The Swedish port of Luleå, at the north end of the Gulf of Bothnia, is the largest town in Norrbotten and the see of a bishop. It is the gateway to the mountain world of Lapland and the northern tundras. The offshore islets and skerries, more than 800 in number, are notable for their fauna and flora. Although Luleå is only 110km/70miles from the Arctic Circle, it has a mild climate, with an average temperature only about 2°C/3.5°F lower than at Malmö in southern Sweden. In July Luleå has the highest number of hours of sunshine in Sweden (300-310). During the summer it ranks with Narvik as one of the two principal ports for the shipment of iron ore from northern Sweden, which is conveyed from Gällivare and Kiruna on the Lapland Railroad.
The harbor of Luleå is rarely affected during winter months, due to the assistance of ice-breakers.
History
Luleå was founded by Gustavus Adolphus in 1621 and moved in 1649 to its present site on a promontory in the Luleälv. Most of its old houses have been destroyed by fire. Until 1940 the town had a population of no more than 14,000, but it was given a great boost when a state-owned ironworks (Norrbottens Järnverk AB, now SSAB Luleå) was established on the island of Svartö: within 10 years the population had doubled, and thereafter it continued to grow.
40km/25mi northeast of Luleå up the valley of the Luleälv is Boden (pop. 29,000), a garrison town and railroad junction where the mineral railroad from Gällivare to Luleå cuts across the main north-south line. The military stamp of the town has a long tradition. The Boden fortress built here in 1901 was almost entirely blasted from the rock and is still a military stronghold. There is also an Army Museum.
Address: Boden Tourist Office, Stationsgatan 8, S-96186 Boden, Sweden
10km/6mi west of Luleå, on the original site of Luleå, is the "church town" of Gammelstad - a settlement of little wooden houses providing overnight accommodation for churchgoers coming from a distance and for their horses and carts. With almost 500 "church houses" (kyrkstugor), this is the largest church town in Sweden. The church itself, which dates from the 14th century, has a richly decorated interior, with an altar of 1520 from Antwerp. Here too is the Hägnan open-air museum.
Gammelstad was selected for the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996.
Address: Gammelstad Tourist Office, Kyrktorget 1, S-95433 Gammelstad, Sweden
Luleå's House of Technology on the campus of the University of Technology (outside the town on the Haparanda road) illustrates modern technological developments in an understandable way.
Address: House of Technology, S-97187 Lulea, Sweden
Hours:
June 27 to August 7: 10am-5pm
August 8 to June 26: 11am-4pm; Closed: Mon
Always closed on: New Year's Day (January 1), Day after Christmas, St Stephen's Day, Boxing Day (December 26), New Year's Eve (December 31), Christmas - Christian (December 25), Christmas Eve - Christian (December 24)
Characteristic features of the Norrland coast are the little chapels on the skerries, all dating from the 18th century. In the Luleå skerries alone there are three (Uddskär, Måsskär, Rödkallen).
In the center of the old town of Luleå stand the Cathedral (1887-93) and the 10-story Town Hall (1957). To the east, in Storgatan, the town's main business street, is a modern shopping center. At the west end of Storgatan extends Hermelinspark. On the south side of the town in the Norrbotten Museum can be seen an interesting collection of material on Lapp customs and traditions. To the west of the Museum the Länsresidens, a handsome wooden building, houses local government offices. To the northwest is the promontory of Gültzauudden, with a beach, tennis courts and other sports facilities. Open-air theater in summer.
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Boden, Sweden
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Lulea
