The predecessor of today’s Kungälv was called Kungahälla and is said to have already been founded by the 10 th century. According to Nordic saga, Kungahälle stood just a few kilometres downstream from Kungälv`s present-day town. Other documental sources give witness to a 12 th century Kungahälle being, among other things, ravaged by Vendic Vikings.
To seek refuge, from early 17 th century border- feuds, the town was relocated to the Bohus Fortress, which due to its strategic border-line importance, was subjected to and withstood 14 separate sieges.
In 1658, King Carl Gustav X ordered the siege-weary inhabitants of, then-called, Kongelf, to evacuate the town. All hopes of returning vanished when a Swedish commandant torched Kongelf during a 1676 Danish siege. Now, a new town, in-between the Nordre River and Fontin’s Mountin, began to take shape on the main land, namely, Kungälv,begang and expanded along just one street, Västra gatan.
During the 18 th century the loss of Fortress Bohus`s importance and garrison resulted in an expanding southern neighbour, Gothenburg, attaining Kungälv`s lost status.
The early to mid-19 th century saw Kungälv grow into an idyllic small town with just 500 inhabitants.
By the late-19 th century industrialism was introduced and Kungälv saw its first factories, namely, the Glass Works, Biscuit and the ABC factories. Jobs enticed people and by the early 20 th century there were about 2000 inhabitants.
Though, Kungalv is today a vast rural district with 38000 inhabitants, its past stills remains to be seen, discovered and experienced.
