View source for Sigtuna

{{Infobox settlement
|official_name          = Sigtuna
|image_skyline          = Stora gatan i Sigtuna nr 1.jpg
|image_caption          = Stora gatan, the old main street
|image_shield           = Sigtuna vapen.svg
|pushpin_map            = Sweden Stockholm#Sweden#European Union
|pushpin_label_position = 
|subdivision_type       = [[Country]]
|subdivision_name       = [[Sweden]]
|subdivision_type3      = [[Municipalities of Sweden|Municipality]]
|subdivision_name3      = [[Sigtuna Municipality]]
|subdivision_type2      = [[Counties of Sweden|County]]
|subdivision_name2      = [[Stockholm County]]
|subdivision_type1      = [[Provinces of Sweden|Province]]
|subdivision_name1      = [[Uppland]]
|area_footnotes         = <ref name=scb>{{cite web |url=http://www.scb.se/Statistik/MI/MI0810/2010A01/Tatorternami0810tab1_4.xls |title=Tätorternas landareal, folkmängd och invånare per km<sup>2</sup> 2005 och 2010 |date=14 December 2011 |publisher=[[Statistics Sweden]] |language=sv |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127055525/http://www.scb.se/Statistik/MI/MI0810/2010A01/Tatorternami0810tab1_4.xls |archive-date=27 January 2012 |url-status=live |access-date=10 January 2012 }}</ref>
|area_total_km2         = 4.57
|population_as_of       = 31 December 2020
|population_footnotes   = <ref name=scb />
|population_total       = 9,689 <!-- This is the official figure from Statistics Sweden (Statistiska centralbyrån). -->
|population_density_km2 = 1849
|timezone               = [[Central European Time|CET]]
|utc_offset             = +1
|timezone_DST           = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
|utc_offset_DST         = +2
|coordinates            = {{coord|59|37|N|17|43|E|region:SE|display=inline,title}}
|website                = [http://destinationsigtuna.se/en/ Official website]
}}

'''Sigtuna'''{{efn|{{IPA|sv|ˈsɪ̂kːˌtʉːna}}<ref>{{cite book|url=https://runeberg.org/ortnamn/0025.html|author1=Jöran Sahlgren|author2=Gösta Bergman|title=Svenska ortnamn med uttalsuppgifter|language=sv|year=1979|page=21}}</ref>}} is a [[Urban areas in Sweden|locality]] situated in the eponymous [[Sigtuna Municipality]], in [[Stockholm County]], [[Sweden]] with 9,689 inhabitants in 2020.<ref name=scb /> It is the namesake even though the seat of the municipality is in another locality, [[Märsta]].
Sigtuna is for historical reasons still often referred to as a {{Lang|sv|[[Stad (Sweden)|stad]]}}.

Sigtuna is situated at the bay Skarven, stretching around [[Upplands-Bro]] and a part of [[Mälaren|Lake Mälaren]]. Present-day Sigtuna, a harbour town that was established around 980, developed about {{convert|4|km|mi}} east of [[Old Sigtuna]], which, according to [[Old Norse religion]], was previously the home of the widely revered god [[Odin]].<ref>{{cite web
 |url          = http://samla.raa.se/xmlui/bitstream/handle/raa/3025/2002_161.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
 |title        = Sigtuna och folklanden : den tidiga Sigtunamyntningen och den politiska
 |author       = Jonas Ros
 |publisher    = Fornvännen 2002(97):3, s. [161]-175
 |access-date  = December 1, 2018
 |archive-date = December 19, 2018
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20181219043925/http://samla.raa.se/xmlui/bitstream/handle/raa/3025/2002_161.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
 |url-status   = dead
}}</ref>

==Etymology==
The name of Sigtuna was moved from what is presently called [[Fornsigtuna|Signhildsberg]]. The meaning of ''Sigtuna'' is contested. According to one theory, it is a [[compound (linguistics)|compound name]] where the second element is -''[[wikt:tún#Old_Norse|tuna]]'' and the first one is either of two closely related dialectal words, viz. ''sig'' meaning "seeping water" or "swamp" or ''sik'' meaning "swamp". As a basis for this interpretation, a brook south of Signhildsberg has been mentioned, or the fact that the estate was surrounded by marshy terrain.<ref name="sv">Entry ''Sigtuna'' in Svenskt ortnamnslexikon. Ed. Mats Wahlberg. Institutet för språk och folkminnen, Uppsala 2003.</ref> 

