Miscellaneous historic sites in Sweden
Malmö Stortorget
At the heart of Malmö lies the Big Square (Stortorget). There is a statue of King Karl X Gustav of Sweden, who took the city from Danish dominion. The ornate Malmö City Hall (built in 1546) is on the east side, and in the northwest corner is Kockska Huset, the house of Jörgen Kock, a German immigrant who became mayor of the city and achieved wealth simply and directly: by taking control of the city mint. In ...
Founded: 16th century |
Location:
Malmö, Sweden
St. Lawrence's Church Ruins
Saint Lawrence’s church (Sankt Lars) was built in the central parish around 1210-1220. In the same cemetery a German parish church, Holy Trinity (Drotten in Swedish), was built around 1240. The church was abandoned after the Reformation. Architecturally, Saint Lawrence has its models in Orthodox churches, and it has been wrongly suggested that it would have been a Russian church. It’s more reasonable to imagin ...
Founded: 1210-1220 |
Location:
Visby, Sweden
St. Catherine's Church Ruins
The constrcution of St. Catherine’s church was started in the 1250s and continued through the 14th century. It was actually never completed, and in 1540s it was partially collapsed during the worship. Today only ruins remain, but pillars are still very impressive.
Founded: 1250s |
Location:
Visby, Sweden
Lund University Main Building
The city of Lund has a long history as a center for learning and was the ecclesiastical centre and seat of the archbishop of Denmark. A cathedral school for the training of clergy was established in 1085 and is today Scandinavia's oldest school. A studium generale (a medieval university education) was founded in 1425, although it was not until 1438 that education was started by the Franciscan order for a baccalaureus degr ...
Founded: 1882 |
Location:
Lund, Sweden
St. Clement Church Ruins
To the south of St Nicholas's Church, among houses, are the remains of the Romanesque church of St Clement, built in the middle of the 13th century. Excavations have brought to light the foundations of three earlier churches. The oldest, dating from the 12th century, was probably one of the first stone-built churches in Visby. To the right of the church can be seen an old weapon house, in which the men deposited their arm ...
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Visby, Sweden
Drotten Church Ruins
Drotten Church was built around 1050 and it was the second largest church in Lund. The building was about 50m long and probably made for bishop’s church. Archaeologists have also found evidences of even earlier stave church on the site, built probably in the 990 by Danish King Svend Tveskæg. Drotten Church was rebuilt several times and since 1150 it functioned as a parish church and later an abbey church. The church w ...
Founded: ca. 1050 |
Location:
Lund, Sweden
St. Hans' & St. Peter's Church Ruins
St. Hans and St. Peter churches were built side by side during the 1200s. St. Peter was consecrated to the apostle Peter. St. Hans, which was the larger church, was dedicated to St. John the Evangelist. It was where the Lutheran doctrine for the first time preached on the island. In 1527, however, Bishop Brask turned Lutherans out from the church. But as soon as the bishop sailed to Denmark, Lutherans worships were starte ...
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Visby, Sweden
Holy Spirit Church Ruins
The Holy Spirit (Helgeand) Church, sometimes incorrectly mentioned as St. James, was built in the early 1200s. It was probably constructed as a chapel for the Danish Guild and donated by the Danish King Valdemar. In the mid-1200s the guild lost its importance and the church was sacrified as Holy Spirit Church and it also functioned as a sanctuary. The church is octagonal and built on two floors. Both floors have a common ...
Founded: ca. 1200 |
Location:
Visby, Sweden
Härlanda Church Ruins
Härlanda Church Ruins are the remains of a medieval church in Gothenburg, Sweden close to the picturesque housing area Bagaregården. The church was built in the first part of the 12th century and torn down in 1528 by request from Gustavus I, King of Sweden to build a new church in Nya Lödöse, the precursor of Gothenburg which was founded in 1621.
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Gothenburg, Sweden
St. Olof's Church Ruins
St. Olof's Church was originally built around the year 1100 and it consisted of a main tower, chancel and nave. It was later extended, but the construction was probably interrupted when archbishop’s seat was moved to Gamla Uppsala in the 12th century. St. Olof's church has been influenced by the Nidaros Cathedral in Norway, while the small tapering windows have an Anglo-Saxon style. The church is dedicated to the N ...
