Karlstad - a small town by the largest lake in Sweden

For many tourists, traveling around Sweden is limited to exploring the capital's attractions and regions adjacent to Stockholm. However, you can feel the true color of the Scandinavian country only in areas remote from the center, away from popular resorts. Karlstad (Sweden) is a village where the centuries-old culture of the Kingdom has been preserved, and comfortable conditions have been created for its residents and vacationers.

General information

The founder of the Swedish city is Charles IX, more precisely, by the decision of the monarch, the status of the city was granted to a small village in the late 16th century. Today, the city is the center of Vermland County in southern Sweden. The village is located on the shores of Lake Venern.

Interesting fact! Venern is the third largest lake in Europe.

Modern Karlstad covers an area of ​​slightly more than 30 sq. Km. The population is about 90 thousand people. There is a university in the city where more than 10 thousand students study. In addition, the offices of large companies work here.

According to scientists, Lake Venern appeared 10 thousand years ago, and the first Viking settlements on its shores appeared in the 11th century. For a long time the settlement developed and in 1584 it received the status of a city.

Under the influence of Lake Venern and the Atlantic Ocean, a continental climate formed in Karlstad. The highest summer temperature is +18 degrees, the lowest is -3 degrees.

Good to know! Locals call their hometown - the city of the Sun, because here over the course of the year the largest number of clear days is recorded.

In the vicinity of the city, water sports are actively developing. You can go hiking along scenic routes. If you go to the Swedish city in the early days of February, you can visit the snow rally.

Karlstad Attractions

Natural beauty is not the only attraction of Karlstad in Sweden. Many amazing places have been preserved here that tell of its history.

The gallery opened in 2012 and is dedicated to the paintings of one of the most famous watercolorists of our time - Lars Lerin. The master was born in 1954 in the city of Munkfors. Solo exhibitions of the artist successfully take place far beyond Sweden - in Iceland, Norway, the USA and Germany. Lars Lerin is the author of illustrations for many books.

The gallery is located in the building of the Sandgrund restaurant, which at the end of the 20th century was considered the best example of architecture of that time. A few years later, the restaurant turned into a luxurious dance floor, the most popular in Scandinavia.

In the early 90's, the restaurant closed. In its place there was an art gallery of Lars Lerin.

Practical information:

• the attraction takes guests all year round from Tuesday to Sunday (Monday - day off), from mid-June to mid-August - from 11-00 to 17-00, in other months - from 11-00 to 16-00;
• ticket price for adults - 80 kroons, for children - 20 kroons, annual card cost - 250 kroons;
• there is a parking lot in the gallery, a shop is located where you can buy books, postcards and posters, analogues of which you will not find anywhere else in Sweden;
• You can eat in the cafe.

The gallery is located at: Västra Torggatan 28. For more information on opening hours and ticket prices, see the official website: sandgrund.org/.

Good to know! Near the galleries there is a park. In summer, it is better to visit the attraction in the afternoon, as many visitors gather at the entrance to the opening.

The city park is open year round. In the second half of the 18th century, Lars Magnus Wester acquired the estate and named it after his wife. Their son built a manor in this place, decorated in white and blue colors. Construction work continued from 1826 to 1828. After the death of his son, the house was acquired by the treasurer Karl Magnus Cook, and then became the property of his son. Since 1895, when the last owner of the estate died, it became the property of the city authorities. Since then, the authorities carefully take care of the safety and uniqueness of the attraction.

Interesting fact! More than half a million tourists come to the park annually.

The main emphasis in the park area is on natural beauty, there is also a Naturum science center, where tours are regularly conducted. Walking paths are equipped for tourists, observation towers are built. There is a lake in the park - in the summer they swim here, and in the winter they skate.

Interesting fact! The park has an open-air theater - the largest in Sweden. The attraction was built at the beginning of the 20th century and today is considered one of the symbols of the city.

The park zone offers a huge selection of entertainment for every taste. It is most convenient to get here by car. Park guests are allowed to have picnics. Plan to visit the park for at least half a day and be sure to bring bathing accessories with you.

Practical information:

• there is a point of interest at Treffenbergsvagen, Mariebergsskogen;
• entrance to the park is free, you have to pay if you want to attend a concert in the theater;
• in the park, any service can be paid by credit card, but it is impossible to withdraw money;
• There is parking near the park.

Useful information about attractions at www.mariebergsskogen.se/.

It was founded in 2013 and is dedicated to military equipment, the history of its development and uniforms. The museum is located far from the city center, but a trip here will surely please the children - they are happy to take pictures on tanks and infantry fighting vehicles.

Among the exhibits presented military equipment of the period 1945-1991. The guides will tell you how the Cold War influenced the development of Sweden and the whole world. By the end of World War II, the golden years had come for the Swedish army - a new system of weapons and armored vehicles appeared, analogues of which were not around the world.

There is a cafe on the territory of the museum where they bake bread from organic flour, prepare sandwiches, and on Thursdays you can try Swedish pea soup.

The store sells thematic souvenirs, literature on the war, and military clothing is also presented.

Thematic programs are regularly held for children - they offer an exciting quest on the topic of treasure hunting, there is a playground where you can ride a carriage, try on a military uniform and cook food in a real military kitchen.

Practical information:

Schedule:

• Tuesday-Friday - from 10-00 to 16-00;
• Saturday-Sunday - from 11-00 to 16-00;
• in July and August the museum is open until 18-00.

Ticket price:

• adult - 80 kroons;
• student and senior citizens - 60 kroons;
• admission for visitors under 20 is free.

Attraction address: Sandbäcksgatan 31, 653 40 Karlstad.
Official website: www.brigadmuseum.se/.

The attraction is one hundred meters from the main city square. The temple is made in the shape of a cross and is visible even from the bridge, which is located 5 km away.

The temple was built in the 14th century, but information about the original appearance was not preserved. At the beginning of the 17th century, the landmark burned down, from which the whole city burned down. Later, a new church was built here, and in 1647 it was granted the status of a cathedral by decision of Queen Christina. Unfortunately, at the beginning of the 18th century the temple was destroyed by fire; only a small part of church utensils were saved. A new church was built from 1723 to 1730. The project of the temple is made in the Baroque style, the last reconstruction was carried out in 1865.Find out RATES or book any accommodation using this form

How to get from Stockholm to Karlstad

There are several ways to get from Stockholm to Karlstad.

• By train. On the official website www.sj.se/ you can pick up tickets for a direct flight or with transfers - one or two. Direct flights depart once a day; the journey takes a little more than 3.5 hours. Ticket price: 195 kroons per second class carriage and 295 kroons per first class carriage.

• By bus. Budget way to get to Karlstad. The exact schedule is indicated on the official website of the carrier company www.swebus.se. A bus travels 300 km in 4.5 hours. Tickets start at 169 kroons.

Karlstad (Sweden) is an amazing place where the original culture and history of the country have been preserved. If you want to know about the real Scandinavian character and customs, be sure to visit this city.

Watch the video: The 10 Most Beautiful Towns in Sweden HD (November 2024).