Nyköping Municipality

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This page deals with both Nyköping Municipality and the urban area (tätort) Nyköping

**Nyköping Municipality (*Kommun*)**
Map outlining the municipalities of Sweden	Coat of arms
	Municipal facts
	Seat	Nyköping
	{{{locationReadable}}}
	County	Södermanland County
	Province	Södermanland
	Area Rank	1,427 km² 67th of 290
	Population Rank (2005)	50,143 45 of 290
	Population density	35/km²

Nyköping (Pron: 'Nee'shuhping) is a municipality in Södermanland County, Svealand, Sweden. Its seat is in Nyköping, pop. 35,000.

Nyköping is the seat for the Södermanland County. A previous county was entitled Nyköping County.

The town is known for the proximity to Skavsta airport, which is located about 6.25 miles (10km) west of the centre.

1 History
2 Later history
3 Industry
4 Sister cities
5 References
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] History

The area bears traces of settlers since around 2,000 BC. In the early medieval age, around 1,000 AD, Nyköping was a capital of one the many Swedish petty kings. In the 13th century, construction on the Nyköping Fortress was begun; the following century it became the strongest fortress of the country. The coat of arms probably depict the fortress, or one of its towers.

In 1317 the Nyköping Banquet took place, a renowned episode in Sweden's history, when King Birger of Sweden captured his two brothers as a revenge for earlier sufferings and had them imprisoned without food until they starved to death.

The earliest known charter dates from 1444, making it one of the now defunct Cities in Sweden.

In the 16th century Nyköping became the seat of duke Charles who later became Charles IX of Sweden. With the status of a Royal residential seat, Nyköping was at its peak of development.

In 1665 large parts of the city including the fortress were damaged in a fire. The same thing happened again around fifty years later when Russian troops invaded the city. It was then rebuilt with its current street plan.

Nyköping as it looked around 1700, in the work Suecia antiqua et hodierna.

The name "Nyköping" means New Köping, i.e. the new market town.

[edit] Later history

Nyköping was industrialized relatively early compared to the rest of Sweden. In the early 19th century, textile industry was established, and the population soon rose as Nyköping's industry grew.

[edit] Industry

The municipality has 3,000 companies but more than 50% are one-man companies. Only 80 have more than 25 employees; of those 33 have more than 50 employees.

[edit] Sister cities

Like many other Nordic sister cities, Nyköping and its Nordic neighbours share each other's sister cities. The Nordic sisters were created following World War II. In chronological order: