Gavle Tourist Attractions
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Situation and characteristicsThe 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.
Town Hall
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).
Trinity Church
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).
Gävle Castle
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.
County Museum
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.
Old Town
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.
Forestry Museum
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.
Railroad Museum
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.
Surroundings
Järvsta and Furuvik
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.
Alvkarleby
From Furuvik, the road from Gävle runs south to the port and industrial town of Skutskär (timber-processing), on the boundary between Gästrikland and Uppland, and crosses the Dalälv. Straddling the three arms of the river is Älvkarleby (pop. 10,000), which has a 15th century church with fine wall paintings and a salmon hatchery. The once imposing falls on the river have lost their charm since the construction of a hydro-electric power station. Above this, opposite the island of Flakö, is a hydraulic research laboratory, with models of hydro-electric installations.8km/5mi northeast is Sweden's first wind-operated power station, an experimental unit with a 23m/95ft high tower.Älvkarleby offers golfing, fishing, camping and sightseeing opportunities.
Sandviken
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.
Årsunda Church
On the south side of the Storsjö opposite Sandviken stands Årsunda church (ca. 1450), with a medieval altar of Flemish workmanship and wall paintings.
Ockelbo
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.
Strömsbro - Hamrånge
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.