Founded: ca.1100 |
Location:
Sigtuna, Sweden
St. Gertrud's Chapel Ruins
The chapel was built in 1460-1470s and sanctified to St. Gertrude of Nivelles (her picture is carved to the tympanum of chapel). There are also frescoes of Ivar Axelsson Tott and his wife Magdalena. The chapel was part of the St. Jacob’s monastery and destroyed by Lübeck army (as well as many other churches) in 1525.
Founded: 1460-1470s |
Location:
Visby, Sweden
St. Nicholas' Church Ruins
The church of St. Nicholas was originally part of the Dominican monastery built in the 1230s. It was destroyed by Lübeck army in 1525. The church has a beautiful rose window in the gable. In a summer season the St. Nicholas church ruins are a venue for musical “Petrus de Dacia”, who was the priory of monastery between 1283-1289.
Founded: 1230s |
Location:
Visby, Sweden
Old Gymnasium
The Gymnasium (Karolinska gymnasiet) was built between 1696-1715 using stones of Kronoberg Castle ruins. It was a grammar school at which Linnaeus, Per Henrik Ling and Peter Wieselgren were pupils.
Founded: 1696-1715 |
Location:
Växjö, Sweden
Långe Jan Lighthouse
Långe Jan ("Tall John") is a Swedish lighthouse located at the south cape of Öland. It is one of Sweden's most famous lighthouses and also the tallest lighthouse in Sweden. The lighthouse was built in 1785, probably by Russian prisoner of wars. The tower was built by stone from an old chapel. Originally the light was an open fire, and the tower was unpainted. It was painted white in 1845, and the same year the ...
Founded: 1785 |
Location:
Mörbylånga, Öland, Sweden
Uppsala University Botanical Garden
The Uppsala University Botanical Garden is the oldest botanical garden in Sweden. It was founded in 1655 by Olof Rudbeck the elder, professor of medicine. The garden was used for teaching students botany and pharmacy. By the end of the century, more than 1 800 species were grown in the garden, many of them for the first time in Sweden. Olof Rudbecks´ botanical garden was largely destroyed by a fire in 1702. The universit ...
Founded: 1655 |
Location:
Uppsala, Sweden
Gammelstad Church Town
Gammelstad Church Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site situated in Gammelstaden near the city of Luleå. It is the best preserved example of a type of town that was once widespread throughout northern Scandinavia. As Church Village of Gammelstad, Luleå, it was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1996. At its centre is an early 15th century stone church surrounded by 424 wood-built houses. The houses were only us ...
Founded: ca. 1492 |
Location:
Luleå, Sweden
Klippan
Klippan is located just below Älvsborgs bridge. The area of Klippan was a precursor to the community that would later become the city of Gothenburg. There used to be salting-houses, glassworks and foundries here during the 18th century. The Scottish Carnegie family owned sugar refineries and breweries in the area later on. Today, Klippan is a cultural heritage centre. You will also find a café, hotel and res ...
Founded: 18th century |
Location:
Gothenburg, Sweden
Brahehus Castle Ruins
Brahehus Castle was built by Per Brahe between 1637 and 1650s. Soon after Per Brahe died in 1680 Brahehus was abandoned and moved as a Crown property in the Great Reduction under Charles XI of Sweden. In 1708 the castle was destroyed by fire and not rebuilt anymore. From the ruins you have a fantastic view of lakes Vättern and Visingsö.
Founded: 1637-1650 |
Location:
Gränna, Sweden
Långe Erik Lighthouse
Långe Erik ("Tall Erik") is a Swedish lighthouse built in 1845 and located on a little island, Stora grundet. The island is connected to Öland by a small bridge built in 1965. The older, larger lens is still installed, but no longer in use. The lens was used until the 1990s before an aerobeacon was installed on the lantern's balcony. The light is remote-controlled by the Swedish Maritime Administration. The tower is ope ...
Founded: 1845 |
Location:
Byxelkrok, Öland, Sweden
Uraniborg Observatory Ruins
Uranienborg (Uraniborg) was a Danish astronomical observatory operated by Tycho Brahe. It was built circa 1576-1580. Shortly after its construction the observatory was expanded with an underground facility, Stjerneborg, on an adjacent site. The building was dedicated to Urania, the Muse of Astronomy and named Uranienborg, "The Castle of Urania." It was the first custom-built observatory, and the last to be built without a ...
Founded: 1576 |
Location:
Sankt Ibb, Sweden