Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and the restaurant enjoys terrific views over to Gripsholm.
Mon-Fri 11.30am-10pm, Sat noon-10pm, Sun
noon-9pm.
Mariefreds Hamnkafe
Hamnplanen.
This simple café
down by the harbour is the best place in town to enjoy
freshly baked waffles and cinnamon buns with a cup of
coffee.
June Sat & Sun 10am-6pm, July and first 2
weeks of Aug daily 10am-6pm.
Västerås
Capital of the county of Västmanland and Sweden's sixth biggest city,
VÄSTERÅS
is an
immediately likeable mix of old and new. Today, this lakeside conurbation, 100km
west of Stockholm, carefully balances its dependence on ABB, the industrial
technology giant, with a rich history dating back to Viking times. If you're looking
for a place that's lively and cosmopolitan, yet retains cobbled squares, picturesque
wooden houses and even a sixth-century royal burial mound, you won't go far wrong
here. Västerås also boasts some of Lake Mälaren's best
beaches
, all a short ferry ride
from the city centre.
2
Svartån River
From the train station, it's a short stroll up Köpmangatan to the twin cobbled squares
of Bondtorget and Storatorget. The slender lane from the southwestern corner of
Bondtorget leads to the narrow
Svartån river
, which runs right through the centre of
the city; the bridge over the river here (known as Apotekarbron) has great views of the
old wooden cottages which nestle eave-to-eave along the riverside. Although it may not
appear significant (the Svartån is actually much wider further upstream), the river was a
decisive factor in making Västerås the headquarters of one of the world's largest
engineering companies,
Asea-Brown-Boveri
(ABB), which needed a ready source of
water for production; if you arrived by train from Stockholm you'll have passed its
metallurgy and distribution centres on approaching the station.
Asea Stream
In Storatorget look out for the striking sculpture of a string of cyclists, the
Asea Stream
,
which is supposed to portray the original workers of ABB as they made their way to
work; today the sculpture is also a reminder of the impressive fact that Västerås has over
300km of bicycle tracks and is a veritable haven for cyclists.
Domkyrkan
Västra Kyrkogatan • Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, Sat & Sun 9.30am-5pm
North of the two main squares, the brick
Domkyrkan
dates from the thirteenth
century, although its two outer aisles are formed from a number of chapels built
around the existing church during the following two centuries. The original tower was
destroyed by fire, leaving Nicodemus Tessin the Younger (who also built the Kungliga
Slottet in Stockholm, see p.48) to design the current structure in 1693. The highly
ornate gilded oak triptych above the altar was made in Antwerp, and depicts the
suffering and resurrection of Christ. To the right of the altar lies the tomb of Erik XIV,
who died an unceremonious death imprisoned in Örbyhus castle in 1577 after eating
his favourite pea soup - little did he realize it was laced with arsenic. Local rumour has
it that the king's feet had to be cut off in order for his body to it the coffin, which was
built too small. Today though, his elegant, black-marble sarcophagus rests on a plinth
of reddish sandstone from Öland.
Kyrkbacken
Beyond the cathedral is the most charming district of Västerås,
Kyrkbacken
, a hilly
area that stretches just a few hundred metres. Here, steep cobblestone alleys wind
between well-preserved old wooden houses where artisans and the petit bourgeoisie
lived in the eighteenth century. Thankfully, the area was saved from the great fire of
