Culture of Norrkoping. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

Norrköping has preserved lots of beautiful historic buildings. In one of the central squares, you can see the old Town Hall Norrkopings Radhus. Its construction began in 1907 and lasted three years. The Town Hall building originally housed the main court, and meetings of the city council were held here later. The very first Town Hall was erected on this site in the 18th century but was completely rebuilt in 1906.

The place where the building stands now was once a swamp. To make the building's foundation as strong as possible, more than 4,000 concrete pillars had to be driven into the ground. Today, the main feature of the Town Hall is its 69-meter-tall tower visible from many city streets. At the top of the tower, you'll find the most popular observation deck in town overlooking many other city attractions. The facade of the town hall is of great interest too - ancient niches with beautiful sculptures have been preserved in some of its parts.

Learn a lot of interesting things about the history of the city during a tour of Norrköping's main museum - the Norrkopings Stadsmuseum. Its current location is the old weaving factory building, which in itself is a valuable historical monument. The opening of the museum took place in 1981 in one of the most picturesque areas of the city, on the riverbank. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The main part of the exposition presented is dedicated to the history of the textile industry. The most interesting exhibits are old looms - they are all in excellent condition and can be put into operation if desired. In total, the museum has collected about 40,000 exhibits, including historical documents and the first photographs of the city, household items, and works of art. Of special interest is a shopping street located near the museum. It has been restored in accordance with the traditions of past centuries. The street accommodates craft workshops, a pastry shop, and even a fashion store. Many tourists come here in search of interesting souvenirs.

An important religious monument, Matteus Kyrka Church, is located away from the city center. The church building is considered a striking Neo-Gothic monument built at the end of the 19th century. In the second half of the 19th century, Norrköping experienced rapid industrial growth, the city population has increased several times within just a few years. Such rapid development resulted in the need to build a new church, and it was decided to build it on the north side. Today, the church named after St. Matthew is located in a vast park. It is distinguished by its spectacular facade design and 64-meter tower. An interesting feature of the church is the bells installed in the tower. The largest bell weighs 2 107 kg. The interior of the church decorated with rare marbles and partially preserved gilded mosaic is also striking in its splendor.

One of the oldest churches in Norrköping is Sankt Olai Kyrka. The first church appeared in its place in the early Middle Ages, but in 1567, it was completely destroyed during one of the bloody battles. After the war ended, they started to rebuild the church, and the first stone was laid in 1614. The first and only reconstruction in the history of the church took place in 1870. Since its construction, it has managed to preserve many original elements of internal and external decoration.

Fans of painting and other areas of art would likely be interested in the Norrkopings Konstmuseum. This art museum is housed in a spectacular historic building, and its collection began growing in 1900. At that time, one of the wealthy local industrialists presented the city with several valuable artworks. If you visit the museum today, you can see works by famous Swedish artists and sculptors.

Its collection of works by Swedish modernists is considered one of the largest in the country. Part of the museum’s halls is reserved for temporary exhibitions at which contemporary artists and photographers present their masterpieces. Although the museum occupies a relatively small area, its collection is considered one of the most valuable in Sweden. Walking through the city streets, you can see beautiful historic buildings of various periods. Many old buildings are currently occupied by cafes and restaurants, as well as stores and souvenir shops.