A proverb: "One does not write poems in Gothenburg but bills." Shipping and steel industry define Gothenburg's everyday lives. The second biggest city of Sweden is also very popular as far as music is concerned.
Volvo and Ericsson are two of Gothenburg's companies which complywith the mentioned proverb, thus, they really like to make out abill. The city is also famous for its prospering metal music scene;"Ace of Base"famous pop stars of the 1990's; and Ã…ke Edwardson, an advocate of the new guild of Scandinavian crime thriller writers.
Already in the Stone Age people settled at the river Göta älv. Gothenburg was,however, founded in 1619 by King Gustav II who upgraded the city to Europe's best fortification as a defence against Norway and Denmark.Due to the thriving trade with the British the ship city got the name "Lilla London" (small London) ; the trade in tobacco and sugar resulted in an economic upturn.
Today Gothenburg's maritime atmosphere is more present than ever. Its capital Kungsportsavenyn is flag-fringed.The flags sometimes clatter against the staffs when bleak winds are blowing; this is a tranquilising sound for the "sea dogs" who gathertheir clam harvest and earn their pocket money with hobby fishermen.
