Oskarshamn is a coastal city and the seat of Oskarshamn Municipality, Kalmar County, Sweden with 17,258 inhabitants in 2010.
Doderhultsvik was the original name, before a town charter was granted in 1856. The name was then changed to Oscarshamn (meaning: Oscars port) after the king Oscar I of Sweden. The spelling has later changed to Oskarshamn.
The shipyard founded in 1863 is still active, as well as commercial and passenger shipping. Three different ferry lines transport passengers to Gotland, Oland and Bla Jungfrun.
In the port of Oskarshamn there are tourist boats which take visitors to the island and national park Bla Jungfrun. There are also boats that cruise the coastal waters closer to Oskarshamn. Within the municipality there is the Oskarshamn archipelago which consists of over 5 000 islands and small islets.
In the harbor area there are some restaurants, pubs and cafes. There are also viewpoints over the harbour. On the south side of the port there is a 72-metre (236ft) wooden bench called Langa Soffan. It was built in 1867 and it is believed to be the longest of its kind in Europe. From the bench there is a panorama view over the harbor and the quite lively shipping activity going on there. There is a marina for private boats at the innermost of the harbor.
Another panorama-view of Oskarshamn and the sea outside is obtained from the top of the town’s northern water-tower which is open to the public.
The older part of Oskarshamn is preserved fairly well. In one particular part of town there are older wooden houses originating from the 19th century. The area is called Besvaret and Fnyket.
Oskarshamns Stadspark is a public park located immediately south of the towns central parts.
Fredriksbergs Herrgard is a manor-house built in 1784 situated just outside the city center of Oskarshamn. It is open for the public to visit and houses a restaurant, cafe and a small museum.
Oskarshamn was the home of the famous woodcarver Axel Petersson Doderhultarn. His studio as well as the Doderhultarn Museum, containing more than 200 of his carvings are located here. There is also a maritime museum in Oskarshamn.
At the release of The Simpsons film, Swedish newspaper Sydsvenska Dagbladet concluded that Oskarshamn is the Swedish equivalent to Springfield, the Simpsons hometown.
Each summer there is a music festival located to the harbor area. The festival, named Latitud 57, is taking place simultaneously as the annual Oskarshamn Offshore Race which is a popular competition for powerboats. The world championship in Offshore was held here 2011.
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