Harnosand Tourist Attractions
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The province of Ångermanland (area 21,071sq.km/8,136sq.mi) extends along the Gulf of Bothnia in northern Sweden. The picturesque stretch of coast known as Höga Kusten (the High Coast) offers a variety of scenery: rocks and cliffs, sheltered bays, nature reserves, and fishing villages. The principal river is the Ångermanälv, still used for floating down large numbers of logs from the forests but now, unfortunately, one of the Swedish rivers with the greatest number of hydroelectric stations along its course. From Ångermanland comes one of the special delicacies of the Norrland, the pickled herring known as the surströming.Härnösand (pop. 27,000), at the mouth of the Ångermanälv, is the chief town and administrative center of the county of Västernorrland. It received its municipal charter in 1585.As a noted harbor town, Härnösand, is very scenic and considered a "jewel" on the east coast of Sweden. It is easily accessible by air, train or bus.
Town
Nybrogatan runs from the mainland on to the island of Härnö on which lies the old part of the town. The Town Hall with its circular portico (by Olof Tempelmann, 1791) is one of Härnösand's finest buildings. The neo-classical Cathedral (1846; restored 1935) has a beautiful Baroque organ-case and 17th century chandeliers. To the west of the Cathedral is the Market Square, with the old Governor's Residence (Länsresidens; 18th C.). A notable feature is the sculpture, "Evolution", by the Norwegian sculptor Hagbart Solløs.In the Municipal Park can be seen a statue by Carl Milles of Frans Michael Franzén, who was bishop of Härnösand from 1831 to 1847 and was also a notable poet.
Open-Air Museum
In Härnösand, to the north of the Nybro (New Bridge), on the Murberg, is an open-air museum, the largest in Sweden after Stockholm's Skansen, with a collection of farmhouses and cottages illustrating the old way of life in the Norrland.
Vårdkasberg
In Härnösand, from the Vårdkasberg (175m/575ft) there are extensive views of the surrounding countryside and the coast. 6km/4mi southeast of the old town is the swimming beach of Smitingen.
Surroundings
Kramfors
44km/27mi northwest of Härnösand is the town of Kramfors (pop. 24,000), which received its municipal charter only in 1947. Here, at the mouth of the Kramforså, Christoffer Kramm established a sawmill in the mid 18th century, and since then woodworking has been the town's principal industry. The main features of interest are the Gudmundrå church (1801) and the local museum, which contains the town's oldest saw.The town of Kramfors is noted for the beautiful scenery and a varied landscape that offers numerous outdoor activities.
Ytterlännäs Church
The old church of Ytterlännäs, a few kilometers north of Kramfors, is one of the finest in Ångermanland. Originally founded in the 13th century, it was rebuilt in the late medieval period with a stellar-vaulted roof.
Solleftea
Road 90 runs northwest of Ytterlänns to the garrison town of Sollefteå (42km/26mi; pop. 25,000), which received its municipal charter in 1917. It is attractively situated on both sides of the Ångermanälv, ringed by hills. On the banks of the river are a hydroelectric power station and the Aquarium (open to visitors in summer), and immediately below this lies the Municipal Park, with pleasant walks along the river. Raft and canoe trips on the river; salmon-fishing. In the river stands the Rafters' Monument (by Fredrik Frisendahl, 1940), honoring the work of the raftsmen.
High Coast
There is much to see along the "High Coast" between Härnösand and Örnsköldsvik. At Docksta is the Skuleberg (293m/961ft), now a nature reserve, from the top of which there is a fine view of the Gulf of Bothnia and Sweden's highest island, Mjältön (236m/774ft). 5m/16ft below the summit is a cave which seems to have been occupied as a dwelling in the Stone Age.
Köpmansholmen
From Köpmansholmen, which has one of the deepest harbors in Sweden, with a 30m/100ft long quay, there are boat trips to the islands of Trysunda and Ulvö.
Ornskoldsvik
106km/66mi north of Härnösand is Örnsköldsvik (pop. 59,000), the most northerly of Ångermanland's four towns, situated on a bay enclosed by skerries. The town is named after Per Abraham Örnsköld, governor of Västernorrland from 1762 to 1769, who did a great deal to promote the development of the region. The town's economy depends principally on its sawmills and its shipping, which benefits from a deep natural harbor, ice-free for 11 months in the year (services to Vaasa in Finland).Features of interest are the Town Hall (1909) and the figure of an eagle in the Torgpark, carved in the local granite by Bruno Liljefors, which has become the emblem of the town. On the landward side the town is bounded by wooded crags; farther inland are ranges of hills with good fishing in the lakes and rivers as well as hiking, ice skating, and good skiing opportunities are available in winter. From the Varvsberg there is a fine view of the sea.
