örnsköldsvik From exciting history to living heritage. Every place name hides a story. This is an account of what happened. Read and learn. And come and visit!
örnsköldsvik s cultural heritage Örnsköldsvik combines industrialism with modern high-tech business. The harbour cranes almost touch the busy central shopping areas. Hockey and ski jumping made the town famous within the sporting world. The people of Örnsköldsvik have thrived on agriculture, fishing and local trade for a long time and are well-known for their enterprise. In 2000 years they have advanced from nomadic hunters to farmers to industrialists to engineers. The forest has always been an important source of income. The sawmill industry of the 19th century was instrumental to the region s advancement. Örnsköldsvik is the youngest of Norrland s coastal towns, and was planned at the end of the 19th century. By the early 20th century it contained schools, terraced houses, county hospital, banks and a church. Today 55,000 people live in the municipality and the enterprise continues. The well-known industrial timber company MoDo, formed in 1869, was active throughout the whole of the 20th century and still exists though under a different name. The town has established itself within the sporting world. A ski-jump slope has been erected in the centre of the town and recently a new hockey arena was built down at the harbour. 3
örnsköldsvik s cultural heritage 1. Ulvö Chapel. ulvö kapell. open during the summer. telephone 0611 886 00. www.ulvon.info 2. Myckelgensjö Old Farms. gammelgården in myckelgensjö. open during the summer. telephone 0611 886 00. www.murberget.se 3. Örnsköldsvik Church. örnsköldsviks kyrka. open every day 08 16. address Parkgatan, Storgatan. www.svenskakyrkan.se 4. Gene ancient village. gene fornby. open all summer, bookings all year round. telephone 0660 886 00. www.ornskoldsvik.se 5. Örnsköldsvik Museum and Art Gallery. örnsköldsviks museum and konsthall. open Tues 12 20, Wed Sat 11 15. address Läroverksgatan 1. telephone 0660 88600. www.ornskoldsvik.se 6. EW Cottage. ew-stugan. open all year round. www.murberget.se 7. Ark Library. arkenbiblioteket. open Mon Thurs 10 19, Fri 10 17, Sat 10 15. address Lasarettsgatan 5. telephone 0660 880 20. www.ornskoldsvik.se/bibliotek 8. Central Archives. centralarkivet. open Mon 08 20, Tues 08 16, Wed 08 12, Thurs 08 12. address Arken, Järnvägsgatan, Strandgatan. telephone 0660 882 14. www.ornskoldsvik.se E 4 Centrumvägen Ånger Själevadsgatan Stjärnhusvägen Hantverkargatan Radhusvägen Solgårdsgatan 352 Gesällvägen Storgatan 3. Nytorgsgatan 8. Paradisbadet Modovägen Mittuniversitetet Björnavägen 7. Magasinsvägen 4 E 4
1035 2. Björna 348 Gideå Krokvägen Gamla riksvägen Mellansel Moliden Ångermanlandsgatan Vikingagatan 90 E 4 6. 4. Örnsköldsvik Fridhemsvägen Bollstabruk Nyland Ullånger Docksta 1. Ulvön Centralesplanaden Vintergatan Parkgatan Bergsgatan Centralesplanaden Läroverksgatan Storgatan Nygatan Viktoriaesplanaden Villavägen Strandgatan Skogsgatan 5. Lungviksvägen Swedbank Arena Backgatan Järvedsleden Lungvik Järvstagatan Länsstyrelsen Västernorrland. @ Bakgrundskartor Lantmäteriet, dnr 106 2004/188 y
örnsköldsviks kulturarv. 1. Ulvö Chapel. ulvö kapell. An interesting site for an outing is the island of Ulvö off the coast at Örnsköldsvik. In the 16th century fishermen from Gävle travelled here for the herring. By royal decree they had sole rights to fishing along the Norrland coast, and carried out a unique long-distance fishing operation. They arrived at the fishing village on Ulvö in the spring and stayed there until the autumn, when they returned home with boats laden to the brim with salted fish. To sustain their dangerous work at sea they erected a chapel on the island in 1622. It is still standing today with its interior decorated with beautiful 18th century wall and ceiling paintings. 6
örnsköldsvik s cultural heritage 2. Myckelgensjö Old Farm. gammelgården i myckelgensjö. Most Swedes lived in the countryside until the end of the 19th century. Many worked in agriculture or forestry. In Myckelgensjö outside Örnsköldsvik you will find an extremely well-preserved farm from the 17th century. The residents here have had a simple and tough existence for several centuries, without access to modern comforts such as electricity or running water. Farming provided the necessities of life, giving milk and meat from the cattle, sheep and goats. There are over twenty farm buildings here today which are open to visitors. Some are furnished with period furniture and utensils, offering a good picture of daily life in the countryside long ago. Myckelgensjö farm is a listed building and is open from Midsummer to the middle of August. Admission is free. There is a café in one of the houses. 