It is one of the most affluent parts of Sweden, in part due to its simultaneous proximity to the countryside and the large city of Gothenburg.[citation needed] Its mayor since 2020 is Lisa Andersson.
History
The old train station in Kungsbacka
The first records referring to Kungsbacka as a town date from the 15th century, when it was part of Denmark. By the time it was recognised as part of Sweden (1658), the river running through the town, on which some transportation of goods took place, was almost completely overgrown and despite pleas to restore its function, this did not occur. Some trade still took place from the coast, but the town's significance as a place of naval commerce lessened over the centuries. Today, it is the home of over 2,000 enterprises, and the river is still running through it.[citation needed]
A devastating fire in 1846 destroyed the town centre, sparing only a little red wooden cabin which is still standing today. In late 2006 and early 2014 other fires affected the town centre, and construction works are currently ongoing to restore the loss of wooden buildings.
The town remained small until the 1960s. The municipal reform of 1971 made it the seat of the much larger Kungsbacka Municipality. The town began to grow as a part of Metropolitan Gothenburg. It is the southern terminus of the Gothenburg commuter rail system, situated 28 km from central Gothenburg.
Sister cities
The following cities are twinned with Kungsbacka:[2]
