Huseby Bruk is huge farm and forest
property and this estate was bequeathed to the nation by Miss Florence
Stephens, who died 1979. In Huseby there are the castle, the ironworks museum,
the farm labourers' museum, the nature museum, the sawmill, and the mill. The
mill is the oldest in Småland. The manor house, built in 1844,
exhibits an impressive collection of art objects and other things saved by the
families of Hamilton and Stephens. There are guided tours of the manor and the
mill community. You will also find ceramics, handicrafts, art, wrought iron
and a province store.
In the middle of all this you have the idyllic
restaurant "Värdshuset Stallet" housed in an old stable-building from
1837.They have specialities such as "Huseby-eve" and a large barbecue-buffet in
front of the blast-furnace. You can also take the opportunity to enjoy a
five-course royal-dinner at the castle a well-laid table with crystal from
Orrefors. Oscar II was a close friend to the family Stephens and often came to
visit Huseby.
Korpamoen is a little red cottage in Ljuder parish. The writer Vilhelm Moberg
wrote books about Swedish emigrants to North America. He thought that the main
characters Karl-Oskar and Kristina lived here, before they moved to America.
Inside the cottage there are one room and a kitchen. Nine people lived here
together. In the cow house there is room for one cow and a pig. Korpamoen shows
how our ancestors lived a little more than hundred years ago.
The history of this legendary castle goes
back over 800 years. Its present appearance dates from the 16th century, when
the Vasa king rebuilt it in the style of a Renaissance palace, with furnishings
in the continental manner. It was the castle most glorious period as a
stronghold of royal power, although it had already played an important role in
Scandinavian politics, particularly as the meeting place for the signing of the
Kalmar Union in 1397. The last king to live in the castle and to deal with
matters of government was Karl XI, between 1673 and 1692.
Down at the harbour, the county museum has
a permanent exhibition of relics from the royal warship Krona, which was twice
as large as the Vasa. She sank during a battle off the coast of Öland in
1676. New finds from the site of the wreck are added each year to all the
cannons, jewellery, clothes and the largest find of gold treasure in Sweden.
The visitor is transported back to the Sweden of the 17th century, with the
help of slides shows, a giant video screen, models and reconstructed sets.
The ruins of Kronoberg are situated 5 km north
from Växjö on an islet in Lake Helgasjön. From the beginning
Kronoberg was the residence of the Bishop of Växjö and was then State
demesne. The revolt leader Nils Dacke captured the castle and "drack jul"
(drank Christmas) there in 1542, according to chronicles. In connection to the
castle are the cavalry captain garden and an old officer's lodging.
This idyllic little town is one of Småland's most popular tourist
attractions. It was here the explorer Andreé planned his expedition to
the North Pole. It is also in Gränna where the famous Swedish lollipop
"polkagris" is made.
Visingsö is the lake Vättern's largest island. It is reached by
ferry. Departures from Gränna. The journey takes approximately 20 minutes.
Up to the 17th century it was one of the residences used by Swedish kings. The
ruins from the castle still remain and are a popular tourist attraction in the
summer. There are also several medieval churches on the island and a herb
garden with over 500 different plants. The most popular form of transport on
Visingsö is horse and cart, which takes tourists around the island.
The ruins of Visingsborg, once the most
magnificent castle in Sweden was built by the Lord Brahe during the 16th and
17th centuries. A fire devastated the castle which was built of bricks from
Alvastra monastery, of which only the south wing is left from the huge
square-formed building.
The history of the Cathedral in Växjö goes back
one thousand years and it is Växjö's oldest building. During the 12th
century a stone church was built to honour Saint Sigfrid from York, who
christianised the people. His remains are buried under the floor in the
cathedral. The building was rebuilt many times after fires and today it has two
towers. The cathedral has two glass paintings by Erik Höglund, among other
famous works of arts.Beside the cathedral is the beautiful Caroline high school
where Linné, Per Henrik Ling (the Swedish gymnastic father) and Peter
Wieselgren went to school and where Esaias Tegnér (Bishop and author)
held his famous speeches.
Visböle village is a typical example of the 18th century
farming landscape and farming villages. Today Visböle comprises of six
farms, the oldest building dating back to the 18th century.
There are two little houses. One of them is
the living house and the other is a little museum with tools, clothes and other
things. In the garden are beds with herbs and spices.
