Mälaren is a lake in southern Sweden, located west of Stockholm. The Norrström canal connects it to the Baltic Sea (Saltsjön fjord). The area of Lake Mälaren is 1140 square meters. km, it extends for about 120 kilometers through Sweden and has more than 1200 islands. The etymological name comes from the Old Norse word mælir, which appeared in historical records in 1320 and means “gravel”. It was previously known as Lǫgrinn, which means Old Lake in Old Norse.
Geographic location
Lake Mälaren is located in a region with Archean cliffs. In deposits around, especially in its north-eastern and southern parts, lime-rich clays predominate. These areas are well suited for cultivation, and the use of inorganic fertilizers contributes to the nutritional enrichment of the reservoir. The growth of the population and industry around its territories has been and remains very high. Lake Mälaren has become more eutrophic in the last 30–40 years. Its importance as a freshwater reservoir is growing steadily.
In Sweden, Lake Mälaren is the third largest and is a very complex system consisting of bays of various nature. According to its topography, it can be divided into five basins, each of which has a special chemical and biological status. Seventy-five percent of the tributary enters the western part of the lake, but the tributary to the northeastern region is also important. This means that water flows mainly in two directions (one from west to east, and the other from northeast to south) before entering the connection with the Baltic. Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, is located at the entrance to the sea.
Historical information
Early descriptions mention the importance of the lake as a route of communication between Stockholm and many inland cities. Another source of this period notes that water tastes good and is potable. The lake is surrounded by small picturesque cities, as well as several historical sites - from luxurious royal castles (Grönsö, Skokloster and Gripsholm) to more modest mansions. Amid all this grandeur, the nearby Anundshög Barrow is particularly impressive.
An interesting and valuable copy, from a historical point of view, is an engraved map of Lake Mälaren printed in Sweden. This is the only surviving copy of one of the first maps. It was created in 1614 by Andreas Bureus, but remained unknown until 1958. She was found among the pages of an atlas of the 17th century by a Swedish collector. In 1976 it became the property of the National Library of Sweden.
Sweden's first published pictorial description
In 1785, Johan Fischerström (1735–1794) wrote a description of Lake Mälaren. It includes one of the first recorded uses of the term “pictorial” in Sweden. Utkast til Beskrifning om Mälaren (Draft Description of Lake Mälaren) was compiled in 1782 and published in the capital three years later. This is a description of the landscape, written during the voyage from Stockholm to the city of Torshalla, undertaken in the late summer of 1782. The author shows the specific nature, the nature of the places and villages he meets. Fisherstrom's book is an amazing combination of different topics: scientific ambitions, the promotion of certain political ideas and susceptibility to new pictorial ideals of that period.
Viking city
In the mid-700s, the town of Birka was founded on the island of Björkö of Lake Mälaren. This place is great for anyone interested in the exciting past of the Vikings of Sweden. It is believed that it was the Swedish king who initiated the creation of the city in an effort to control trade in northern Scandinavia, both politically and economically. The monarch himself lived a few kilometers from here, in the town of Hovgården on Adels. At that time, his duty was to maintain order in the city and protect the most important shopping center from plunder.
Today, city guests can simply walk around the area, join excursions to archaeological sites or visit the museum. On the top of Borgberget, inside the ancient castle on the Birka, you can find the cross of Ansgar. This famous landmark was erected in 1834, a thousand years after the arrival of the missionary Ansgar in Birka. It is also worth a visit to the reconstructed Viking village with typical forges and weaving houses.
Renaissance castle
During the summer months, the lake is filled with boats that go to Drottingholm - the palace where the Swedish royal family lives, as well as to the pretty Mariefred, a small town on the south coast with the magnificent Gripsholm Castle. The brick stronghold is surrounded by the waters of Mälaren and majestically rises above the city. The history of the current castle begins in 1537, when construction began by King Gustav Vasa. However, already in the XIV century there was a fortress built by the Knight of the Kingdom Gripp Boo Jonsson, in whose honor the castle was named.
Today, this legacy of past centuries is often shown in the photo with Lake Mälaren and attracts a large number of visitors who come to admire the luxurious rooms, touch the history and see a large collection of portraits. Perhaps one of the main attractions is a stuffed lion of the XVIII century. Its modern popularity is due to the fact that the taxidermist, who is tasked with stuffing the body of a lion, probably never saw a living beast. As a result of this, the scarecrow looks a little different than the lions we are used to seeing.
Filming
Mention of the lake can be found in the 1987 film "Pirates from Lake Mälaren." In the story, during the summer holidays, Jorge, Jerker and Fabian steal a sailing boat to explore the entire territory. They go on a trip, but their plans are not destined to come true, because a storm begins and the ship sank. Heroes go ashore, steal food and a new boat. They have a wonderful time, while everyone else considers them dead.