Vansbro Explained

Official Name:Vansbro
Pushpin Map:Sweden Dalarna#Sweden
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Sweden
Subdivision Type3:Municipality
Subdivision Name3:Vansbro Municipality
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Dalarna County
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:Dalarna
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:3.31
Population As Of:31 December 2010
Population Total:2,026
Population Density Km2:613
Timezone:CET
Utc Offset:+1
Timezone Dst:CEST
Utc Offset Dst:+2
Coordinates:60.5167°N 27°W

Vansbro (in Swedish pronounced as /ˈvɑ̌ːnsbrʊ/)[2] is a locality in Dalarna and the seat of Vansbro Municipality, Dalarna County, Sweden. It had 2,026 inhabitants in 2010, out of a total municipal population of 7,000.

The town is situated by the end of the Vanån, or Van River, the main tributary of the Västerdal River.

History

The first time Vansbro was mentioned in writing was by Carl von Linné during early 18th century. The place have also been mentioned in different texts from the same era under the name - Wahnbro or Wansbro. The name is believed to stem from a bridge built across the Vanå river.

The railway between Kristinehamn and Mora was inaugurated in 1890 and the Vansbro railway station was constructed.

Industry

Vansbro's early industrial history was closely connected to timber and logging. The first sawmill in the area, Danielssågen, began operating soon after the railway was built. More sawmills were built in the following years: Dalasågen (the largest sawmill in Sweden at the time) in 1892, and Brosågen in 1893.

Events

Vansbro is known for the annual Vansbrosimningen ("The Vansbro Swim").[3] Inaugurated in 1950, the competitors swim 2,000 meters in Vanån and 1,000 meters in the Västerdal River.

Famous people from Vansbro

Vansbro is also known to be the home town of famous cross-country skier Gunde Svan, the band Svenne Rubins, the singer/songwriter Malin Jonsson, the progressive rock band Introitus, the progressive death metal-band In Mourning, the pop-singer Björn Skifs.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Tätorternas landareal, folkmängd och invånare per km2 2005 och 2010 . 14 December 2011 . . sv . https://web.archive.org/web/20120127055525/http://www.scb.se/Statistik/MI/MI0810/2010A01/Tatorternami0810tab1_4.xls . 27 January 2012 . live . 10 January 2012 .
  2. Book: Svenska ortnamn med uttalsuppgifter. Jöran Sahlgren. Gösta Bergman. sv. 1979. 27.
  3. http://www.vansbrosimningen.com/ Official Site