If you have moved to Gothenburg for work, chances are you live on, work on or commute through Hisingen. Here is a short and slightly tongue-in-cheek introduction to the island, starting with its unofficial English name.
Why “Elevator Nobody”?
Split the name in two and Swedish does the rest: hiss means elevator and ingen means nobody. Hisingen becomes Elevator Nobody. Every local has heard the joke, and every newcomer should know it, because it is the fastest way to make a Hisingen native smile. The real origin of the name is disputed and has nothing to do with lifts.
Little London, and its island
Gothenburg as a whole has long been called Lilla London, Little London, thanks to the British merchants who helped shape the city. So if Gothenburg is Little London, Hisingen is the island across the river where a lot of the work gets done.
Five things worth knowing
- Hisingen is one of Sweden’s largest islands and is part of the City of Gothenburg.
- The island was split between Sweden and Norway until the Treaty of Roskilde in 1658.
- The first town called Gothenburg was founded here in 1607, before it was burned down in 1611.
- Scandinavia’s largest port is on Hisingen.
- Lindholmen, Eriksberg and the old shipyard crane make up the island’s skyline.
Tip: use the language switcher to read everything on Hisingen.eu in English. And if you want to know why we chose a .eu domain, read our About page.
Welcome to the island. Take the river ferry instead of the bridge at least once, say “hej” in the shop, and don’t be surprised when someone tells you the elevator joke within your first week. Got a tip about life on Hisingen? Tell us.