The industrial town of Trollhättan (pop. 50,000), on the Götaälv, received its municipal charter only in 1916 - though the prehistoric remains found in this area provide evidence of human occupation dating back 7,000 years. The name of the town first appears in 1413 in the tax records of King Eric of Pomerania, which state that corn was ground
for the castle by the Trollhättan mill.
The locks of Trollhättan draw thousands of tourists each year, who come to watch boats make their way through. The dramatic release of water, by the powercompany Vattenfall, into the old river gorge is another highlight.
The mills and sawmills of earlier times have now given place to such well-known industrial enterprises as SAAB and NOHAB and various engineering and electrical engineering plants.