Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
of
Amiralsgatan
, to the southeast, give an interesting insight into Malmö's mix of
cultures and its Social Democratic roots (the city has been at the forefront of left-wing
politics for the last century, and was central to the creation and development of
Sweden's Social Democratic Party). Around
Fersens väg
, several blocks west of
Amiralsgatan, there are some charming enclaves of antique shops, cafés and quirky
buildings, and the impressive Konsthall art exhibition centre.
5
South towards the Konsthall
Heading south from Malmöhus along Slottsgatan, first cross over Regementsgatan
and then cut across three blocks east to cobbled Södra Förstadsgatan; at no. 4 is a
splendid house designed in 1904, its National Romantic facade covered with flower
and animal motifs. A little further along the same road at no. 18, the
Victoriateatern
is
Sweden's oldest still-operating cinema, dating from 1912; it's all fine Art Nouveau
swirls of dark oak and bevelled glass. Back on Fersens väg (the southward
continuation of Slottsgatan after crossing Regementsgatan), you'll pass the city
theatre
on your right, with its amusing sculpture of tiers of people - the naked supporting the
clothed on their shoulders.
Konsthall
Arts Centre • St Johannesgatan 7 • Daily 11am-5pm, Wed until 9pm • Free •
W
konsthall.malmo.se.
Arriving at St Johannesgatan, head for the single-storey glass and concrete building at
no. 7: the
Konsthall
, an enormous white-painted space showing vast modern works in
regular temporary exhibitions. There's lots of room to stand back and take in the
visual feast.
Folkets park
From the canal, head east along Regementsgatan and turn right into Amiralsgatan,
from where it's a ten-minute walk south to
Folkets park
, Sweden's oldest existing public
park, which was once the pride of the community. Recently restored with an elegant
new water feature at the Möllevången exit, Folkets park contains a basic amusement
park, and at its centre, a ballroom named the
Moriskan
, an odd, low building with
Russian-style golden domes topped with crescents. Both the park and the ballroom are
now privately owned, a far cry from the original aims of the park's Social Democratic
founders. Severe carved busts of these city fathers are dotted all over the park. The
socialist agitator August Palm made the first of his several historic speeches here in
1881, marking the beginning of a 66-year period of unbroken Social Democratic rule
in Sweden.
South to Möllevångstorget
More interesting than the giant twirling teacup fun rides in Folkets park is the
multicultural character of the city south from here. Strolling from the park's southern
exit down Möllevången to
Möllevångstorget
, you enter an area populated almost
entirely by people of non-Swedish descent, where Arab, Asian and Balkan émigré
families predominate. The vast square is a haven of exotic food stores, side by side
with shops selling pure junk and more recently established Chinese restaurants and
karaoke pubs. On a hot summer afternoon it's easy to forget you're in Sweden at all,
the more makeshift and ramshackle atmosphere around the bright fruit and veg stands
contrasting with the clean, clinical order of the average Swedish neighbourhood. It's
worth taking a close look at the provocative
sculpture
at the square's centre: four
naked, bronze men strain under the colossal weight of a huge chunk of rock bearing
carved representations of Malmö's smoking chimneys, while two naked women press
their hands into the men's backs in support. It's a poignant image, marrying toil in a
city founded on limestone-quarrying with the Social Democratic vision of the
working man's struggle.
