Medeltidsstaden Örebro

– 42 år och 104 undersökningar senare

Abstract

The medieval city of Örebro – 42 years and 104 interventions later. The project "The Medieval Town" intended to compile available information about all Swedish medieval towns. The perspective was consequently archaeological, but the project had an interdisciplinary methodology. Volume no 9 about Örebro came in 1978. The town was probably founded in the 13th century, but the chronology is unclear in the early years. It grew up around a defense facility at a ford over the river Svartån. During the rest of the Middle Ages, the castle and the city were often at the front line in battles between warring factions. Therefore, in 2020 the new compilation and analysis was made. Some of the results and conclusions are presented in this article:

• The older city maps also give a good picture of the distribution of the medieval settlement.
The city is located on a narrow ridge and it is only in modern times that the city
expands outside the ridge.
• The ridge has been “improved” already during the Middle Ages with large fills and the
city's topography is mainly created by its inhabitants.
• In watching briefs, excavations rarely continue to the natural subsoil, meaning that
earlier remains may still be present in areas recorded as have been documented.
• Few traces of extensive fires have been found despite at least four city fires and at least
seven sieges. Part of the explanation may be the fills and remaking of the topography.