1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Trollhättan

TROLLHÄTTAN, a town of Sweden in the district (län) of Elfsborg, 45 m. by rail N. by E. of Gothenburg. Pop. 6000. It lies on the left (east) bank of the Göta at the point where that river descends 108 ft. in the course of nearly a mile by the famous falls of Trollhättan (six in number) and several rapids. The scenic setting of the falls is not striking, but the great volume of water, nearly 18,000 cub. ft. per second, renders them most imposing. The narrowed river here surrounds several islands, on either side of one of which (Toppö) are the first falls of the series, Toppö and Tjuf. These are 42 ft. in height. The water-power is used in rolling-mills, a cellulose factory and other works. Several “giant's caldrons” are seen in the exposed bed of a former channel. Below the falls are valuable salmon fisheries. To the east of the river the Berg canal, part of the Göta canal system, ascends in a series of eleven new locks (Akersvass) completed in 1844. An old series of locks (1800) is in use for small vessels. There are also ruins of an abortive attempt made to lock the falls in 1755. (See Goöta.)