Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Falun
open-in-new
<p>Falun is a <a href="/facts/Cities_in_Sweden/GIEmQ5Jy">city</a> and the seat of <a href="/facts/Falun_Municipality/GShSP5Ae">Falun Municipality</a> in <a href="/facts/Dalarna_County/MSQnxxFn">Dalarna County</a>, Sweden, with 37,291 inhabitants in 2010. It is also the capital of Dalarna County. Falun forms, together with <a href="/facts/Borl%C3%A4nge/RJDrpI9D">Borlänge</a>, a <a href="/facts/Metropolitan_area/IKeV26lu">metropolitan area</a> with just over 100,000 inhabitants. </p><p>Falun was originally famous for its <a href="/facts/Falun_Mine/jAGRyLGU">copper mine</a>, and is today an important service and <a href="/facts/Industrial_city/3Hdqq8eC">industrial city</a> even though the mine is closed (since 1992). </p><p>Faluån is a river, flowing through the city, separating it into two sides. Falu copper mine is located on one of the sides which during many centuries was one of Sweden's main business. This side of the river was usually called "the mining side", where not many plants grew due to the toxic smoke which contaminated the soil. On the other side of the river, where the smoke did not reach, set many large villas, which made this side to be called "the delightful side". The centre of Falun consists of classical pedestrian streets with small shops. In 1998, the city reclaimed the award of "the city centre of the year" in Sweden. </p><p>In 2001, the city, the copper mine, and mining areas of Falun were added to the list of <a href="/facts/World_Heritage_Site/6AbWWKV4">world heritage sites</a> by the <a href="/facts/United_Nations/fgXLnmgT">United Nations</a>. <a href="/facts/Dalarna_University_College/fzbe4W0U">Dalarna University</a>, with its 18 000 students, has a campus located in Falun ― close to the national ski stadium where the ski world championship has taken place a number of times, including the last one in 2015. </p><p>The name of Falun has influenced the names of some Swedish items associated with the town, such as <a href="/facts/Falu_red/KKbQTYqj">Falu red</a> (a paint color), Falu rågrut (a snack), Falu ättika (a type of vinegar) and <a href="/facts/Falukorv/jsYvQVQQ">Falukorv</a>. </p>