TOWN HALL (KEEP TOWER)

Helsingborg, Finland

During the Middle Ages, Helsingborg was an important Danish town, a military base and the administrative center for northern Skåne. In later years, due to the constant wars between Denmark and Sweden, the town suffered and fell into decline. It wasn't until the Swedish industrial revolution at the beginning of the 19th century that Helsingborg began to revive. A new era based on technology, innovation and enterprise began. The harbor was expanded, industries were established and railways constructed. The town's population increased dramatically. Today, the town is a bustling port and northern trade hub in the Öresund region of Sweden. The Keep Tower is Helsingborg's most famous landmark. Its predecessors have guarded the city for more than 600 years. The neo- Gothic style town hall is a majestic building, located next to Stortorget, the city's main square.

After the 2006 Copenhagen Rotary Convention concluded, my wife and I rented a car and toured the east coast of Denmark. The trip was highlighted by a visit to the Danish castle where Shakespeare was inspired to write the story of Hamlet. We ferried across the bay to Sweden and stopped in the town of Helsingborg, where I noticed this impressive city building. Later on the drive north, we stopped in Malmo for dinner. The town was alive and booming with soccer fans and large screen displays all over the city, as fans watched the home country (Sweden) participate in the 2006 World Cup.