www2.varberg.se
Varberg has a population of about 56.000 and is located in one of Sweden’s most expansive regions. Varberg is situated on the west coast of Sweden in the country of Halland connecting Oslo and Gothenburg with Copenhagen, Hamburg and central Europe by the railways. In addition, Varberg is one of Sweden’s most popular seaside resorts, the tourist industry is a strong factor in the economy of Varberg.

Varberg is an important hub for goods traffic by road, rail, and not least by sea – thanks to the modern port facility and ferry link to Grenå in Denmark. Local industry consists of a few major companies and many smaller businesses. The Municipality of Varberg invests in education, health, logistics and culture.

History:
Varberg’s history dates back to the middle Ages, with the city retaining features from the period when it was under Danish rule. After numerous wars and extensive fires during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, the city has always risen from the ashes. The pride of Varberg is its fort, which was originally built as a castle by a Danish count in the late 13th century. In the 17th century, a fortress and moat were built around the castle. This mighty structure, perched on a rock overlooking the sea, has been the focal point of Varberg and life in the town for centuries.
 

Varberg gained its reputation as a health resort in the 19th century. The building housing the Warm Baths is from that period. Later Cold Baths became fashionable, and the water in Varberg was said to have healing properties. Many celebrities and members of high society came here to ease their pains and diseases in mud and seaweed baths. Many also came to drink the spring water from The Black Spring.

Visitors have had many opportunities to amuse themselves with dancing, singing and theatre in Societetsparken. Among the dignitaries who visited Varberg in the 19th century we find not only royalty (King Oscar II), but also the renowned painter Carl Larsson and authors Gustaf Fröding and Esaias Tegnér.

Location:
The Municipality of Varberg is situated on the west coast of Sweden in the county of Halland by the E6, the E20 and railway connecting Oslo and Gothenburg with Copenhagen, Hamburg and central Europe. The harbour has daily ferry services to Denmark. Varberg is located in one of Sweden’s most expansive regions. The geographical location on the west coast and excellent links from Varberg to the principal cities in the region, combine to attract people wanting to settle here.

Population: Varberg has a population of about 56.000 and increasing. The average life in Sweden is high and in the county of Halland the highest in Sweden.

Education:
The Municipality of Varberg provides education from kindergarten to upper secondary school. Major investments in the school buildings have been made to adjust the premises to modern way of education. Since 2003 students have been able to study Advanced Vocational Education and university programmes and courses at Campus Varberg. Varberg doesn’t have its own university college, but provides this education in association with other universities. These courses have become very popular, with the number of students steadily rising, today totalling nearly 1300.

Tourism & culture:
Varberg is one of Sweden’s most popular seaside resorts. The beaches are well known throughout the country. Windsurfers from all over Europe come to Aplviken, to enjoy the best waves in Sweden. The tourist industry is a strong factor in the economy of Varberg.

In July 2004 UNESCO added the Grimeton radio station to its list of World Heritages. The radio station was erected in 1922-24 as a link in the worldwide network of broadcast transmitters. With an aerial system of six impressive steel towers and an Alexanderson alternator, the transmitter symbolizes a crucial step in the evolution of modern wireless communications and is the only one of its kind still in operation.

Local economy:
Local industry consists of a few major companies and many smaller businesses. The two largest companies are: the nuclear power station Ringhals and pulp and paper producer Södra Cell Värö employing around 1,600 people. Varberg is an important hub for goods traffic by road, rail, and not least by sea – thanks to the modern port facility and ferry link to Grenå in Denmark.

Today the port is equipped and capable of handling most existing types of goods. Today Varberg is Sweden’s leading handler of sawn timber. The port has successively developed and expanded.

The Municipality of Varberg and Halland County Council are the two largest employers. Around 4,500 people work for the municipality and around 2,000 work for the county council. Varberg is also home of many IT businesses and shoe companies and is famous for it’s long tradition of bicycle manufacturing Increasing numbers of companies are turning their attentions to Varberg. The Municipality of Varberg invests in education, health, logistics and culture. Major recent investment includes the Institute of Advanced Studies (Campus Varberg), and Sparbankshallen, a multi-purpose facility designed for sports, music, theatre, exhibitions and fairs.

The spa tradition thrives and is continuously developing. The Warm and Cold Baths are still housed in magnificent buildings close to the town centre. Several hotels offer packages with traditional spa treatments. The Institute of Advanced Studies provides courses in health promotion.

As many others, Varberg has made an effort to contribute to a sustainable development. The number of wind power plants is increasing. The waste heat from pulp and paper producer Södra Cell Värö becomes district heating in Varberg. This development of district heating has reduced our emission with 27 500 ton per year. The commercial and industrial life is continuously growing. Rural development has a high priority with activities and strategic planning to increase population, job opportunities, public transportation, and service and organise so that fiber network is accessible in the more sparsely populated parts of the municipality of Varberg.