# Urban life in Sweden



## GSAA (Nov 2, 2009)

First of all, sorry if a similar thread has been posted before, I searched but didn't really find anything like it.

This thread will focus on the urban life in Sweden, displaying the good and the bad sides of some cities and towns in this large country in the far North.

First up, of course:

STOCKHOLM

With over 800 000 inhabitants in the municipality and 2 million in the metro area, Stockholm is Sweden's cultural, media, political and economic centre, and is also known as the "Capital of Scandinavia".

Sergels torg is Stockholm's most central square, a commercial hub and a meeting place for residents and tourists alike.










The sunken pedestrian plaza below, called Plattan, is located at Sergeös torg. It's usually very crowded. Plattan is also known to be a hangout for people who sell narcotics.










Drottninggatan is one of Stockholm's most important shopping streets. Stretching for 1,5 km towards Gamla Stan (Old Town), thois mostly pedestrianized street has existed since the mid-17th century, ehen Sweden was a major European power. Lined along the street are numerous pubs, cafes, bars and shops of various kinds, including malls like Åhlens. In summer it's also frequently visited by tourists, making Drottninggatan a bit of a tourist trap.










Gamla Stan, the Old Town, is an obvious place to visit for tourists, with its narrow streets and charming atmosphere. Like Drottninggatan, Gamla Stan is quite a tourist trap in summertime.










Bordering Norrmalm is Östermalm, an upper class area where housing prices can be up to 15 000 USD per sq m. Stureplan, below, is the most central area of Östermalm. At Stureplan, young rich people, and those who want to be like them, gather on weekends to party at the expensive bars and night clubs.










Strandvägen (Beach Street) is a large boulevard in Östermalm where some of Sweden's most luxurious apartments can be found.










Södermalm is a former working class area which has now turned trendy. It can be compared to New York's Greenwich Village or London's SoHo. In fact, the srea south of Södermalm's Folkungagatan (Folkunga Street) has been nicknamed SoFo!










So far, we've had a small look at some of Stockholm's most central areas. The suburbs are another story. Many of them have large immigrant populations and suffer from poverty (by Swedish standards) and lack of jobs. Rinkeby, below, is the most well-known such suburb of Stockholm, located to the north-west of the city centre.










Rinkeby is a so-called "miljonprogramsförort", a suburb consisting of apartment blocks built in the 1960s. Many of these have had little maintenance since then. Rinkeby's skyline:










Tensta and Hjulsta are two similar suburbs bordering Rinkeby. Such suburbs can be quite dangerous for ethnic Swedes and other white people, because local immigrant youth gangs often target white people who are walking alone. Crime rates are relatively high in these areas. Tensta:










Hjulsta, below, and other such suburbs often have very few things to do, especially for young people. To espace their boredom many young people therefore join small gangs who target white people for their money or other belongings. This isn't a racist comment, it's the unfortunate reality and one of Stockholm's saddest sides.










Stay tuned for more!


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## GSAA (Nov 2, 2009)

GÖTEBORG / GOTHENBURG

Göteborg (or Gothenburg in English) has almost 1 million inhabitants in the metro area and is Sweden's second largest city. It's centrally located between Oslo and Copenhagen. Gothenburg's most central shopping street is Avenyn, below.










At one end of Avenyn is Götaplatsen (Göta Square), Gothenburg's central city square.










Nordstan in Gothenburg is, at least at the moment, Scandinavia's largest mall with 320 000 sq m of space and 280 shops. I'll link to a large image inside Nordstan below (too big for this site):

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6c/090627_Nordstan_panorama.jpg

Majorna is Gothenburg's smaller version of Södermalm in Stockholm, with its bohemian atmosphere and old buildings. Panorama:










Hisingen is a large island in Gothenburg. It has many old an interesting buildings. Unfortunately problems with immigrant gangs has made it an unsafe place for the police and ethnic Swedes alike in recent years.










Angered is probably Gothenburg's msot notorious immigrant suburbs. The many TV antennas below are because the inhabitants watch channels from their home countries via sattelite.










Gothenburg's old city.


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## nedolessej197 (Oct 24, 2006)

very cool!


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## gorex (Dec 6, 2009)

Great photos thanks!


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## GSAA (Nov 2, 2009)

MALMÖ
Malmö, located in the very south-west, a few minutes from Copenhagen in Denmark, is Sweden's third largest city. As an old industrial city, it has been badly afefcted by post-industrialism. It's one of Sweden's most dangerous cities and some areas, like Rosengård below, is so dangerous so the police won't go in there with only one police car. Rosengård's population consists almost only of immigrants, and it's Sweden's worst ghetto, located quite centrally in Malmö. Rosengård is the home of soccer player Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Herrgården, an area of Rosengård, has 96% immigrant population. Most of the 4% ethnic Swedes are old people who can't afford to move away, no Swedes want to live there. Crime (murders, burning of cars etc.) happens relatively often there.
































