Alingsås Municipality is a Swedish municipality in Västra Götaland County, in western Sweden. Its seat is in Alingsås. Geographically the city is situated by the estuary of the small rivulet Säveån into lake Mjörn. Communications is provided by the western main line railroad (Västra stambanan) between Stockholm and Gothenburg, and by motorway through the European route E20. Alingsås was founded as inhabitants from the city Nya Lödöse were made homeless as Danish troops burnt it down. Gustavus Adolphus granted Alingsås its Royal Charter in 1619. Making it older then Västra Götalands largest city Göteborg. Among its historical inhabitants is Jonas Alströmer, who was born in Alingsås in 1685. Alströmer is credited for introducing the potato plant to Sweden. He also established a large scale draper's industry there which before soon became Sweden's largest. However, some too optimistical calculations, devastating fires and political set backs finally forced its closure in 1779.
