Bergslagen
 
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With Bergslagen is called the Central Swedish mining area that already in the Middle Ages was of great economic importance. Bergslagen comprises the eastern part of Värmland , the north of Närke and Västmanland , western parts of Uppland and the south of Dalarna .
In the Middle Ages, when mining operation on a large scale, were for the areas around their own to the mines privileges and regulations, so-called bergslagar ( lagar , sv, plural of. Was - dt .: Act), enacted to conflicts between agriculture and avoid the needs of mining or ore processing. From the 16th century, the term bergslagen was also applied to the area itself.
The area is rich in disused mines that are now museums, such as in the municipality of Norberg , near Falun (now a World Heritage Site ), Skinnskatteberg and iron and copper works, such as Engelsberg (also a World Heritage Site), Riddarhyttan u. a.
In 1986 the Ekomuseum Bergslagen was founded as a network consisting of six municipalities and two provincial museums in Dalarna and Västmanland. The Ekomuseum looks after around 60 historical sites from Strömsholm Castle in Strömsholm and Lake Mälaren in the south, to Fredriksberg och Ludvika in the north.
In other places there is still mining (Garpenberg: zinc, lead, copper) and iron and steel processing.
Overview map
The Bergslagen area has plenty of hydropower through Kolbäcksån , Arbogaån, Svartån , all of which flow into Mälaren . Falun, Borlänge, Hedemora and Avesta are by the northern Dalälven river . The Strömsholm Canal runs diagonally through the area .
