Bollnäs

Bollnäs
Bollnäs Missionskyrka
Bollnäs Bollnäs
Coordinates: 61°20′53″N 16°23′41″E / 61.34806°N 16.39472°ECoordinates: 61°20′53″N 16°23′41″E / 61.34806°N 16.39472°E
Country	Sweden
Province	Hälsingland
County	Gävleborg County
Municipality	Bollnäs Municipality
Charter	1942
Area[1]
• Total	12.87 km^2 (4.97 sq mi)
Elevation	53 m (174 ft)
Population (31 December 2010)[1]
• Total	12,842
• Density	998/km^2 (2,580/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	821 xx
Area code(s)	(+46) 278
Website	Official website

Bollnäs is a Swedish locality and the seat of Bollnäs Municipality, in Gävleborg County, Sweden. It had 12,842 inhabitants in 2010.^[1]

History

The first recording of Bollnäs in writing is from 1312 when a vicar named Ingemund referred to it as Baldenaes, meaning "the large isthmus," referring to the isthmus into a nearby lake. Before becoming known as Bollnäs, its name was Bro By (lit. Bridge Village).

Bollnäs has a station along the Northern Railline (Norra Stambanan), which it was connected to in 1878. The town became a main base for further northern expansion of the railroad. In 1884, it became a primary maintenance and repair workshop for the railroad. The railroad was the largest employer in Bollnäs for the greater part of the 20th century, until the 1990s when it was closed due to its location being no longer optimal. Bollnäs became a city in 1942, nowadays an honorary title without administrative significance.

Bollnäs is twinned with Shepton Mallet, England.

Sports

Bollnäs in the final

Bandy is the locality's most popular sport. Bollnäs GIF play in the highest division Elitserien. In 2010, they reached the Swedish final for the first time since 1956. In 2011, they reached the finals and lost in overtime after a controversial offside penalty.

Points of interest

Bollnäs church.

The Bollnäs church was built in the 14th and 15th centuries. An opening ceremony took place on November 3, 1468, probably for the church tower. Later alterations include the addition of the north and south transepts, built 1753-1755.^[2] The church hosts a collection of wooden medieval sculptures larger than any other parish church in the Nordic countries. Three of the altarpieces are major works of art from the late 15th century or early 16th century, including an altarpiece dedicated to Virgin Mary made by Haaken Gulleson c. 1520.^[2] The church's eucharistic chalice, with its paten, is another valuable piece dating from the same period.^[2]

Notable people

• Orienteering competitor Emma Engstrand was born in Bollnäs on 14 December 1977.
• Ice hockey player Anders Eriksson was born in Bollnäs on 9 January 1975.
• Jazz clarinetist Åke "Stan" Hasselgård (4 October 1922 – 23 November 1948) grew up in Bollnäs, where his grave can be found.
• Heavy metal band Bloodbound was founded in Bollnäs in 2004.
• Former politician C.-H. Hermansson was born in Bollnäs on 14 December 1917.
• Finnish writer Timo K. Mukka (1944–1973) was born in Bollnäs, where his family had been evacuated to during the Lapland War.
• Table tennis player Thomas von Scheele was born in Bollnäs on 13 March 1969.
• Super model Victoria Silvstedt grew up in Bollnäs.
• Ski jumper Per-Inge Tällberg was born in Bollnäs on 14 June 1967.
• Ski jumper Staffan Tällberg was born in Bollnäs on 17 April 1970.
• Ski jumper Jan Boklöv lived in Bollnäs during the 1990s.
• Vocalist Charles Rytkönen was born in Bollnäs on 3 December 1968.
• LPGA golfer Pernilla Lindberg was born in Bollnäs.
• Actor Peter Stormare grew up in Bollnäs.

References

1. "Tätorternas landareal, folkmängd och invånare per km² 2005 och 2010" (in Swedish). Statistics Sweden. 14 December 2011. Archived from the original on 10 January 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
2. Svenska kyrkan Bollnäs-Rengsjö - "Bollnäs kyrka invändigt"