Kungsportsplatsen (King's Gate Square), Gothenburg

King's Gate Square was built in 1852. The square was named after the King's Gate, which was part of the city's walls. During the 17th century, residents built walls and moats around the city. However, as the city grew, the walls and gates were no longer needed and were torn down in the early 19th century.

Today's visitors will find vendors selling hand-crafted wicker baskets and residents and tourists traveling to their next destination.

King's Gate features a statue of King Charles IX. The statue was sculpted by Swedish sculptor John Borjeson and inaugurated in 1904. King Charles IX fought to defend Sweden from Danish invasions. Charles' older brother was the king, and when he died, the crown went to Charles' nephew who was a devout Roman-Catholic. Charles IX championed the Protestant cause and eventually became the king of Sweden in 1604. His reign marked the final chapter of the religious Reformation in Sweden.

King Charles IX founded Gothenburg in a different location in 1603. After the Danes destroyed the city, King Charles IX's son, Gustav II Adolf, founded Gothenburg in its current location in 1619.