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Geatland's District of
Lund
The academic, clerical and medical capital of Geatland
Contents
History of Lund -- View
The Middle Ages -- View
The Reformation -- View
War & Disaster -- View
Things to do in Lund -- View
Credits -- View
It is believed that the Danish Viking-king Svend Tveskæg was the founder of the city of Lund.
As well as for many other reasons the city is in fact known for having had the oldest known stave church in Scandinavia, which archaeological excavations have indicated to.
The cause for founding the city was the mutual need and desire of the King and the Church to create an official power centre for the country. At this time, around year 1000 C.E., Denmark had not yet been unified and the King as well as the advancing Christian Church had a strong need to establish their authority. The intention was therefore that the location of the city would offer an economically sound base, connected to the surrounding country-side by a spot where several roads already crossed, which contributed towards the realisation of the great economic potential of the area.
During the Middle Ages of the area, lasting from the beginning of the 12th century to around the 16th century, Lund experienced something of its Golden Age. The city had by then become a well established town and craftsmen and traders were settling there. Denmark had also established its first mint in the area and by 1103 the city had also become the archbishopric of Scandinavia.
Its first cathedral was consecrated in 1145 and gave birth to twenty seven churches, during its prime.
With the entire area of the southern most part of Geatland belonging to Denmark during this time, Lund came to be the most important city of Denmark, from which the archbishops exercised their ecclesiastical power over Scandinavia.
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By the time the Middle Age ended in southern Geatland, the economic centre of Scandinavia had become the city of Malmö (in 1440), the southern most city of the country.
Almost exactly a century later, in 1536, the glory days of the Christian Church also came to an abrupt end. During the reformation King Christian III broke with the papacy in Rome and established the Danish Lutheran Church. The Christian Archbishopric was abolished and most churches and monasteries in Lund demolished, while their properties turned over to the crown. As a result the only reminders or this time are the Cathedral, St. Peter’s Monastery Church and the cities most unique street system, which is known for being extremely windy and something that neither the Reformation now later generations of city planners have been able to change, no matter how hard they tried.
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Intense and countless battles between Sweden and Denmark lead to Lund being taken over and finally becoming Swedish in 1658.
In order to make Lund more Swedish the decision was made to then establish the very first university of the country in this city. The university was finally inaugurated in 1668 and had the explicit aim of turning younger generations of Swedes into one people, with the same education and ties.
When Denmark attempted to recapture its lost provinces during the war of 1676-1679, the war’s cruellest battle was fought in Lund during December 4th of 1676, which ended in Swedish victory with nearly half its troops having died in battle. Which was already at this time referred to as a massacre and not battle.
Two years later, out of revenge, large areas of Lund were set on fire by the Danish armies. Out of 304 farms, 163 were burnt to the ground, as well as City Hall and the City Archives. As if by magic the Cathedral was saved from the flames.
One last try at taking back its former territories was attempted by Denmark. During the Great Nordic War of 1700-1721 the Danes attacked in 1709 but eventually were forced to retreat.
A little over half a century after the war was over, more precisely in 1768, the first county hospital was established in Lund and its once humble beginnings have lead to what is now a days the enormous University Hospital of Lund.
Lastly, the final and definite development of Lund came when in 1856 the railroad between Malmö and Lund opened. This caused Lund to industrialize rapidly and achieve and even greater economic strength and what was once considered a calm and quiet academic town by such characters as the Swedish poet Esaias Tegnér became one of the leading academic and medical cities of the country.
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Meet the people of Lund
Tour Lund (pictures)
Visit Lunds Homesite
Web Library
Lund's University
Lund by Helena Nilsson
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The Articles of Lund:
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