Another theory considers the name to be an ancient prestigious "[[wanderwort|wander toponym]]", meaning "strong fortress", like the [[Celtic languages|Celtic]] toponym ''[[Segodunum]]'',<ref name="sv"/> from [[Proto-Germanic language|Proto-Germanic]] *''[[wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/segaz|siga]][[wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/tūną|tūna]]'', [[Old Norse]] ''Sigtún'', cf. Proto-Germanic *''[[wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/segaz|segaz ~ *sigiz]]''- "victory": [[Gothic language|Gothic]] ''[[wikt:𐍃𐌹𐌲𐌹𐍃|sigis]]'', Old Norse ''[[wikt:sigr|sigr]]'', [[Old English]] ''[[wikt:sigor|sigor]]'', Old Frisian ''sige, sīge'', [[Old High German]] ''[[wikt:sigu|sigi, sigu]]''.<ref name="koch">Koch, John T. (2020). [https://www.wales.ac.uk/Resources/Documents/Centre/2020/Celto-Germanic2020.pdf CELTO-GERMANIC Later Prehistory and Post-Proto-Indo-European vocabulary in the North and West] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211125063756/https://www.wales.ac.uk/Resources/Documents/Centre/2020/Celto-Germanic2020.pdf |date=2021-11-25 }}.</ref>

== History ==
Sigtuna was founded on what was then the shore of Lake Mälaren just over 1,000 years ago. It took its name from an ancient royal estate (see [[Uppsala öd]]) several kilometers to the west (see [[Fornsigtuna]]). Various sources claim King [[Eric the Victorious]] as founder while others claim King [[Olof Skötkonung]].<ref name=vsm>{{cite web|url=   https://www.vikingeskibsmuseet.dk/en/professions/education/viking-knowledge/the-viking-age-geography/vikingetiden-i-skandinavien/sigtuna/|title=  Sigtuna in Sweden|author= Barbara Højlund & Frederik Schildt Nabe-Nielsen|publisher=  vikingeskibsmuseet.dk|access-date=December 1, 2018}}</ref>

It operated as a royal and commercial centre for some 250 years, and was one of the most important cities of Sweden. During a brief period at the end of the 10th and beginning of the 11th century, Sweden's first coins were minted here. [[St. Mary's Church, Sigtuna|St. Mary's Church]], built in the 13th century by the [[Dominican order]] as a monastery church, still remains largely intact. The Dominican monastery played an important role in the Swedish Middle Ages and produced many important church officials, among them many [[Archbishop of Uppsala|Swedish archbishop]]s. Many church and monastery ruins still stand, including St. Pers Church  (''S:t Pers kyrkoruin'') dating the 1100s, St. Olof Church (''S:t Olofs kyrkoruin'') dated from around the middle of the 11th century, and  St. Lars Church   (''S:t Lars kyrkoruin'') dating from the middle of the 13th century.<ref>{{cite web|url=  http://old.stockholmslansmuseum.se/upptack_lanet/visa/b051/|title=  Sigtuna|publisher=  stockholmslansmuseum.se|access-date=  December 1, 2018|archive-date=  October 1, 2023|archive-url=  https://web.archive.org/web/20231001093453/http://old.stockholmslansmuseum.se/upptack_lanet/visa/b051/|url-status=  dead}}</ref>

In 1187, [[Pillage of Sigtuna|Sigtuna was attacked]] and pillaged by raiders from across the [[Baltic Sea]], possibly from [[Curonians|Curonia]], or [[Estonians]] from the island of [[Saaremaa]] ([[Oeselians]]),<ref>"Till frågan om Sigtunas
combustering år 1187" {{cite web |url=http://humantrust.net/geturl2.cgi?ext=application%2Fpdf&ref=0.0957839889451861&username=&hitspace=sigtunamuseum.se&ticket=&url=public%2FPdf%2FHistoria%20och%20arkeologi%2FHein2007X.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2011-12-25 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426072310/http://humantrust.net/geturl2.cgi?ext=application%2Fpdf&ref=0.0957839889451861&username=&hitspace=sigtunamuseum.se&ticket=&url=public%2FPdf%2FHistoria%20och%20arkeologi%2FHein2007X.pdf |archive-date=2012-04-26 }}</ref><ref name=Tarvel>[[Enn Tarvel]] (2007). [http://haridus.opleht.ee/Arhiiv/7_82007/38-41.pdf ''Sigtuna hukkumine''.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011191449/http://haridus.opleht.ee/Arhiiv/7_82007/38-41.pdf |date=2017-10-11 }} Haridus, 2007 (7-8), p 38–41</ref> or [[Karelians]] and [[Novgorod Republic|Novgorodians]],<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Fornvänner|first=Adolf|last=Schück|year=1953
|url=http://www.ukforsk.se/nya/schu1187.htm|title=Sigtunas förhärjning 1187|access-date=27 April 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052607/http://www.ukforsk.se/nya/schu1187.htm|archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref> 
Archaeological excavations have not verified the traditions of destruction of the town. Normal life in Sigtuna continued until the town started to slowly lose its importance during the 13th century due to navigability problems caused by [[post-glacial rebound]].<ref name=Tarvel />

The current [[coat of arms]] can be traced to the town's first known [[Seal (emblem)|seal]], dating from 1311. According to a legend (possibly inspired by the town arms), Sigtuna was once the Royal seat, but this cannot be confirmed. The crown may also symbolize the large royal [[mint (coin)|mint]] which was located in the town. Since 1971 the coat of arms has been valid for the much larger [[Sigtuna Municipality]].

