Åre: Difference between revisions

| area_total_km2 = 6.,49

| population_density_km2 = 848505

'''Åre''' ({{IPA-sv|ˈôːrɛ}}) is a [[Urban areas in Sweden|locality]] and one of the leading [[Scandinavia]]n [[ski resort]]s situated in [[Åre Municipality]], [[Jämtland County]], [[Sweden]] with 3,200 inhabitants in 2018.<ref name=scb /> It is, however, not the seat of the [[municipality]], which is [[Järpen]]. 25% of the municipallocal industryeconomy is based on tourism,{{citation needed|date=February 2018}} most notably the [[Alpine skiing|downhill]] skiing and [[Downhill cycling|biking]] resorts in Åre, [[Duved (ski area)|Duved]] and [[Storlien]]. The growth in tourism has resulted in the development of hotels, recreational and shopping opportunities in the area.

In the 12th century the [[Åre Old Church]] was built and people had to convert from their old beliefs. Saint [[Olaf the Holy]] is a historical figure who has influenced the village and for centuries pilgrims passed through the village on their way to [[Trondheim]]. [[Sami people]] settled in the mid-17th century to take advantage of good reindeer pasture. In the 18th and 19th century the [[copper mine]]s in Fröå were important industries. Tourism started to grow with the establishment of a railroad in 1882, and Åre's first ''Grand Hotel'' was erected in 1896. The kings of Sweden and [[Norway]] came to stay in Åre and Storlien for recreational purposes since the 19th century.

Tourism in Åre started as King [[Oscar II]] in 1882 supervised construction of the Östersund–Trondheim railway. With this new railway, many people came to Åre to breathe the fresh air and to walk to the top of [[Åreskutan]]. They were soon known as "air-guests" (Sw. ''luftgäster'').<ref>http://pressrum.skistar.com/templates/LongPage.aspx?id=34 {{Dead link|date=March 2022}}</ref>

A womanlady from [[Östersund]] saw this increasing tourism as a great opportunity to open a hotel and did so in 1895. It was called "Hotell Åreskutan". Albin Wettergren opened a hotel ("Grand Hotell") as well. These were only a few of all the hotels that were going to be founded in Åre.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.diplomathotel.com/sv/Are/Hotel-Diplomat-Aregarden/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081002045736/http://www.diplomathotel.com/sv/Are/Hotel-Diplomat-Aregarden/ |archive-date=2008-10-02 |title=Hotel Diplomat Åregården & Lägenheter - Diplomat}}</ref>

In 1910, the funicular [[Åre Bergbana]] was built and was the third one in Sweden after the one in [[SkansenSkansens Bergbana]] in [[Stockholm]] (1898) and the one in [[Kiruna]] (1907).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fjallgarden.se/resvagar/bergbanan.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061208011540/http://fjallgarden.se/resvagar/bergbanan.asp |archive-date=2006-12-08 |title=Untitled Document}}</ref> This was a more convenient way for the air-guests to reach the top of Åreskutan.

{{Main article|Åre ski resort}}

Taking advantage of the [[Åreskutan]] [[fell]], Åre Ski Area has become the major center for [[alpine skiing]] in Sweden, sporting more than 30 modern ski-lifts. It hosted the [[FIS Alpine World Ski Championships|Alpine World Championships]] in [[FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1954|1954]], [[FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2007|2007]] and [[FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2019|2019]], and thehas annualhosted more than 100 [[JonFIS Olsson]]Alpine InvitationalSki freeskiingWorld competition,Cup]] endingevents inthroughout the 2007years. On 9–10 March 2012, the [[2011–12 FIS Freestyle Skiing World Cup|Freestyle FIS World Cup]] will bewas held inat the ''Slalombacken'' slalom "slalombacken"course close to the village centre, and on 18 Feb 2020 a sprint race in the [[FIS Cross-Country World Cup]] was held at the same place.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://skitour2020.com/etapper/are|title=ÅRE|publisher=Ski Tour 2020}}</ref>

Åre along with [[Östersund]] willwere initially selected to host the [[2021 Special Olympics World Winter Games]]. It willwould have markmarked the first time that Sweden has ever hosted the Special Olympics.<ref>{{Cite web|URLurl=https://www.specialolympics.org/about/press-releases/sweden-selected-to-host-the-2021-special-olympics-world-winter-games|title=Sweden selected to host the 2021 Special Olympics World Winter Games|publisher=Special Olympics}}</ref> However, due to a variety of issues including lack of funding, on 19 December 2019, the event will not take place in Sweden.<ref>[https://finance.yahoo.com/news/swedish-government-decision-forces-special-140000566.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAH5w4lfxS9zlymzDFd9eLdNjktisW-n-x60NsZYYaRy8FW3uKDcMcKE_ZrTzTaNWOT2io_RvyM2mZ9-e5F3EVgqLLtUgH1QvjqOnOVzADg0Dpi5pKJ3BOCe1ren4JpoG9rzajS0tnueiHQuXOKccDUreZSAJq8FVY8cHwLF9LTx9 Swedish Government Decision Forces Special Olympics To Choose New Location For 2021 World Winter Games]</ref> Instead it will take place in [[Kazan]], [[Russia]] and was delayed to 2022.

Åre has also been the site for the alpine events in Sweden's eight failed bids to host the [[Olympic Winter Games]], including for the [[1984 Winter Olympics|1984]], [[1988 Winter Olympics|1988]], [[1992 Winter Olympics|1992]], [[1994 Winter Olympics|1994]], [[1998 Winter Olympics|1998]], [[2002 Winter Olympics|2002]], and [[2022 Winter Olympics|2022]] and [[2026 Winter Olympics|2026]]. This is because Åre has the only [[piste]] in Sweden suitable for top-level [[Downhill (ski competition)|downhill]] races.

* [[Henrik Windstedt]] – winner of the 2008 ''[[Freeriding (winter sport)|Freeride]] World Tour''

During summer Åre can also sport [[hiking]], [[paragliding]], [[kayaking]], and a [[golf course]] about 15 minutes from the village. In July every year there is a [[Multi-sport event|multisport]] competition in Åre – ''Åre Extreme Challenge''. It counts as the Scandinavian championship in multisport.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}

In 2008 Åre was appointed as one of the ten best ski-resorts in the world at the list from the magazine ''[[Condé Nast Traveller]]''<ref>[{{Cite web |url=http://www.cntraveller.com/Special_Features/Top_10_ski_destinations_2008_2009/] |title='TIS THE SEASON TO SKI - We've picked some of the best places for British skiers in 2008-9, whether you are looking for off-slope activities in a Swedish mountain town, glamour in the USA, Canada's best slopes or an off-piste heli treat in India (Listed alphabetically) |access-date=2009-01-23 |archive-date=2009-10-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091026190943/http://www.cntraveller.com/Special_Features/Top_10_ski_destinations_2008_2009/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The nearest airport is situated 99 kilometres (62 &nbsp;mi) eastward, on the island of [[Frösön]] in Östersund. [[Åre Östersund Airport]] is an [[international airport]] and the ninth biggest in Sweden with roughly 390 000 passengers (2005).