Västerås is a port city in southeastern Sweden located at the mouth of the Svartån River at Lake Mälaren. Its origins date back to ancient times, when the Vikings founded one of their settlements here. Due to its favorable location on important trade routes, the small village quickly developed into a significant center. At the beginning of the 11th century, Västerås was Sweden’s second largest city. It was then that the construction of a new castle and cathedral began.
Sightseeing
Vallby Friluftsmuseum
Vallby Friluftsmuseum is one of the most popular tourist sites in Västmanland, so you definitely have to go there. The museum recreates the environment in which people lived and worked from the 17th to the end of the 20th century. About fifty buildings have been preserved here, transferred from all over Västmanland. Around the houses and farms there are fields, meadows and gardens with older ornamental and useful plants, fruit trees and field crops. The enclosures around the museum are home to goats, Linderöds pigs, Gestrike sheep, Gotland rabbits and other Landrace animals. The museum is open all year round and offers a wide range of programs. You can have lunch or have a coffee in Gaggeska gården. In the Vallby goldsmith shop you will find silver jewelry and other products.
Anundshög
If you interesting history this place is for you ! – Anundshög is Sweden’s largest archaeological site from the Bronze Age and the transition to the Iron Age. Sweden’s largest burial mound is 9 meters high with a diameter of 64 meters. The grave is not yet excavated but by dating an underlying hearth, older than the mound we can conclude the monument was built at a time between the 5th to the 11th Century AD. The mound is built on a foundation of clay on which the burial was placed.
Västerås Cathedral
Västerås Cathedral is the seat of the Diocese of Västerås in the Province of Västmanland, Sweden. The church building is a five-tiered cathedral, with copper-covered roof as well as a west tower with side extensions and an obelisk-shaped, copper-clad spire. It is built in the Scandinavian Brick Gothic style.
Västerås Castle
This castle, dating from the 13th century, is located a short distance from the city center. From June 14, 1573 to October 16, 1574, Eric XIV was imprisoned at Västerås Castle. The king was then transferred to Örbyhus and poisoned with pea soup. He was later buried in Västerås Cathedral. The castle currently houses the mayor’s residence.
Tidö Castle
Tidö Castle is a one of Sweden’s best-preserved Baroque palaces. Its history traces back to the 15th century when the Gren family built a medieval house on the site. In the 17th century, the Lord High Chancellor of Sweden, Axel Oxenstierna, constructed the present castle, which was owned by the Oxenstiern family for two centuries. In 1890, it came under the care of the von Schinkel family, and today, David von Schinkel continues to manage and preserve this cultural heritage, sharing its rich history.
Karlsgatan 2
Visit Karlsgatan is not just one museum, but two museums in one building: the Västerås Art Museum and the Västmanland County Museum. You can visit museum exhibitions, attend screenings, take part in workshops, listen to lectures and take part in various events for both young and old. We also invite you to visit our archive and library, which contains books and objects, photos, maps and drawings of houses. On the ground floor you can have a coffee at the Karlsgatan Café or shop in the shop.
Kokpunkten Actionbad
Kokpunkten is Sweden’s first action pool, featuring a range of new and unique attractions with a distinct action character. In total, the pool consists of over half a kilometer of slides arranged on eight floors. Using digital projection technology, Kokpunkten changes the bathing environment so that bathers can experience how the bath changes several times a year. Good fun awaits you right here!