In the late 19th century Sigtuna still hosted only about 600 people, and was the smallest town in Sweden. The town remained insignificant until the second half of the 20th century. Much of the population growth can be related to [[Stockholm Arlanda Airport]] (IATA: ARN), situated some 10&nbsp;km from Sigtuna.
<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.swedavia.se/arlanda/om-stockholm-arlanda-airport/om-flygplatsen/nyheter/historisk-satsning-pa-arlanda/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150426221518/http://www.swedavia.se/arlanda/om-stockholm-arlanda-airport/om-flygplatsen/nyheter/historisk-satsning-pa-arlanda/ |url-status= dead |archive-date= April 26, 2015 |title=  Historisk satsning på Arlanda|publisher=swedavia.se|access-date=December 1, 2018}}</ref>

== Tourist attractions ==
Sigtuna has a medieval-style town centre with restaurants, cafes and small shops. The old church ruins, Viking [[runestones]] and the old main street (''Stora gatan'') are popular attractions for tourists, especially in the summertime. The small streets with low-built wooden houses lead up to several handicrafts shops and the old tiny town hall (''Sigtuna Rådhus''). There are restaurants and ''Sigtuna Stadshotell'', a hotel in the town centre.<ref>{{cite web|url=  https://destinationsigtuna.se/en/attraktion/sigtuna-town/|title=  Sigtuna town|publisher=  destinationsigtuna.se|access-date=  December 1, 2018|archive-date=  December 19, 2018|archive-url=  https://web.archive.org/web/20181219001018/https://destinationsigtuna.se/en/attraktion/sigtuna-town/|url-status=  dead}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Suecia 1-067 ; Sigtuna.png|Sigtuna as it looked around 1700. Engraving from ''[[Suecia antiqua et hodierna]]''
File:Mariakyrkan September 2013 01.jpg|[[St. Mary's Church, Sigtuna|St. Mary's Church]] (''Mariakyrkan'') is a fine example of [[Brick Gothic]] architecture in Sweden
Image:Sigtuna (gemeente) (66004171).jpg|Sigtuna old town hall in early winter
<!--nearly duplicate File:Mariakyrkan Sigtuna.JPG|St. Mary's Church (''Mariakyrkan'')-->
Image:Sankt Olofs kyrkoruin september 2013 14.jpg|St Olof's Church ruin (''S:t Olofs kyrkoruin'')
File:St Pers ruin och Sigtuna Prästgård.jpg|Sigtuna vicarage and St Per's Church ruin (''S:t Pers kyrkoruin'') 
File:Sankt Lars kyrkoruin September 2013 01.jpg|St Lars Church ruin (''S:t Lars kyrkoruin'')
File:Stadshotellet i Sigtuna.jpg|''Sigtuna Stadshotell'', the traditional town hotel overlooking lake [[Mälaren]]
File:Sigtuna museum01.jpg|Sigtuna Museum
File:Sigtunaskolan Humanistiska Läroverket.jpg|[[Sigtunaskolan Humanistiska Läroverket]] (boarding school)
File:Sigtunastiftelsen ext04.jpg|The Sigtuna foundation (''Sigtunastiftelsen''), a private cultural foundation established in 1917
</gallery>

== Sports ==
*[[Sigtuna IF]], sports club

==Notable people==
*[[Christer Fant]], actor
*[[Gustav Levin]], actor
*[[Jennifer Palm Lundberg]], pageant contestant, [[Miss World Sweden]] 2008
*[[Sam Weihagen]], travel group executive

==Twin towns – sister cities==
Sigtuna is [[twin towns|twinned]] with:
*{{flagicon|FIN}} '''[[Raisio]]''', [[Finland]]

== See also ==
* [[Sigtunaskolan Humanistiska Läroverket]], a famous boarding school.
* [[Luodian, Shanghai|Luodian]] is a replica of Sigtuna located in [[Shanghai]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}} 
* {{in lang|sv}} [https://runeberg.org/nfce/0245.html "Sigtuna"] from [[Nordisk familjebok]] 

==Related reading==
*Tesch, Sten; Jacques Vincent (2003) ''Vyer från medeltidens Sigtuna'' (Sigtuna Museum) {{ISBN|9789197112802}}
*Hjorth, Agnete; Edéus, Anne-Marie (2006) Sigtunabilder : hus och människor i gamla Sigtuna (Svartsjö: Förlag Agnete Hjorth) {{ISBN|9177988639}}

== External links ==
{{commons}}
{{wikivoyage}}
*[http://www.sigtuna.se Sigtuna Municipality official website]
*[http://sigtunamuseum.se/ Sigtuna museum website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200208023340/https://sigtunamuseum.se/ |date=2020-02-08 }}

{{Localities in Sigtuna Municipality}}
{{Baltic emporia}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places in Sigtuna Municipality]]
[[Category:Viking Age populated places]]
[[Category:980 establishments]]
[[Category:10th-century establishments in Sweden]]