Eskilstuna is a city in Sweden located 120 kilometres west of the Stockholm and is on the River Eskilstunaån (or Torshällan ån or Hyndvadsån depending on where you are on the river) that connects lake Hjälmaren and Lake Mälaren. It received its charter in 1659 and today has a population of 60,000. It is the seat of Eskilstuna Municipality, which together with Torshälla has 91,000 inhabitants. Eskilstuna is the new western frontier of the Stockholm metropolitan region. The city remains an important industrial city with internationally-known companies such as Volvo Wheelloaders and atruiculated haulers among other things) and Assa (locks, keys). The modern co-establishment of the Mälardalen University (Mälardalens högskola) together with the neighbouring, somewhat larger city of Västerås, has also given Eskilstuna an academic touch. The city also has a combined zoo and amusement park - Parken Zoo, most famous for its white tigers.
