means silver in Danish. During the Middle Ages and well into the 16th century, Sölvesborg marked a strategic city in the west, together with the easternmost city - Kristianopel. During its heyday, the city came to host many of the ruling Danes when they came to visit the town. One notable character to inherit the Sölvesborg castle, was Sören Norby, which he was granted after his leaving Sweden, as he had fallen out of favour with the Swedish king, Gustav Vasa. With the Danish king Christian IV, change came to be. The old town west to Sölvesborg, Vä, was burnt down during the wars with Sweden and Christian wanted to replace it with a new one – Christianstad (the city of Christian). In order to accomplish this, the trade privileges for Vä and Sölvesborg were withdrawn and given to Kristianstad. The city thus became less important and subsequently fell behind. Some minor production, such as a Faience factory between 1773 and 1798 made no major impressions. The castle was abandoned after the Danish defeat to the Swedes at the battle of Knäred in 1637. Rather than letting the Swedes seize the castle, the foreman of the castle decided that it should be burnt. Today, nothing but ruins remain, but the old castle in Bäckaskog is of the same age and of similar construction. The now defunct city privileges were not restored until in 1841, by the Swedish king Carl XIV. Industries In the 18th century, a porcelain factory was established in 1773 by Baron Erik Gabriel Sparre. The porcelain produced here is referred to as faience, and the production was spread around Sweden. The factory remained for only a few decades and production was cancelled in 1790. In 1901, a glass factory was established. In order to provide the factory with sand, a train line was built after a private initiative, to Olofström and Älmhult. The glass factory closed in 1982. A shipping dock was opened in 1892 and remained in the city until 1982. Today, little of the old, traditional industries remain. Instead, the city relies on work commuters and small scale industries, as well as tourism. Outside the city, the fishing industry, especially in the harbour towns of Djupekås, Hällevik and Nogersund are important employers. In Norje a chicken production is in place as an important local industry. Also the neighbouring paper mills of Mörrum (Södra Cell) and