Kolmården is a large forest that separates the Swedish provinces of Sudermannia and Ostrogothia, two of the country's main agricultural areas, from each other. In early medieval times it was seen as a major obstacle in land travel between the regions, and so the Baltic Sea was largely used in stead.

In the Icelandic text Sögubrot af Nokkrum, Kolmården between Svealand and Ostrogothia is described as the border between Sweden and Ostrogothia (..Kolmerkr, er skilr Svíþjóð ok Eystra-Gautland...).

Today the forest is traversed by the Norrköping–Nyköping railway, the Norrköping–Katrineholm railway, and the E4 highway, all connecting southern Sweden with Stockholm and the Mälaren region. Along the former there is also a Kolmården railway station, at the village of Krokek by Bråviken .

In 1965, the Kolmården Zoo (Kolmårdens Djurpark) opened close to this railway station. Being a well-visited zoo overall, the main attraction is the first Dolphinarium in Scandinavia, opened 1969, with a popular daily show (also giving name to the nearby basketball team Norrköping Dolphins ). Since 1998 there is also Bamses Värld , an attraction devoted to cartoon character Bamse.

See also

• Tiveden
• Tylöskog

External links

• Kolmården Zoo - Official site