On the shores of the Baltic Sea is one of the most ancient cities in the country - Kalmar. It is a kind of gate at the entrance to the longest road overpass in the country - Eland. This town is located on several, which are interconnected by bridges.
History of the city of Kalmar in Sweden
The city of Kalmar was formed around 1200. During the Middle Ages, it was the third largest trading center. From here they exported iron and artisan goods to Germany. It was built on this site in the 12th century, which helped the locals defend themselves from pirates and Danish invasions. Around the fortress, a city of the same name was formed. Today Kalmar on the map of Sweden is a thriving commercial center.
Climate Kalmar
The town of Kalmar is located in an area with a temperate continental climate, turning into a maritime one. It has mild winters and cool summers. In winter, frosts can reach -16°С, and in summer the maximum air temperature is +21°С. The off-season is often changeable weather with winds and precipitation brought by air currents from the North Atlantic and the Baltic Sea.
Landmarks of Kalmar in Sweden
The city of Kalmar, captured in the photo below, is small. Arriving here, you can visit many interesting places:
Hotels and restaurants in Kalmar
There are many places to stay in Kalmar:
Among the most popular restaurants in the city of Kalmar, tourists name the following:
- Restaurang Athena;
- Slottsrestaurangen Kalmar;
- Akademikrogen Linnéuniversitetet;
- Park Hermina;
- Restaurang Varvsholmen.
How to get to Kalmar?
A port city located in the southern part of the country. Kalmar occupies the territory of several small islands, which are interconnected by bridges. This makes the city unusual in the eyes of tourists, and every year it attracts more and more visitors. The total length of the bridges is 6700 meters, today the city is major center shipbuilding and food industry.
chief historical monument The city is the Kalmar Castle, through the halls of which there are daily tours. The chamber of Eric XIV Vasa is considered the most beautiful room. On the walls of the room you can see the finest wood upholstery, antique furniture and exquisite interior decoration. The castle will surprise you with the number of secret passages, original halls and the indescribable atmosphere of the Middle Ages. In addition to the fact that the castle was completely converted into a museum, several of its halls are open for banquets and conferences, concerts and various cultural events are often held here. From all sides, the castle is surrounded by a spacious park, which was founded in 1880. Here you can see a variety of exotic plants, many of which are not typical for this area. Musical performances are held in the park in the evenings.
Another important attraction is the Cathedral, a building from the early 17th century, designed in the Baroque style. The most visited museums include the Maritime Museum and the Kalmar Art Museum. The first one will tell you about the industrial and military history city, and the second will introduce the creations of outstanding artists. Copyright www.site
Another notable feature is that absolutely all the bridges of Kalmar were transferred to the private property of local residents, now each bridge is decorated with a plaque with the name of the owner.
The city has a very interesting open-air museum Salvestaden, which will be interesting to visit with the whole family. It takes guests into the unique atmosphere of the Middle Ages, the museum is built as a model of a medieval city, which was completely destroyed in the 17th century. Each of the museum buildings has a collection of interesting historical exhibits, and various events for visitors are also held here. Everyone can try on national costumes, learn how to shoot from a bow, cook bread according to old recipes, and even take part in a jousting tournament.
Kalmar is home to the world-famous Öland Bridge, the longest road bridge in Sweden. Its length is 6,072 meters, it connects the city with the island of Öland. A trip across this bridge will be an unforgettable adventure. There are many interesting sights and entertainments waiting for travelers on the island. The main historical sites are windmills that were built on the island in the 17th century. Some of them are currently in a dilapidated state, while others are perfectly preserved to this day.
Borgholm Castle is located on the island. Only a few fragments of this once majestic building have survived to this day. After admiring the ruins of the castle, you can appreciate the nearby Solliden Palace, which is the summer residence royal family. Not far from these historical sites are interesting archaeological areas. Here, researchers have discovered artifacts that are over 8,000 years old.
Fans of walks in historical places will be offered to visit the Storo Alvaret Plateau, where researchers discovered two ancient cemeteries. The limestone plateau attracts not only with historical places, but also with its amazing nature; a few years ago it was recognized as an object world heritage UNESCO.
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Kalmar Castle is one of the most powerful fortifications in Sweden with a long and eventful history, including the historical union of Denmark and Sweden in the 14-16 centuries, called the Kalmar Union. Today, a lot of halls with rich interiors and numerous works of art are open to the public.
Kalmar Castle is interesting not only for its formidable appearance, but also exceptionally rich in interiors and interesting expositions.
