|
Motala
The City Park, the Promenade along the inlet of Motala and the beach of Varamon in Motala. Motala is beautifully situated closed to the lake Vättern in the western part of the county of Östergötland. Southwards the flat country of Östergötland spread out and in the north of Motala you will find the forest region called Tylöskog. The history of Motala date from the 14th's century, but the little village of mills began to grow when the famous canal, Göta kanal, was build across Sweden between the Baltic Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Göta kanal was build under the management Baltzar von Platen. The west part of the canal in the region of Västergötland was ready 1826 and the eastern part in the region of Östergötland was completed in 1832. When the canal was open ant the ships were put into service, the little village of mills began to grow. Motala was granted an urban district in 1823 and was granted a town charter in 1881. Baltzar von Platen founded Motala verkstad, the very first mechanical engineering industry in Sweden. Further more Baltzar von Platen draw the first town plan of Motala. He used a pair of compasses and placed the centre in the midle of the inlet of Motala. Then he made use of ruler and draw lines toward the centre point and then with use of compasses parallels so the first street went parallel along the beach (the Promenade in the photo above), the second street parallel with the first one and so on. He had made the first town plan fan-shaped and it still serve the purpose. If you go to the point in the middle of the inlet of Motala, you will see all the streets at the same time. There is a statue of Baltzar von Platen in the market place of Motala and his burial-place is closed to the Göta kanal. Varomobaden is about 5 km long beach of sand just north of the city of Motala. This is the biggest beach of any lake in the Nordic. Varamon is very popular beach for bathe in the summer. A very famous event is Vätternrundan, check my links. You cycle round the lake Vättern, about 300 Km and both start and finish is in the city of Motala.
|