Downtown, Göteborg

Do not forget to check out the architecture of the houses in town. There are different types. In Haga for example there are mainly houses with stone in the streetlevel and wood above. Around Avenyn you hardly find them. Here houes are completely made of stone. Linegatan has a lot of brickstone houses.

(The pic is taken on Vasagatan.)

This square used to be called "Stora Torget" (the big square) as opposed to "Lilla Torget" (The small square). The statue is of Gustav II Adolf, who founded the present Goteborg in 1621, after Danes has occupied the forteress at the mouth of the river several times and demanded high ransoms. On the square are City Hall, the Stock Echange and the City Council.

Brunnsparken is right in the heart of the city centre as well as being pretty much at the heart of the tram system as most lines stop there.

This picture was taken looking to the west towards the Christinae Church - which was opened in 1748 and has some services in German - and the City Hall on Norra Hamngatan. On the other side of Stora Hamnkanalen is Sodra Hamngatan which is home to the Palace building and the East India House which is now home to the Goteburg City Museum.

You can sit on the steps beside the canal and enjoy the view of all the old buildings!

Another of the cities main squares, right in the heart of the city centre, next to Brunnsparken, this is more of an administrative area. I didn't figure out which building was which but its surrounded by the old and newer City Halls, the Stock Exchange and the Council buildings.

The statue in the middle is of Gustav II Adolf who was the cities founder.

The green strip around the centre on the place of the old city walls is now a park. East of the Kungsportsplatsen (behind the Stora Teatern) there is Kunsgparken, while the western part ends with Trädgårdsföreningen (the Horticultural Society park). This park also contains the Butterfly House and the Palm House.

Surrounded by walls, bastions and a moat, Göteborg was one of the most well-defended fortresses in Northern Europe.
The appearance of the city changed dramatically during the 19th century. The fortresses were demolished and made way for the Kungsparken park. The city expanded, some of the canals were filled in, the harbours and quays were extended.

The area where there were city walls and bastions is now a green strip of parks surrounding the central area of the town. The place of the ramparts is still well visible.

Göteborg was founded in 1621 by king Gustav II Adolf. The town was intended to act as Sweden´s gateway to the west, on the strategic position around the mouth of the River Göta. Town was an important trading centre since the 12th century.
The city was built according to Dutch patterns, with streets and manmade canals in a strictly-designed system and a large square, the current Gustaf Adolfs Torg, next to the Large Canal.

On the picture you can see a postcard showing the canals and part of the Gustav Adolf Torg in ca. 1890.

Gustav Adolfs Torg was the city's administrative centre with the old City Hall, the Stock Exchange and the City Council, as well as a statue of Gustav II Adolf.

The City Hall was completed in 1673 and designed by Nicomdemus Tessin Sr. This is where Göteborg's city board used to meet. The functionalistic extension was added in 1937 and by an architect Gunnar Asplund.

The Stock Exchange, built in 1849 and designed by Pehr Johan Ekman is the place where Sweden's oldest trade guilds moved in, is where the city council now meets and is the city's main representation hall.

The City Council and the Wenngrenska Villa, are two typical 18th century buildings which are now used for the city's administration.

Go clothes shopping girls, there's a H&M at every corner. The company comes from Goteborg (so I have heard) so that's not a big surprise...
There's not just plain H&M but H&M girls only, kids only, bras only, whatever only shops.