Nora, Sweden

Nora
Nora railway station
Nora
Coordinates: 59°31′N 15°02′E / 59.517°N 15.033°E / 59.517; 15.033Coordinates: 59°31′N 15°02′E / 59.517°N 15.033°E / 59.517; 15.033
Country	Sweden
Province	Västmanland
County	Örebro County
Municipality	Nora Municipality
Area[1]
- Total	6.46 km2 (2.5 sq mi)
Population (2005-12-31)[1]
- Total	6,496
- Density	1,005/km2 (2,602.9/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)

Nora is a locality and the seat of Nora Municipality, Örebro County, Sweden with 6,496 inhabitants in 2005.^[1]

Despite its small population, Nora is referred to as a "city" for historical reasons. Statistics Sweden, however, only counts localities with more than 10,000 inhabitants as cities.

History

Nora received its charter in 1643. The government had requested the inhabitants of both Nora and the adjacent town Lindesberg to move together into a newly chartered city called Järle. However, the government proved unsuccessful, and instead granted both Nora and Lindesberg independent charters at that year.

Nora circa 1700, in Suecia antiqua et hodierna.

Many wooden houses built in the 18th and 19th century have been spared by fires and demolition, making the town Nora one of Sweden's best preserved wooden towns. Eksjö and Hjo are two other examples, and they have together with Nora initiated a wooden-town development project. Also part of the old city structure are cobbled streets with small houses and shops by small windling street. "Så liten stad, så mycket smak" (Small town, much flavor/taste) Anna Maria Lenngren, Swedish author.

The first normal gauge railway in Sweden was opened to the public in 1856 between Nora and Ervalla. It is today a museum railway, worked by a preservation society.

See also

• Nora, Indianapolis

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Tätorternas landareal, folkmängd och invånare per km² 2000 och 2005" (in Swedish) (xls). Statistics Sweden. http://www.scb.se/statistik/MI/MI0810/2005A01B/T%c3%a4torternami0810tab1.xls. Retrieved 2009-05-10. 

Nora, Sweden is one of 133 places with the historical city status in Sweden.