3. Örnsköldsvik Church. örnsköldsviks kyrka. Christianity has been practiced in Sweden since approximately 1000 ad and thousands of churches were built over the whole country in the Middle Ages alone. Many more have been erected since then large and small, in town and countryside. Churches form a major part of our cultural heritage and can relate much about Sweden s history. The church in Örnsköldsvik lies in the centre of the town. It was designed by the architect Gustaf Améen and ready for use in 1910. It is built in the Nordic Renaissance or National Romantic style with influences from 16th and 17th century architecture. This was the early 20th century s attempt to capture what was considered to be the traditional Swedish building style. Sweden practices religious freedom and everyone is welcome to Önsköldsvik Church, regardless of faith or philosophy of life. 7
4. Gene ancient village. gene fornby. Over 2 000 years ago, long before Örnsköldsvik had become a town with roads and houses, there was a farm out at Genesmon. In the late 20th century the site was excavated by archaeologists who discovered the remains of a large settlement with clear evidence of 15 buildings. The houses were unusually long and are interpreted by archaeologists as being multipurpose part byre, part dwelling, part farm building, part storage. These houses are referred to as longhouses. Upright wooden posts supported the roof and the walls were made from wickerwork, weather-proofed with clay. Traces of a weavingloom pit and a smithy were found. Finds of clay moulds indicated the casting of bronze jewellery. The farm has been reconstructed to illustrate how people lived here long ago. 5. Örnsköldsvik Museum and Art Gallery. örnsköldsviks museum and konsthall. The museum and the Art Gallery of Örnsköldsvik lie in the centre of the town. The mission of both these cultural institutions is to work with forms of expression whether cultural, historical, or artistic. The aim is as much to relate a story as to arouse new ideas and debate. There is a small café and museum shop. As with all museums much happens behind the scenes that is not always visible. The museum is responsible for a large photographic archive and large collection of objects. The staff will be happy to answer your questions concerning building, conservation, and history. 8
örnsköldsvik s cultural heritage 6. EW-cottage the abode of the unemployed. ew-stugan. In a forest glen close to the e4 in Skulnäs, south of Örnsköldsvik there is a humble red cabin, an ew-cottage, or a house for the unemployed. The cottage, also called the Vagabond Hotel, was built in 1931 on the initiative of Erik and Hedwig Westman (ew). It offered free accommodation to the hordes of unemployed people who were wandering the roads. Its simple interior with an iron cooker, odd crockery and wallpaper of film posters is worn-out but mostly unchanged. The ew cottage is always open. 9
örnsköldsvik s cultural heritage 7. Ark Library. arkenbiblioteket. Örnsköldsvik s libraries comprise Arken and nine branch libraries around the municipality. The beautiful purpose-built premises of the Ark library are an obvious home for art, and all types of media are displayed here, with a well developed self-service system to facilitate the visitor. Together with popular storytelling and Saturday programmes in the childrens and youth sections, the Ark library is a creative meeting place for all. Books, newspapers and magazines in a variety of languages, and computers with free Internet access are available. The library premises also house a consumer advice bureau, a university library and a teaching centre. 8. Central Archives. centralarkivet. Sweden has a system of independent municipalities which dates back to 1862. All decisions, records and investigations from municipal activities are preserved and archived. According to the Swedish Access to Official Information Act these are all accessible to the public and everyone has the right to search information in the central municipal archives. The oldest records provide information about how society was governed more than a century ago. The records in the central archive include drawings of older buildings, plans for new housing areas, old class lists, and decisions concerning poor relief. Örnsköldsvik s Municipal Archives are located in Arken. 10
Skeppshamn.
Some n up there Is clapping. Columnist Gits Olsson. Listed building.
