The city of Arboga is known to have existed as a town since the 13th century but the area has been inhabited since around 900 AD. The name (originally Arbugæ) consists of the two words "Ar" which in ancient Swedish means river and bughi which means "bend" and which together have the meaning "river bend". The city was at one time a residence of the royal family of
Vasa. It was the scene of church assemblies and national diets, and it is known for the antiquities in its neighborhood. The first session of the
Riksdag of the Estates was held in Arboga in 1435.
Albertus Pictor, the most famous Swedish artist of the late medieval period, was admitted burgher of the town in 1465. Today the city is an important traffic link since the highways
E18 and
E20 merge there. Two railways
Mälarbanan and
Svealandsbanan, between
Stockholm and
Hallsberg also merge in Arboga. The city has a population of about 14,057 (2023). ==Events==