Whenever we go on a trip, we try to gather as much information as possible about the destination. Believe me, we learn a lot from this. Not only does our knowledge increase, but we also get a chance to experience history and tales firsthand when we visit these places.
The city I want to talk about today is considered one of the most beautiful cities in Sweden. But this city also has a history that is unforgettable. I am talking about Sundsvall.
The city center of Sundsvall is called "Stenstan" in Swedish, which means "City of Stone." You might wonder why it’s called that and that’s where my research began. I discovered a painful event in history.
On January 25, 1888, a major fire broke out in Sundsvall. The Midsummer celebration had just ended, there were no clouds in the sky and it hadn’t rained for 14 days. The temperature was 28 degrees and there was a strong wind from the west.
Around noon, a spark from a steamboat on the river ignited the dry grass and soon flames were rising. The church bells started ringing, but despite all efforts the entire city was reduced to ashes in a few hours. The fire spread so fast that everything was destroyed in just nine hours. Five people lost their lives and 9,000 people became homeless.
After learning about this tragic event, we decided to visit Sundsvall and see the city from a different perspective.
The property damage at that time was estimated at around 30 million Swedish krona, making it the biggest fire in Sweden’s history. Sundsvall was rebuilt using stone, which is why it is now known as "Stenstan" or "City of Stone."
This event is a reminder that if a nation is determined and courageous, it can rebuild itself after any difficulty. If you want to know more about the incident, search for "Sundsvallsbranden" on Google.
After exploring the city, we headed to Norra Berget, a hilly area where you can see the entire city of Sundsvall from a height. The view was breathtaking and gave us a sense of the city's resilience and beauty.
It was an interesting and beautiful trip to start the summer. Sundsvall’s history and its stunning views made it a memorable journey.
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