Malmö is the only big Swedish city with inner city problems like in the US - the safer areas are located in surrounding municipalities, where most people are ethnic Swedes. Some Swedish Malmö citizens have moved across the Öresund strait to Copenhagen, Denmark. Although plagued by social inequities and segregation, Malmös old city center is well kept:
























Limhamn is an upper class area, one of relatively few areas in Malmö municipality without these social problems.


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## GSAA (Nov 2, 2009)

UPPSALA
With almost 150 000 inhabitants (300 000 including the surrounding area), Uppsala is Sweden's fourth largest city. About 40 000 of the residents are students studying at the old university from the 15th century. In many ways a large suburb of Stockholm, central Uppsala is located just 70 km from the capital. Central Uppsala is divided into two parts by the river Fyrisån, seen below: The old, hsitorical side, and the residental, commercial heart of Uppsala.








Ever since the Viking Age, Uppsala has been an important center in Sweden and in Scandinavia. Here you can see Uppsala's central Station, in the heart of the city.








Uppsala University, a "second home" for many young residents.








The crowded outdoor Christmas market.








A walking street in central Uppsala at dusk.








As a university city where many residents have something to do with the University (students, teachers...), Uppsala has escaped many of the social problems which can be seen in the big three cities (especially Malmö). Gottunda, below, is one of relatively few "crime-ridden, immigrant" cimmunities in Uppsala. However, gottsunda's inhabitants aren't all immigrants, it's nothing like Malmö's Rosengård.


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## Lucky_star (Jan 18, 2008)

Who´s Urban?


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## santiago calatrava (Jul 4, 2009)

Lucky_star said:


> Who´s Urban?


Where's life?


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## Vincedem (Dec 5, 2007)

Rosengård doesn't look so bad.


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Very nice photos from those cities, towns of Sweden so far


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

Interesting presentation. It's good that you also bring up the bad sides of the cities. The Swedish government have really failed handling the social problems. But why did you start to show the bad areas in Malmö and not the other cities? The city center is the true city, the "ghettos" where built hundreds of years Malmö was founded. Why 4 photos from Rosengård and only 3 from the city center?
Malmö is not that dangerous after all, daytime it is very safe, and I doubt that Rinkeby is any better than Rosengård.

I don't understand why you used such low quality photos from Malmö's city center and not Stockholm, that is not fair. Drottninggatan in Stockholm looks wonderful!

Some more recent Malmö photos (from my own website, hope it's ok that I post them):

Gamla Väster:








City center:
















Västra Hamnen:

















Rosengård:


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## MarkusErikssen (Oct 4, 2005)

Sweden is a lovely country. Been there on my holidays last august. Stockholm is a great city. Can't wait to go back. Very urban, but also nature and large parks.


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## Obscene (Jul 22, 2007)

What is this bullshit thread for?

The FIRST picture you show of Malmö is a riot in Rosengård, like it should represent Malmö in somehow....?

The first thing you think of when you hear immigrant suburbs is immigrant gangs who rob white people?

You need to get out more....

Rinkeby has some problems with crime, but not to the extent you might want other people to think... Rinkeby has a lovely square with alot of people shopping fresh fruit, vegetables etc.... How come you did'nt show this, instead of talking about its "crime problems"?


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Malmo old city is indeed a very nice area, district


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## kaethar (Aug 26, 2008)

Lol, the OP has an agenda.


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## Get Smart (Oct 6, 2008)

nice tour of Swedish cities


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## Obscene (Jul 22, 2007)

GSAA said:


> > Many of them have large immigrant populations.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Have you even been in any of these areas?


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## staff (Oct 23, 2004)

Haha, I wonder what the OP has against Malmö. What a terrible description of the city. :lol:


To put things into perspective:




> *MALMÖ*
> 
> Sweden's third largest municipal is also the most dense city in Sweden. Almost half of the urban area's population lives in the city core/centre, and the rest lives in large scale housing projects built in the 60-70s or detached houses. About half of the city's housing was built during Sweden's "glory days" between 1955-75, during the so called "Million Programme".
> 
> ...



Random pics from Flickr;

West Harbour










Triangeln sub-centre










Malmö University










Gustaf Adolf's Square








Photo by Nightsky

S:t John's Church










Tallest Ferris wheel in Northern Europe @ Möllevången










West harbour










Möllevången










Ribershus










Downtown










Ribban










Möllan










Downtown










ST










Rosengård










Möllan










Skeppsbron










VH










ST










Triangeln









Malmö Athletics Stadium










VH










Downtown










Södertull










Möllan










Queen St. / Admiral St.










Flatiron










Gamla Väster










Waterfront










Downtown










Värnhem










Möllan










Kronprinsen




















GAT










Downtown










Nyhamnen




















Pildammsparken




















Gamla Väster










Downtown










Möllan










S:t Paul's Church




















Lilla Torg










Högaholm










Downtown










Admiral St.


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## Obscene (Jul 22, 2007)

great presentation Staff..
Although you forgot to mention the part about immigrant gangs who kill white people for fun, but otherwise spot on!


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Awesome aerial photos of Malmo, Staff


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