Sandviken Attractions

From Gävle, Road 80 runs west to Falun. 3km/2mi along this road is Valbo, with a 14th century church and a runic stone of about A.D. 100. Beyond this are Mackmyra (iron foundry of 1885, now closed down) and the industrial town of Sandviken (alt. 71m/233ft, pop. 40,000), on the northern shore of the Storsjö. The town is dominated by a large steelworks established in 1862, with the oldest Bessemer converter in Sweden.
Ralph Erskine, well-known architect, was responsible for the unique design of the centre of the town. Many of the older buildings have been carefully restored.