Gamla och nya städer i Göta älvdalen - en jämförelse av stadsfunktioner i fyra medeltidsstäder före och efter flytt

Sammanfattning: In 1473 the citizens of Lödöse had to establish a new city close to what we today call Gothenburg. It got the name New Lödöse. This move was an order from the king Gustav Vasa. In the 17th century the inhabitancy of Kungahälla was forced to move on orders from the king Christian IV. They settled down in Kungälv, below Bohus fortress. This paper questions the difference between the institutions and functions in the city before and after their relocation. Is there any continuity between the new city and their forerunner? Is it possible to se any connection between the power and a cities institutions and functions? The paper discusses if there is any similarity or difference between the four cities – Kungahälla, Kungälv, Lödöse and New Lödöse. This will be done by seeing if there are different institutions and functions present in a city such as: churches, monasteries, fortification and royal estate, hospital, town hall, square, street layout and urban planning, market and trade, port, craft production and if there are any specific functions or institutions that characterize the city. After the cities are presented the paper will discuss the results, which is that we can see a difference between Kungahälla and Lödöse by size, functions and activity. There is no direct continuity between Kungahälla and Kungälv – the medieval city is abandoned in the 17th century. Lödöse is still active as a parallel town to New Lödöse. Building material and the hospital activity moves to the new city in both cases. The power of the church decreases – which is noticeable in the towns. It’s the same with the power of the crown – more fortifications and less religious buildings. The crown’s power is not decreased but the king is not as present in a town as before the 1500’s. The burghers then act on orders from the king but control the city in their ways. This is noticeable because there is more focus on trade than religion and fortifications.