Örebro

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**Örebro**
Image:Örebro in Sweden.png	City arms Image:Örebro coat of arms.svg
	59°16′ N 15°13′ E
	Charter	1404
	Municipality	Örebro Municipality
	County	Örebro County
	Province	Närke
	Population	98,237

Örebro [œrə'bruː] is a Swedish city in Närke in central Sweden, situated at 59°16′N 15°13′E. It has 98,237 inhabitants (2005), with 128,689 inhabitants in the municipality. It is also the capital of Örebro County, encompassing 274,000 inhabitants.

Örebro received its Royal Charter and city privileges at latest 1404. It was the capital of Närke, and for long its only city.

1 History
2 Sites of interest
3 Notable natives
4 Sports
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] History

Örebro literally means a bridge over gravel banks, which is how the geography looks, with the rivulet Svartån draining into the lake Hjälmaren. The location became a natural seat of commerce in the (Scandianvian) middle ages, and is mentioned in print in the 13th century. Old buildings from the early days include the foundations of the city church, a building undergone several modifications. The natural center of the city is otherwise the magnificent Örebro Castle, situated on an islet in the Svartån, and dividing the town in a northern and a southern part. This castle was constructed during the reign of King Gustav Vasa in the 1560s.

Image:Suecia Örebro.jpg

Notable events in Örebro's history include the national diet meeting at Örebro in 1810, where Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte was elected crown prince of Sweden.

Although a trade town, Örebro remained small until the second half of the 19th century, when it grew rapidly as a centre of the national shoe manufacturing industry (see: History of Närke).

[edit] Sites of interest

Image:Orebro castle May 2004.jpg

Örebro's old town Wadköping is located on the banks of the Svartån. It hosts many 18th and 19th century wooden houses, along with museums and exhibitions.

The water tower of Örebro, nicknamed Svampen (The Mushroom) is a popular destination as an outlook tower. In 1958, a replica of the tower was built in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Örebro University is one of Sweden's most recent, being upgraded from högskola (university college) in 1999. It currently has around 14,000 students and a staff of 1,300.