Söderköping is a medieval town founded during the first half of the 13th century. The irregular network of streets is typical of the time.

The town was an important centre in the Hanseatic League's network of trade. At that time, merchant vessels could sail up the river Storån all the way to the centre of the town. This was also the case when it came to the canal. According to the earliest proposals for the canal, the mouth of the canal is located in the middle of the town.

During the latter part of the 18th century, there was considerable discord in the Parliament between the bourgeoisie in Söderköping and Norrköping about the location of the mouth of the canal.

In 1740 the Parliament decided in favour of Norrköping. After a lot of lobbying the Parliament reversed its decision in 1772 and conferred the mouth of the canal to Söderköping.

(Town map from von Röök's proposal from 1774, in which one can see the course of the canal towards the town centre.)

Söderköping Lock and Harbour:
The location of the harbour in Söderköping was moved in connection with the building of the canal at Söderköping Lock. The harbour storehouse was built in 1830, a couple of years before the inauguration of the canal. The lock was reconstructed in 1847.

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Source: County Administrative Board in Östergötland, Cultural Environment Office
Photo: Jan Norrman, the Swedish Central Board of Antiquities, 1991

Red line = bicycle path