Motala

Motala is a city and Swedish municipality in the county of Östergötland, on lake Vättern, where it drains into the river system of Motala ström.

When Göta kanal was built in the early 19th century, Motala became an important city for the trade on the canal. [Motala verkstad]? was the ship and steam engine industry, famous in large parts of the world. In the science fiction novel ... by Jules Verne, the submarine's (engine?) was built at Motala verkstad.

Another important event in the history of Motala is 1925, when the Swedish national longwave radio broadcasting station was built here. The city marks the middle of a straight line between Sweden's two biggest cities, Stockholm and Gothenburg. Radio programs were transfered from studios in Stockholm to Motala by telephone wire. The call was "Stockholm-Motala". The sender operated on 191 kHz longwave until a few years ago.