NYKOPING

town and port, capital of the administrative ln (county) of Sdermanland, southeastern Sweden. It lies along the Baltic Sea, at the mouth of the Nykping River. The town originated before 1250 as a marketplace near the heights where Nykping Castle was built about 1260. With time this became one of Sweden's principal strongholds, especially during the time of Gustav I Vasa and Charles IX; the latter lived there as duke from 1568. The town's industry originated with ironworks and brass works powered by falls; flour and textile mills and furniture factories appeared later. As a shipping centre Nykping has been supplanted by Oxelsund. Its historic buildings include the 12th-century St. Nicolai Church and the restored ruins of Nykping Castle, which now houses the Sdermanland Museum. Pop. (1992 est.) mun., 47,754.