A bit of history
The history of Kalmar Castle began at the end of the 12th century, when a defensive tower was built on the island at the entrance to the harbor to protect the city from pirate raids from the Baltic Sea. A century later, the Swedish king Magnus ordered the construction of a full-fledged castle here - this time as an outpost on the border with Denmark. A hundred years later, the Swedish Queen Margarete united the rulers of three countries - Denmark, Norway and Sweden - in the Kalmar Castle - the so-called Kalmar Union (however, this union did not last long - only two hundred years). In the 16th century, the castle was thoroughly rebuilt, taking into account the latest fortification requirements of that time, but the Danish opponents were still able to capture Kalmar. Well, at the end of the 17th century, the borders of Sweden expanded significantly to the south, and the defensive role of the castle came to naught. In the following centuries, Kalmar was a food warehouse, a brewery, and a prison ... until at the end of the 19th century it was restored and turned into a castle-museum - now practically the best in the country. Today Kalmar Castle is considered to be the best preserved example of the Northern Renaissance style.
Kalmar Castle
What to see
Kalmar Castle is interesting not only for its formidable appearance, but also exceptionally rich in interiors and interesting expositions. It is worth starting acquaintance with the castle from afar - this is how you can best appreciate its architectural power: an irregular quadrilateral in plan, round towers in the corners and squat gate towers above each of the entrances to the castle, which in themselves represent a castle within a castle, where it was possible to continue the defense against the besiegers, even if the castle itself were taken.
Inside the castle itself, many interesting halls are open for visiting. Among them is the Tower of the King with the magnificent chambers of Eric XIV, richly decorated with carved wooden panels on the walls, frescoes with hunting scenes and a carved ceiling. Here you should pay attention to the secret door, located on the side of the fireplace, behind which begins a secret passage to the roof. In the chambers of Johan III one can see a wonderful gilded ceiling and rich wood carvings on the walls. One of the brightest and most beautiful premises of Kalmar Castle is the 16th century chapel with a snow-white vaulted ceiling and benches for the king and queen of the 17th century. In the Gray Hall you can see a reconstruction of the possible Easter dinner of King Johan III, and in the boudoir of Agda you can get an idea of the life of the royal favorite Agda Persdotter. One of the darkest, but no less realistic premises of the castle is the Women's Prison, the permanent exhibition of which will tell about the "crime and punishment" applicable to fair sex over five centuries - from the 15th to the 19th.
Interactive screens are installed in the premises of the Kalmar Castle, where you can read the mass interesting stories and anecdotes related to the history of the building.
Address and opening hours
Opening hours: from May to September - daily, from 10:00 to 16:00, in July and August - until 18:00. During the rest of the year, the castle is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 to 16:00.
The entrance fee is 130 SEK in high season and 110 SEK in low season.
Prices on the page are for November 2018.
Road
For the third hour now, the regular bus, quietly purring, is moving along the absolutely flat, dark gray highway Stockholm - Kalmar. There are still five hours of the same monotonous movement ahead.
In Moscow, looking at a map of the country of the Vikings, I felt that the distance between Stockholm and Kalmar, which is located in the southeast of Sweden, only seems so small. Of course, it was necessary to fly through Copenhagen - I would have been there long ago, but ... a trip through half the country, and even by bus - albeit a small one, but an adventure.
My fellow traveler, Terge, a native squid, speaks non-stop English and drinks beer. And although the beer is non-alcoholic, his clean-shaven head gradually turns red, and his speech becomes more and more incoherent. By the way, my first impression of the country is connected with the language. Everyone speaks English, from young to old. Many, especially young people, speak fluently, with little or no accent. This was fine with me, because Swedish unlike English, I, unfortunately, do not know.
Kalmar - the ultimate goal of my trip - a typical provincial town with a long history, the Swedish hinterland. And participation in the conference on environmental education in the countries of the Baltic region is an excellent opportunity to get acquainted with the Swedish province.
So, ahead - many kilometers of a completely flat highway, on the left - Terge, tipsy from non-alcoholic beer, trying to talk about military service, on the right, outside the window - neat fields, and in general - all this is the kingdom of Sweden ...
Former capital
Thirty thousand inhabitants. Thirty policemen - one for every thousand people. One university. Three five star hotels. One confectionery factory. One royal castle. And... nine centuries of history.
In the 12th century, a guard fortress was built on one of the islands off the southeastern coast of Scandinavia. It was she who laid the foundation for the history of Kalmar. A century later Kalmar became the capital of the then united kingdom of Sweden and Finland. A favorable strategic position at the crossroads of trade routes determined the fate of this city for many centuries.
Time passed, epochs succeeded each other, and with them the capital city of Kalmar changed. To late XVIII century, there was no trace of its former greatness, despite the fact that the royal castle, finally built by that time, still proudly towered over the city with its bastions.
In the second half of our century, Kalmar, as if remembering its brilliant past, shone again, but already as the economic and cultural center of the southeast of Sweden.
Channels, houses, people
Like most coastal cities in Scandinavia, Kalmar is located on the islands. Sherkhs - channels with brackish water, cutting the land into bizarre pieces, serve as the natural boundaries of each region. The channels themselves are small, but wide. Therefore, the townspeople, as befits the descendants of glorious sailors, ride on them in kayaks. And not only they...
Rolf Arnemo, professor of ecology at the local university and chief conference coordinator, also loves the canals and his narrow, agile kayak. He also likes to show Kalmar guests from the water. When the gallant, gray-haired Rolf offered a trip to the Sherkhas to Russian conference participants Alexandra Koroleva and Natalia Kubareva, he had no idea what it would turn out to be.
Somehow the three brave men climbed into the rickety boat, and Mr. Arnemo explained how it was necessary to row in order to start a pleasant walk on the water. To his misfortune, he did not tell Sasha and Natasha that they should row quietly. Well, they leaned on the oars with all their might ... Then Rolf said: “For the first seconds, I simply stopped feeling the world, I saw only the bridge approaching our boat. I could not imagine that these fragile girls are capable of rowing with such power and dexterity. A collision was barely avoided."
Unfortunately, I did not have to experience the joys of a canoe trip, because at that time I tried in vain to find out from the owner of my hotel - Barbara, the only person, by the way, who stubbornly did not want to speak English, how much I need to pay for accommodation. Barbara frankly did not understand what I needed. At the word "money" she nodded happily, but our conversation was interrupted. Unfortunately, there was not a single English-speaking soul nearby - the hotel was empty.
But he was in the most fashionable area of Kalmar - on the island of Ange. Every morning I admired the gray-green by the Baltic Sea and snow-white, similar to huge narwhals, yachts passing by ... Perhaps the beautiful view from the window was the main and only manifestation of “fashionableness” for me, my hotel, or rather even a private boarding house, was the cheapest and “starless” in the city .
With the onset of summer twilight, life in the city gradually subsides.
Wandering the deserted streets is an extremely exciting experience. Evening illumination gives the city a special flavor, fabulous charm. The feeling of time stopped does not disappear even when at the entrance of an old and unrealistically tidy house you suddenly see a no less tidy, but absolutely modern Porsche latest model... Everything, literally everything, strikes with its cleanliness and well-groomedness. It strikes the first two days, and then begins to unnerve. Gradually, a feeling of artificiality of such a life arises. If you knew how happy we were when we noticed a real crack on the wall of an elegant house! The crack has become for us a symbol of the reality of life.
The Kalmar people are proud of the fact that for two centuries they have not built a single building that would be higher than the city's cathedral. It must be said that the cathedral is by no means a majestic building.
Squids also like to say that of all the Swedes they are the most calm and peaceful. This is probably the case, since the biggest feat for local youth is to drink non-alcoholic beer and dance until eleven in the evening at the city disco.
Of course, low buildings are a tribute to tradition, and a calm disposition is the result of upbringing and lifestyle. But for us, accustomed to turbulent events, cataclysms and frantic pace, such a life is contraindicated. I dare say that the Russian province, whose leisurely life has become the talk of the town, is just an active volcano compared to the Swedish outback.
Oland
“Ladies and gentlemen,” says our guide, a professor at Kalmar University, “now we are driving across the longest bridge in Scandinavia. The purpose of our trip is the smallest province in Sweden and the second largest island in the Baltic - Oland.
Oland is 116 kilometers from north to south and 35 kilometers from west to east. A strip of land cut off from the mainland by a strait. Thirty years ago, these six kilometers of the sea, separating the "islanders" from " mainland”, were overcome exclusively with the help of the ferry. And now... six rows of highway, raised by reinforced concrete bulls to a height of 30 to 70 meters above the sea. At first glance, the handsome bridge does not inspire confidence - it is a painfully openwork design. You begin to realize the full power of this work of engineering art only after you drive into it.
The island has everything that the soul of a traveler needs. Lovers of antiquity will find preserved stone circuses, Neolithic settlements and burial mounds of local princes. In addition, Oland is a paradise for bird lovers. And we were able to verify this by visiting the ornithological station located at the southernmost point of the island. Here are the migratory routes of many migratory birds. And I must say that bird watching in nature is the most massive hobby of the local population.
Here, on the side of the highway, a bright red Volvo pulls up. Two old women, whose age cannot even be approximated, jump out of the car. From the voluminous trunk, they extract monstrous spyglasses on tripods, the most powerful photographic equipment, rubber boots and folding chairs. All this belongings are thrown onto their backs and carried about fifty meters from the road. The purpose of the expedition is to observe songbirds. This is such a vacation...
There is a wonderful bird museum at the Olanda ornithological observation station. A small house, bright halls, simple but very nice exhibits, recorded bird voices - all this creates a special atmosphere. And at the doorstep, visitors are greeted by a large wooden goose from the tale of the boy Niels and the wild geese.
In general, the love of the Swedes for wooden sculpture, and especially for wooden birds, manifests itself in the most unexpected way. When I was getting to know Sweden, looking at it from the bus window, I, as an ornithologist, was simply struck by the calmness of the Swedish buzzards - common, but at the same time very cautious birds of prey, which did not fly off the roadside poles even if the bus passed very close to them ... And once, walking near the royal castle, I noticed a seagull that did not fly away and when tourists took pictures with it “in an embrace”.
Tapping on the wooden, but very plausible beak of a seagull, I also remembered the mysterious buzzards ... Wooden, and maybe plastic raptors, of course, cannot fly, but they perfectly drive away live birds from the road and nearby fields.
What else did Oland remember ... Huge windmills that provide electricity to the entire island. Numerous churches that suddenly appear on both sides of the road. Red deer, who are not at all afraid of man, because they know or at least feel that they are under the protection of His Majesty the King of Sweden. It is here that the hunting grounds of the king are located, now turned into a reserve.
the Royal Castle
And again Kalmar. Before the excursion to the royal castle, our hospitable hosts took all the conference participants to one of the Kalmar restaurants. The regulars, and the owners of the restaurant themselves, were pretty surprised by the sudden appearance of such a large company.
Do not believe those who say that in Europe there is everything and always - there were no seats in the restaurant. But our wonderful leader Rolf still found a way out. He took the owner of the restaurant aside and whispered something in his ear. He walked around all the occupied tables, and the visitors, looking sadly at the plates, doomedly got up and left the hall. To be honest, we felt uncomfortable. True, then we realized that everything was not so bad and the rest of the people - simple squids who wandered into the light of the restaurant, did not remain in the loser - they were simply asked to move to another hall ...
The standard dinner in a Swedish restaurant is a vegetable salad, a microscopic kebab with fried potatoes, a glass of beer and ice cream for dessert. As they say, "cheap and cheerful."
A huge and very respectable Haanu Vesa sits at our “Russian” table - a typical Finn, chairman of the council of the city of Savo. Haanu - expert Russian history. For example, he knows for sure that the Russians originated as a result of a mixture of Finno-Ugric tribes and Tatars. All our objections - where are the Slavs, but what about our language? - they come across a wall of cold Finnish misunderstanding: “I know the history of Russia better!” — the main problem Russia today is taxes! You must learn to pay taxes! — English phrases, and, moreover, with the peculiarities of the Finnish pronunciation, besides, flavored with a fair amount of again non-alcoholic beer, they sound absolutely amazing. We can hardly restrain our laughter - what if they don’t understand and get offended ...
Inspired by our newfound roots - our ancestors have finally been discovered - and realizing the importance of the tax system, we, in the company of our foreign colleagues, go on an excursion to the royal castle.
The castle is a majestic building, the spiers of which are visible from anywhere in the city. We got there at the very end of the day, when the official tours were already completed. But a young girl-guide, who was terribly anxious to go home, nevertheless agreed to take us, the participants of the conference, around the castle.
Gray walls, high steps, a tree darkened by time, huge paintings, narrow loophole windows through which the rays of the setting sun penetrate. Listening to the girl’s lively and melodious speech, I caught myself thinking that I wouldn’t be at all surprised if now this pale lady depicted on the canvas winks at me with her slightly squinted right eye. Full immersion in history. Behind the thick walls one could not hear the noise of the city, and the sounds of the organ, coming from somewhere deep in the castle, made one forget about the inexorable passage of time.
We descended into the coolness of the castle courtyard. And there, leaning against a warm wall, stood a lanky man dressed in the costume of a medieval peasant. Kalmar Don Quixote. In his hands is a multi-stringed Swedish violin, and next to him, like a faithful horse, an old bicycle froze.
He played a simple, slightly mournful, folk tune. The music, reflected from the walls, filled the well of the courtyard and carried it up. At that moment in the whole world there was only a high sky, framed by gray stone walls, and a simple, unsophisticated melody...
In the early morning of the next day, I had another luck - the cashier of the railway ticket office, a very sweet and friendly Swede, looking at me intently, asked: "How old are you, young man?" As a result, the ticket cost me half the price - a youth discount! A trifle, but nice! And then a fast train took me to the north of Sweden, to the glorious city of Stockholm.
