Vänersborg (pop. 36,000), chief town of Älvsborg county, lies at the northern tip of a promontory reaching out into Lake Vänern. It has an attractive lakeside promenade, Birger Sjöbergsväg. with Sträcklan Park. Here too can be seen a statue by Axel Wallenberg of "Frida", a figure much celebrated in song. The town has preserved its small town
image with the old houses and check pattern layout.
Nearby is the Municipal Museum, with material on the history of the town and a collection of exotic birds presented by the explorer Axel Ericson. In the town center are a number of handsome 18th century buildings, among them the Governor's Residence (by Carl Hårleman, 1754). Nearby is the church (1780).