Helsingborg

Helsingborg
The Pearl of the Sound

Helsingborg from Öresund

Helsingborg is situated at Öresund's narrowest point with a great view over neighboring Denmark and the beautiful Öresund. The town is more than 900 years old and has for many years been the gate to Denmark.

Helsingborg has been trade center and stronghold since the 9th century. 21st of May 1085 Helsingborg is considered as Helsingborg's official birth day, this was the first time Helsingborg was ever mentioned. This was in a letter from the Danish king Knut den helige (Knut the holy).

But people had lived here long before that. In the narrow part of Öresund it was easy to control the waterway. Helsingborg received its town charter 1414.

The simple fortification made of wood was replaced by Helsingborg Castle and later by Kärnan. A fort and a ring-wall around it were built during the 12th century and replaced the old wooden fort. It was called Helsingborg Castle. Kärnan was built during the 14th century and replaced the tower from the 12th century.
During the 16th century Kärnan was the symbol for domination over Skåne.

On the 15th century Helsingborg suffered very much from all the wars between Denmark and Sweden. Skåne and Helsingborg passed from Denmark to Sweden in 1658 but was destroyed during the Danish-Swedish conflicts in the 17th century. The Danes recaptured it 1676 and changed owners 4 times. During the war 1675 and 1679 most of the city Helsingborg was destroyed. Only the Maria church and the house of Jacob Hansen was saved. 1681-1684 the fort was destroyed but the tower Kärnan was left alone. Kärnan is the only thing left of Helsingborg Castle today.

Finally 1710 at the battle of Helsingborg Magnus Stenbock defeated the Danes and Helsingborg has been Swedish since that date.

During the 18th century Helsingborg was a small town with about 700 people living there. But during the 19th century and the indusrial revolution Helsingborg entered a new era of prosperity. The population increased rapidly.

The old DSB ferry station (To the left in the picture, black house with green roof) is now turned in to an night club, I think. At least it was in the beginning of the 90's.

Sundsbussarna is still going from the yellow house on the right side.

Back in the days, before they built the railway tunnel under Helsingborg the train had to cross the square when going from the North station to the South station. Now there is only 1 station and it's under ground.

I remember 1 time long a go. We found a guy from the north of Sweden. He had fallen of the train. He was with us for a few days drinking beer and having a good time. Well, we were young and we liked the good things in life and we had our pockets full of money to spend.

I have spent more than a few hours on DSB drinking beer on the way to and from Denmark.
The DSB ferries and LB ferries are now 1 company called Scandlines but there is a new company operating between Helsingborg and Helsingør since 1996.
It's the HH ferries .

When I say new it means the line was not operating when I was operating (going to Helsingør for drinking beer) in the area. Then it was DSB, LB and Sundsbussarna if we wanted to go and drink beer in Helsingør.

Much bla bla bla about the ferries but the connection between Denmark and Sweden has always been important. If you like to read more you are just 1 click away.

Back in the days there was 2 railway stations in the town. 1 on each side of the port. Now they have built a tunnel under Helsingborg and there is only 1 station now. On top of the railway station is the ferry terminal, convinient if you come with train.

The ferries are still going strong despite the new bridge between Malmö and Copenhagen opened for traffic in the summer 2000.

Ramlösa

Well, I must mention the best soda water in the world, Ramlösa:
Marketing the healing waters of Ramlösa Hälsobrunn began early on. In 1708 Johan Jacob Döbelius had a brochure published, which described the park at the spa. Readers could then get an idea of the beautiful natural surroundings, the district's many sightseeing opportunities and read an objectiv account of the resort's excellent postal service.

The health spa's guests were farmers, manual workers, lawyers, tailors, noblemen and soldiers. For the very poor, their visit to the health spa was free of charge. Thanks to generous donations from the rich, they were able to drink the water and receive proper health care. For the rich, their stay at Ramlösa was in many respects a pleasure trip. They drank the water and were treated by the spa doctor, but the social life and entertainment were the most important.

Drinking of the spring water began at 4 o'clock in the morning. The poor were first in line. When they had finished, it was the turn of the farmers and manual workers. At about 11 o'clock in the morning the rich came down to the spring to fill their crystal glasses.

For almost 200 years, people drank the water that came out of a sandstone rock in Ramlösadalen. But the natural Ramlösa mineral water was accidentally discovered at the end of the 19th century. At the time, a team of workmen was drilling for coal near Brunnsparken. Luckily they never found what they were looking for. They only found large quantities of water. Drilling was therefore stopped, and the sad team went home.

A few years later, in 1895, the superintendent of the spring was having trouble with his steam boilers. Scale was continually forming in them, and better-quality water than that being taken from the nearby stream was needed. The Managing Director at that time, Baron Uggla, suggested using water from the borehole. The boiler scale disappeared.

Surprised by these results, he had the water analysed, and the reply was more positive than he could ever have hoped. The water was just as pure and rich in minerals as the famous Neuenahr's health water of the time. A new era had begun. The water that we know today as the natural Ramlösa mineral water had been discovered.

Helsingborg - Helsingør from north