Posted on 08/19/2025 3:09:17 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Seven things you didn’t know about Gothenburg – Sweden’s maritime, cultural and sustainable powerhouse… From the Nordics’ largest port to Liseberg’s rollercoasters, discover Gothenburg’s history, innovation and coastal charm.
Stockholm might steal the limelight, but Sweden’s west-coast powerhouse, Gothenburg, is quietly running the table. It’s bigger than many capitals, home to the Nordics’ largest port, and boasts Sweden’s top tourist attraction. Add in its Dutch-built canals, sustainability leadership, and archipelago escapes, and you’ve got a city that refuses to play second fiddle.
1. The biggest non-capital in the Nordics
With nearly 600,000 people in the city and over 1.1 million in the metro area, Gothenburg outmuscles every Nordic city that isn’t a capital. Its mix of maritime heritage, cutting-edge design, and cosmopolitan buzz makes it a heavyweight on the regional stage.
2. Gothenburg isn’t really called Gothenburg
Locally, it’s Göteborg (yuh-teh-bor-ee if you’re feeling brave). The English “Gothenburg” stuck thanks to centuries of trade, and after some branding flip-flops, it’s the official international name again.
3. Sweden’s biggest tourist attraction is here
That crown belongs to Liseberg, the amusement park that’s entertained visitors since 1923. Its wooden rollercoaster Balder is a global favourite, and its Christmas market is pure Nordic magic.
4. The Nordics’ largest port
The Port of Gothenburg has been Sweden’s gateway to the world since the 1600s. Today it’s a hub for millions of containers and passenger ferries, and it’s leading the way in green shipping.
5. Built on Dutch know-how
Founded in 1621 by King Gustavus Adolphus, modern Gothenburg was designed by Dutch engineers. The city’s canals echo Amsterdam’s, but with a distinct Swedish twist.
6. Volvo country – and future mobility hub
The first Volvo rolled out here in 1927. The brand’s truck and bus innovations still happen in Gothenburg, alongside electric aviation breakthroughs from Heart Aerospace.
7. Sister city to Chicago
Since 1960, Gothenburg and Chicago have shared cultural, educational, and business exchanges – the only Nordic-US city pairing of its kind.
3 Bonus facts about Gothenburg:
Sustainability world champion
Lonely Planet called it the world’s most sustainable city break in 2021. It’s topped the Global Destination Sustainability Index five years running, issued the world’s first green bond, and is working towards a zero-emission centre.
A two-part archipelago The southern islands are car-free havens, while the northern ones welcome vehicles via ferry. Both have Viking heritage and postcard-ready coastal scenery.
Trams with a story
Gothenburg’s blue-and-white trams began as horse-drawn carriages in the 1800s. Now one of Europe’s largest networks, it still runs heritage vehicles for nostalgia-filled city tours.
Its also got a whole bunch of violent Muslims who commit all kinds of crimes. It has seen regular gun battles between drug gangs and use of hand grenades and other explosives. Fun!
You are correct. But the hand grenades and murder stats are mainly Eastern Europeans, primarily Albanians, Bulgarians and Romanians.
And yes, there are a lot of Muslims in Albania but they are more gangland than the typical ME muzzie that does crime because the Quaran allows it.
The Middle Eastern muzzies and Eastern Africa muzzies are more interested in rape, robberies and petty theft.
Muslims left their Muslim country because they were not happy there. They immigrated to Western countries and try to convert them to be like where they came from 🙄🙄
I guess the Moslems have not yet set upon them?
Just like libs from California.
“its...sustainable leadership”
I had to look that one up.
“Sustainability leaders understand that economic, environmental, and social systems are interconnected. They use a holistic approach to identify how changes in one area can impact others, enabling them to make objective decisions that promote overall sustainability.”
Ah, now I get it.
It’s one of those liberal-speak things that sounds good to the ears of people who don’t think critically.
In 1900 the city with the largest Swedish Population in the world...1 Million Swedes...was Chicago. I think that most of them redistributed themselves west into the Farms and cities of the great Plains and places like Portland and Seattle.
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