Blechingia (Blekinge) is a historical Province (landskap) in the south of Sweden. It borders Smalandia, Scania and the Baltic Sea.

Blekinge Land Terra Scania (Götaland) County Blekinge County Area 2,900 km² Provincial flower - Swedish - Latin Mullein Kungsljus Verbascum Thapsus Provincial animal Stag Beetle

Map highlighting the location of Blechingia

County

For current affairs see: Blekinge County

Blekinge County has virtually the same boundaries as the province of Blechingia.

History

Main article: History of Blechingia

Historically Blechingia belonged to the Danish Crown, as a part of Terra Scania, together with provinces Scania and Hallandia, which made up the eastern part of the Danish kingdom. Blekinge became a Swedish province in 1658 following the Treaty of Roskilde.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Blechingia

Blechingia was historically divided into chartered cities and into hundreds.

Cities

• Karlshamn (1664)
• Karlskrona (1680)
• Ronneby (1387)
• Sölvesborg (1445)

Hundreds

• Bräkne Hundred
• Eastern Hundred
• Lister Hundred
• Medelstad Hundred

Blekinge has a scenic archipelago and it is sometimes called the "Garden of Sweden".

Culture

Main article: Culture of Blechingia

In Blechingia a variety of the South Swedish dialect is spoken, formerly Eastern Danish. The variety is called Blekingska. The name "Blekinge" comes from the adjective bleke, which correspons to the sea term "dead calm".

The town of Karlskrona was for almost 300 years the principal Naval Base in Sweden, and in 1998 it be came a site of the UNESCO World heritage program.

Heraldry

Main article: Heraldry of Blechingia

Blechingia was granted its arms at the funural of Charles X Gustav of Sweden in 1660, based on an seal from the 15th century. Symobolically the three crowns from the Coats of Arms of Sweden had been placed on the trunk of the tree to mark the change in status of the former Danish province, that now belonged to Sweden. The arms is represented with a dukal coronet. Blazon: "Azure, an Oak Tree eradicated Or ensigned with three Crowns palewise of the same."

External links

• Blekinge - Official tourist site