örnsköldsvik s cultural heritage Why is history important? How long have people lived in Västernorrland? What did they live on? What sort of existence did they have? What important events affected the inhabitants? Just how old are the buildings and cultural environments that surround us? What can they tell us? Many questions can be answered by studying remains from the past which can help us understand how people adapted to the varying conditions of life at different times and why society looks the way it does today. This is why it is important to take care of our cultural heritage. It is a vital source of knowledge about the past. Why this brochure? This brochure has been produced by the County Administrative Board in Västernorrland. County administrative boards are government authorities that exist in every county and work with issues that extend across the whole of society. An important area of concern is the protection of valuable buildings, churches and ancient remains, ensuring that significant aspects of society s history are preserved and made accessible to the public. There are several other bodies in Sweden that work with history and the cultural heritage. These include museums, archives and libraries. Through exhibitions, archival records and books they reveal the past, the ancient landscape and how people lived. The aim of this brochure is to inform you about some of the places under the protection of the County Administrative Board. We have also chosen to include other places that are well worth a visit such as museums, libraries and archives. Protection according to the Heritage Act. Listed buildings are those that are protected by law. They must be preserved with care and cannot be altered or demolished. There are approximately 70 such buildings in Västernorrland. They have been chosen because they are excellent examples of historic architecture or were important to the history of society. Churches are also protected by the Heritage Act which means that they must be preserved with care and cannot be altered or demolished without permission from the county administrative boards. No church built before 1940 may be changed or demolished, but even churches which were built after that may be protected. As Christianity was Sweden s major religion for more than a thousand years, the Church has had a great influence on society. Church buildings are thus an important part of our cultural heritage. Ancient remains are the traces of past human activity from all periods. These can include thousand-year old graves in the shape of stone cairns or large grass-covered earthen mounds, settlement sites, trapping pits for wild animals, paintings on rock faces, old mills, and much more. There are no books from prehistoric times to relate how people lived in those ancient days. Therefore it is the ground under our feet which holds an archive full of information on past life. Ancient remains can provide much information which is hard to find otherwise. They too are protected from alteration or destruction by the Heritage Act. 14
Some terms. Since this brochure is aimed at everyone regardless of background, here is a brief explanation of some of the terms used: Culture includes not only music, theatre and literature, but also the way people live and organise their existence and their society. Sollefteå Ånge Örnsköldsvik Kramfors Härnösand Timrå Sundsvall History is the study of human activity in previous times. Cultural heritage refers to the traces left behind by previous generations, such as buildings, houses, objects and customs. Cultural environment is a very broad term and refers to environments influenced by man, such as towns and agricultural landscapes. It is often used in a narrower sense to refer to a limited environment such as a manorial estate. Norrland is the northernmost region of Sweden and includes Västernorrland. The southern region is called Götaland and the central region Svealand. A county (län) is a geographical area delimited for public administration, for example, Västernorrland. Sweden is divided into 21 counties. A municipality (kommun) is a smaller geographical area with responsibility for a large portion of our social services such as schools, child care, geriatric care, planning of roads and waterways, and integration. Sweden is divided into 290 municipalities. Translation is important since there are many people in our province who speak languages other than Swedish. In order to reach out to as many as possible with information about our history and cultural heritage we provide this brochure in Arabic, Persian, Swedish and French. Brochures in the same series about other municipalities in the province are also available in Spanish, Russian, Somali and Amharic. 15
Welcome to Örnsköldsvik. There is a history behind everything you see around you. All buildings, roads, fields and forest groves have something to relate. Every period had its events which affect our present surroundings. Increased knowledge about our history leads to an increased understanding of the daily environment we live in, with its mixture of old and new which makes our society exciting and interesting. We present some places here that can help to explain the origin and growth of Örnsköldsvik, places which are well worth visiting today. Länsstyrelsen i Västernorrland (Västernorrland County Administrative Board) 871 86 Härnösand. Phone 0611-34 90 00. www.lansstyrelsen.se/vasternorrland Graphic form, production se idea ab. Text Mats Wigardt. Photo Anders Eliasson, Samir Hussein/Björn Grankvist/Murberget Västernorrland County Museum, Göran Omnell/Örnsköldvik Museum, Torbjörn Svaan. Printing Lenanders Grafiska. September 2010.