The busy industrial and commercial town of Gävle, between Stockholm and Sundsvall, is the administrative center of the county of Gävleborg, which takes in the provinces of Gästrikland and Hälsingland. It lies on both banks of the Gävleå, which here flows into the Gulf of Bothnia.
Gävle is the largest and oldest town in Norrland (founded 1446), and with its modern port installations plays an important part in the export of timber and metal ores. The town was rebuilt after a fire in 1869 which destroyed the districts north of the river.
The town of Gävle is well-known for the Gävle goat, a tradition that began in 1966. The 13m tall straw goat is a Christmas tradition. It is placed on the Castle Square in central Gävle on December 1st and at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve the goat goes up in flames.
To the east of the Castle in Gävle, in Södra Strandgatan, is the County Museum (Länsmuseet), with material on the history of the town, pictures and sculpture, and a collection of antiquities, including a boat of about A.D. 100, of a type described by Tacitus in his "Germania", which was excavated at Björke in 1948, and a Persian lamp brought here by Vikings.
Address: Länsmuseet Gävleborg, Södra Strandgatan 20, Box 746, S-80128 Gävle, Sweden
Hours:
June 1 to August 31: 10am-4pm; Sun:12pm-4pm; Sat:12pm-4pm
September 1 to May 31: 10am-4pm; Sun:12pm-4pm; Wed:10am-9pm; Sat:12pm-4pm; Closed: Mon
1km/0.75mi west of Gävle's Castle is the Museum Silvanum (Forestry Museum; exhibitions on the woodworking industry, etc.), in a park containing over 400 species of trees and shrubs which grow in Sweden.
A little way south of Gävle Town Hall Square, on the other bank of the river, stands the Castle, built in 1583-93 by King John III and rebuilt in the 18th century after a fire. It is now the seat of the provincial government.
3km/2mi southeast of Gävle lies the Järvsta cemetery area, with a runic stone. To the east of this, on Gävle Bay, is the little seaside resort of Furuvik, with a sandy and rocky beach; zoo and amusement park.
Northwest of Gävle the little town of Ockelbo (formerly a railroad junction) has many turn-of-the-century wooden houses with attractive details. The church (1793) was destroyed by fire in 1904. Beside the church is a reproduction of the Ockelbo Stone (Ockelbostenen), one of the most richly decorated runic stones in Sweden; the original was destroyed in the fire.
Some of the most notable attractions in Ockelbo are the annual summer and winter markets, the rose gardens and the famous basketball team.
Address: Ockelbo Tourist Office, Torget Informationskontoret, S-81680 Ockelbo, Sweden
South of Gävle's Provincial Museum, in Södra Centralgatan, can be found the Folkets Hus (People's House, 1946). To the west is the carefully renovated district of Gamla Gävle (Old Gävle), with many 18th century wooden houses now occupied by artists and craftsmen.
On the south side of Gävle, on E 4, is the Railway Museum of the Swedish State Railroads (SJ), documenting over 100 years of railroad history in Sweden.
Address: Swedish Railroad Museum, Rälsgatan 1, Box 407, S-80105 Gävle, Sweden
Hours:
June 1 to August 31: 10am-4pm
September 1 to May 31: 10am-4pm; Closed: Mon
Always closed on: New Year's Day (January 1), Summer solstice - First day of summer (June 21), New Year's Eve (December 31), Christmas - Christian (December 25), Christmas Eve - Christian (December 24)
North of Gävle, at Strömsbro, are cemeteries of the Viking period. To the east of E 4 are the old fishing villages of Bönan (lighthouse of 1840, 16.4m/54ft high, with museum) and Utvalnäs. Hamrånge (35km/22mi north of Gävle on E 4) has a notable church (1854) with a font and 10 figures of saints from the medieval church. Bergby has a beautifully situated community center.
In Rådhustorget (Town Hall Square) of Gävle are the 18th century Town Hall and the Town House (Stadshuset, 1803-05). From here two broad parallel streets, Norra Rådmansgatan and Norra Kungsgatan, lead to the finely situated Theater (1878).
From Gävle Town Hall Square, Drottninggatan runs southwest to Trinity Church, the oldest building in the town after the Castle (built 1654, restored 1936-38 and 1954). Farther along the north bank of the river is the beautiful Municipal Park (Stadsträdgården).
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Ockelbo, Sweden
