öt land ▁met ▁the ▁royal ▁road ▁through ▁Hall and . ▁To ▁have ▁access ▁to ▁the ▁sea , ▁a ▁canal ▁ 7 0 0 ▁metres ▁long ▁was ▁built ▁between ▁Kat te gat ▁and ▁Him le ån . ▁It ▁is ▁unclear ▁who ▁founded ▁the ▁city ▁or ▁why . ▁ ▁Just ▁outside ▁the ▁city ▁there ▁was ▁( until ▁ 1 5 2 5 ) ▁a ▁Car mel ite ▁monaster y , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁chap el ▁and ▁a ▁hospital . ▁The ▁city ' s ▁area ▁grew ▁from ▁less ▁than ▁ 6 0 0 0 ▁m 2 ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 5 th ▁century ▁to ▁ 1 2 0 0 0 ▁m 2 ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁century . ▁ ▁From ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁century ▁and ▁on wards ▁the ▁city ▁suffered ▁dev ast ation ▁on ▁many ▁occasions . ▁In ▁ 1 5 4 5 ▁a ▁major ▁fire ▁broke ▁out , ▁and ▁large ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁were ▁destroyed ▁during ▁the ▁Northern ▁Seven ▁Years ' ▁War . ▁Through ▁support ▁from ▁the ▁Dan ish ▁state ▁and ▁attempts ▁at ▁forced ▁res ett lement , ▁a ▁phase ▁of ▁reconst ruction ▁was ▁begun ▁at ▁ ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁century . ▁However , ▁another ▁fire ▁broke ▁out ▁in ▁ 1 5 9 7 ▁and ▁during ▁the ▁Kal mar ▁War ▁the ▁city ▁was ▁so ▁rav aged ▁that ▁king ▁Christian ▁IV ▁of ▁Den mark ▁decided ▁to ▁move ▁the ▁city ▁to ▁its ▁present - day ▁location . ▁ ▁S ources