koping

Köping is a locality and the seat of Köping Municipality in Västmanland County, Sweden. It is situated in the province of Västmanland and serves as a regional administrative and service center for the municipality.

The name derives from the historical term köping, which referred to a market town. The settlement grew in the Middle Ages as a trading place with market rights, often located along main roads or waterways that connected larger towns.

As the administrative center, Köping has long been a focal point for local government and services, with the municipality encompassing both urban area and surrounding rural districts. In the 20th century, the town and municipality were modernized as part of nationwide municipal reforms, expanding infrastructure and public institutions.

Köping is connected by road and rail to other parts of central Sweden, facilitating commerce and commuting. The local economy comprises services, light industry, and logistics, with local employers in retail, manufacturing, and public administration.

Culturally, the town hosts libraries, museums, churches, and community events, reflecting a typical mid-sized Swedish town. Educational facilities include primary and secondary schools and opportunities for regional higher education and vocational training in the surrounding area.

References to köping as a market town remain in historical discussions and in the names of other settlements, while Köping Municipality continues to operate as an administrative unit in central Sweden.