Marstrand

Marstrand
Locality
Marstrand is located in Västra Götaland
Marstrand
Marstrand
Marstrand is located in Sweden
Marstrand
Marstrand
Coordinates: 57°53′N 11°35′E / 57.883°N 11.583°E / 57.883; 11.583
CountrySweden
ProvinceBohuslän
CountyVästra Götaland County
MunicipalityKungälv Municipality
Area
[1]
 • Total0.88 km2 (0.34 sq mi)
Population
 (31 December 2010)[1]
 • Total1,319
 • Density1,507/km2 (3,900/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Arms; incorporated with Kungälv Municipality in 1971
This article is about the locality in Sweden. For people surnamed Marstrand, see Marstrand (surname).

Marstrand (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈmâʂːtrand])[2] is a seaside locality situated in Kungälv Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 1,320 inhabitants in 2010.[1] The town got its name from its location on the island of Marstrand. Despite its small population, for historical reasons Marstrand is often referred to as a city.

The city had free port status, which was declared by King Gustav III,[3] from 1775 to 1794.[4] Religious liberty established by the same sovereign allowed an early Swedish congregation of Jews to be established there in 1775[5] and one of Scandinavia's first synagogues was set up in Fort Fredriksborg in 1780, making the village a notable site to the history of the Jews in Sweden.

Following the abolishment of the free port status and the decline of herring fishing, Marstrand established itself as a seaside resort in the 19th century.[6]

Important annual sporting events held in Marstrand include the Stena Match Cup Sweden and Marstrand Regatta. Marstrand is known as a playground for celebrities and wealthy Swedish residents alike, who come in the summer for the sea, shopping and the nightlife.[7]

  1. ^ a b c "Tätorternas landareal, folkmängd och invånare per km2 2005 och 2010" (in Swedish). Statistics Sweden. 14 December 2011. Archived from the original on 27 January 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
  2. ^ Jöran Sahlgren; Gösta Bergman (1979). Svenska ortnamn med uttalsuppgifter (in Swedish). p. 17.
  3. ^ Holmberg, Axel Emanuel (1867). Bohusläns historia och beskrifning: Tjörn, Inland och Hisingen (in Swedish). Lindh. p. 201 – via Google Books. 1775 utfärdades ock från Ekolsund den märkvärdiga författning, hvarigenom konung Gustaf III förklarade Marstrand för en Porto Franco med de mest vidsträckta friheter.
  4. ^ "Hit seglade judarna!" (in Swedish). Jewish Museum of Sweden. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  5. ^ Pages by the Swedish Tax Authority on historical congregations
  6. ^ Hofberg, Herman (1882). Genom sveriges bygder: Skildringar af vart land och folk ... Ny, genomsedd och tillokad upplaga ... (in Swedish). A. Bonniers förlag. p. 216 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ "15 Most Charming Small Towns in Sweden".