Malmö: Encyclopedia II - Malmö - History

Malmö - History

Malmö is held to have been founded in what was then Denmark, in the 13th century as a fortified quay or ferry berth of the Archbishop of Lund, some 20 kilometers north-east. Its original name was Malmhaug (“Sandpile”), but in the Middle Ages, German merchants from Lübeck settled there and named it Elbogen (“Elbow”) for the curve at its shoreline that existed at the point.

Around 1290, construction on the St Petri Church began. It was the first Gothic church to be built within Sweden's present-day borders. Similar Brick Gothic churches can be found around the coastal regions of both Sweden and Germany (for example in Ystad, Landskrona and Rostock), and were inspired by the German sea merchants, the Hanseatic League, who played a major part in the economical growths around the Sound. Red bricks were used instead of stone, due to its scarcity in the area, and the color comes from the bedrock and the means the bricks were fabricated. In the ensuing century, Malmö and Copenhagen would rise in economic importance, and until this day this pattern has persisted. Despite Lund (and to a lesser degree Roskilde) being culturally of much greater importance, Malmö and Copenhagen have been centers for industrious and economic success.

The disunity between the burghers of Lund and Malmö has remained a fundamental characteristic, the former relying on tradition the latter on modernity and adaption. Malmö was, for instance, a leading hanseatic town during the decades of the Hansa's dominance in the region, and leading the process of Protestant Reformation in Denmark of the 1530s. After the secession to Sweden, in 1658, Malmö suffered an economic decline due to poor harbour facilities and loss of trading privileges that were granted under the Danish Crown. By 1730, its population had dwindled to 282. In 1775, a new harbour was constructed, but Malmö's economic status remained poor until the later part of 19th century and the introduction of the railroad.

The first fortification was erected at the site of Skeppsbron (“Ship bridge”) and Malmö Central Station, first hinted at in unfriendly diplomatic correspondence between the king and the archbishop in March 1256, but in 1434 Malmö's growth gave reason to the erection of a new citadel at the beach south of the town. The new fortress, Malmöhus, was completed in the mid-16th century and continued to play an essential role after the secession to Sweden — now as a part of the defense system against the Danes. During 1828–1914 the building was re-used as a prison, and since the 1930s it houses Malmö museum.

Malmö - Heraldry

The city arms were granted in 1437 by King Eric of Pomerania. The arms of Pomerania is argent with a griffin gules, which gave the griffin's head to Malmö. The coat of arms for the city is similar to the arms of the province of Scania and Skåne County, which actually are derivations of the arms of Malmö. Blazon: "Argent, a Griffin's head erased Gules, crowned Or". Note the similarity between this coat of arms and the logo for Saab cars.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "History", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki