Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Västerås (Sweden). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Västerås Cathedral, Anundshög, and Strömsholm Palace. Also, be sure to include Västerås Castle in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Västerås (Västmanland).
Table of Contents
Västerås Cathedral
Also known as: Västerås domkyrka
Cathedral in Västerås, Sweden. Västerås Cathedral is the seat of the Diocese of Västerås in the Province of Västmanland, Sweden. The church building is a five-tiered cathedral, with copper-covered roof as well as a west tower with side extensions and an obelisk-shaped, copper-clad spire. It is built in the Scandinavian Brick Gothic style.[1]
Address: Vaestra Kyrkogatan 6, 722 15 Vasteras
Anundshög
Visitor center in Västerås, Sweden. Anundshög is a tumulus near Västerås in Västmanland, the largest in Sweden. It has a diameter of 60 metres and is about 9 metres high.
Assessments of the era of the mound vary between the Bronze Age and the late Iron Age. A fireplace under it has been dated by radiocarbon dating to sometime between AD 210 and 540.
Some historians have associated the mound with the legendary King Anund, while others regard this as speculative. It is purported also that the name is taken from the large runestone at the site, (Vs 13) the central stone in a row of 15 alongside the mound, re-erected in the 1960s and apparently marking out the route of the Eriksgata. The inscription on the runestone reads:
+ fulkuiþr + raisti + stainn + þasi + ala + at + sun + + sin + hiþin + bruþur + anutaʀ + uraiþr hik + runaʀ"Folkvid raised all of these stones after his son Heden, Anund's brother. Vred carved the runes."At the foot of the mound are 2 large stone ships placed end to end, 51 metres (167 ft) and 54 metres (177 ft) long. The site was a thing-place and the ship settings may be associated with this function.[2]
Strömsholm Palace
Also known as: Strömsholms slott
Castle in Sweden. Strömsholm Palace, sometimes called Strömsholm Castle, is a Swedish royal palace. The baroque palace is built on the site of a fortress from the 1550s, located on an island in the Kolbäcksån river at the west end of Lake Mälaren. The palace has interiors from the 18th century and an important collection of Swedish paintings.[3]
Västerås Castle
Also known as: Västerås slott
Castle in Västerås, Sweden. Västerås Castle is situated at Västerås in the province of Västmanland, Sweden.[4]
Västerås Flygmuseum
Also known as: Västerås flygmuseum
Museum in Västerås, Sweden. Västerås Flygmuseum is a museum dedicated to flight and aviation history. It is located in Västerås, in an old hangar at Västerås Airport in Sweden, located 100 km west of the capital city, but inside Västerås city limits. It was created in the CVV Hangar at the former Swedish Air Force base "F1-Hässlö" in 1997.
The museum hosts a large number of airplanes, of which 40 are used for flight. The museum is open to the public at least every Sunday. and at other times after contact with the museum[5]
Address: Hässlögatan 16, 721 31 Västerås
Bondtorget
Bondtorget is the western part of Stora torget in Västerås. Under the cobblestones hides an old Christian cemetery from the 11th century or older. The cemetery was already closed in the 13th century and is covered by houses. It is still unclear why it was abandoned.
But the cobbles hide more secrets. One of the houses lining the square burned down in 1972 and the remains of a building were found underneath. In a cavity in the wall of that building, someone had hidden a treasure, a silver treasure of 16,232 silver coins weighing 18 kg, which was later named the Västerås Treasure. The youngest coins were dated 1518, which suggests that they were hidden sometime during the war of liberation. Most of the coins were minted in Västerås and unused. The coins most likely came from the Sala silver mine, as it was previously decided that the Salasil silver could only be minted in Västerås and Stockholm.
Address: 4 Stora Torget, 722 15 Vasteras
Vallby Open Air Museum
Museum, History museum
Address: Skerikesvägen 2, 724 80 Västerås
Västmanland County Museum & Västerås Museum of Art
Museum, Specialty museum
Address: Karlsgatan 2, 722 14 Vasteras
Djäkneberget
Djäkneberget is a park area just west of Västerås city centre. The area is about 500 metres long and 250 metres wide. The park is located on a hilltop overlooking, among other things, the Cathedral, the City Hall, Skrapan and part of Lake Mälaren. Adjacent to the park is Djäknebergsskolan, an elementary school that opened in 1894 and today houses Västerås Folkhögskola and Västerås Konstskola.
The name Djäkneberget comes from djäkne, a disciple from the nearby high school. The devils had their gymnastics and weapons drills on the mountain. The devils also celebrated Walpurgis Eve on the mountain with fireworks and bonfires, but this ceased in the 1830s after an accident when two devils were burnt to death.
The Västerås Volunteer Sharpshooting Association had its training site on Djäkneberget from around 1862.
Address: Djäknebergsgatan 12, 724 61 Västerås
Skultuna messingsbruk
Museum, Gift shop, Shopping
Address: Bruksgatan 8, 730 50 Vasteras
Botaniska trädgården
Rudbeckianska gymnasiet is a secondary school in Västerås, located next to the city library and the cathedral. The school consists of the Hall School, the Old Main Building, the Old Annex, the New Annex, the Old Gymnasium and the New Gymnasium. The number of students in 2020 was approximately 1,300, making it the largest secondary school in Västerås.
Address: 2 Biskopsgatan, 722 11 Vasteras