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Laser
F/X On-line Newsletter - Special Reports
Urström
at the 1999 Stockholm Water Festival
SWEDEN
AND STOCKHOLM - BACKGROUND
Sweden
Sweden
is a modern country of about 9 million people with 24 provinces. Located
north of Germany and Denmark and west of the Baltic states and Russia, part
of the country lies north of the Arctic circle.
Sweden is a neutral country that has
enjoyed peace for all of the 20th century which has allowed the Swedes to
achieve an enviable standard of living under a mixed system of high-tech
capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It has a modern distribution
system, excellent internal and external communications, and a skilled labour
force. One of the things you notice on the streets of Stockholm is the large
number of people with cell phones. Even children can be seen with phones in
hand or on their belts and everyone seems to be talking on them at once!
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Naturally one
thinks of the Viking heritage of Sweden. There is a distinction
between "Swedish" and "Danish/Norwegian"
Vikings. The Danish and Norwegian Viking expeditions went westwards,
concentrating on Western Europe and England. The Swedish, on the
other hand, went mostly eastwards into modern-day Russia and further
on to Byzantium.
Runestones and archaeological artifacts found in
eastern Sweden and on the island of Gotland show that the trade
exchange between eastern Sweden and the Near East was very intense
at this time in history. These expeditions often started from trade
centres like "Birka", situated on an island in Lake
Mälaren, not far from modern-day Stockholm.
The Vikings also settled in the
Russian town of Novgorod, which they called "Holmgård". As time
went by their influence on the economic and political life grew. According
to a chronicle written in the 12th century AD, the Swedish Vikings were the
founders of Russia. Although this is not very likely, the influence of the
Vikings is still visible there. |
The City of Stockholm
Stockholm
bills itself as "Beauty on water" and one is never far way from
open water in the city. Large ships from all over Europe can be seen docked
alongside the Skeppsbron and the Stadgrdsleden just steps away from the
downtown core. The water is so clean in the city that it is safe for
swimming and many Swedes can be seen fishing from bridges and the
embankments along the waterways.
Stockholm, a city
built on a number of islands, was founded because of these
waterways. Before the invention of locks and canals, goods such as
tin and fur destined for the extensive Baltic trade had to be
transhipped at Stockholm. Since Stockholm was located in such a
strategic spot, and trade was an important factor, it became vital
to fortify the islands of the inner city with a wall.
The old Stockholm was located on Helgeandsholmen
and grew up during the 13th century. It was not long before the city
moved in between the bridges. Today we know this part of the city as
the Old Town or Gamla Stan.
The name Stockholm is first recorded in the
chronicle of Eric (Eriks krönikan), probably written between 1322
and 1332. According to this chronicle, Stockholm was founded by
Birger Jarl in 1252. It was named Stockholm, referring to the town
between the bridges.
The city of Stockholm is a mix of
modern architecture and amenities as well as the older and historical past.
No matter where one goes there seems to be a photo opportunity around every
corner. The Swedes have a tradition of public art and there are many
statues, fountains, murals and squares that reflect this tradition. |
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Quick Links to Report
Pages
Stockholm
Water Festival Report
- Introduction
Sweden
and Stockholm -
Background and general information
The
Site - Orientation
to the show area and the challenges it presented
The
Crew - The people
who put it all together
Tech
Specs - The
equipment used in the presentation
The
Music - An
interview with the composer and MP3 file of the soundtrack
Smoke
on the water -
Covering a lake with smoke for beam effects
The
Show - A
description with many pictures
Animated
Gifs - Gifs
showing Palace projections and climatic beam effects
Stadshuset
- Stockholm City Hall tour (very large page)
Show
Diary - Day-to-day
coverage of the trials and triumphs
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NOT endorse or recommend any products/services and is NOT
responsible for the technical accuracy of the information
provided. We provide this information as a service to
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