Nearby towns include Karlskoga and Karlstad and are located exactly in the middle of Oslo, Stockholm and Gothenburg with 250 km to each of them.

The location has had a resident population for centuries, at least since the Stone Age.

The town was then built alongside the bridge over river Varnan.

Kristinehamn got a royal charter for the first time in 1582 but lost it in 1584, and regained it in 1642, and changed its name in honour of the monarch Queen Christina of Sweden.

Its city arms were designated with a bojort, which is a Dutch ship in use in the 17th century.