. The last time the club was in the premier division was in 1997.
Air travel for the city is served byStockholm-Västerås Airport, which is located 7.4 km (5 mi) from the city centre. However, the airport only provides limited destinations such as Spain and the United Kingdom. The nearestStockholm Arlanda Airport provides more domestic and international destinations, it is located 111 km (69 mi) to the south east of Västerås.Västerås Central Station is located in the city centre which provides direct trains link toStockholm and other parts of South Sweden.
