Places to Visit in Kalmar

Kalmar Castle

 The most wellknown sight in Kalmar is probably the castle, Kalmar slott, situated on a small island right outside the city centre and is connected to the central island with two short bridges. The magnificient castle started as a defence tower in the 1100´s, and became the centre of Swedish politics in 1397, when the so called Kalmar Union was founded. King Gustav Vasa with his sons Erik XIV and Johan III rebuilt the medieval castle in splendid Renaissance style, and today it is one of Scandinavias most well preserved Renaissance castles. Some of the most famous rooms in the castle are the Kungsgemaket, Tornrummet and the Castle Church that is a very popular wedding church. Today the castle is open to the public and there are current art exhibitions, concerts and other entertainment.

 Next to the castle is the beautiful Stadsparken (city park) in English style. This is a great place for a stroll just to enjoy the lovely surroundings or for listening to an evening concert. Kalmar City, that is situated on the island Kvarnholmen, is one of Sweden's oldest cities, and a lot of the old fashioned charm is still present. Once upon a time it was known as "Swedens lock and key", and the city was protected against the Danes by heavy banks. The city gates Kavaleren and Västerport are still left today, and so are part of the banks. The picturesque city centre from the Middle Ages called the Old Town is close to the castle. Here, it is easy to imagine bygone times.

The Domkyrkan (Cathedral) dominates the city square in magnificent Baroque style and it is one of the few intact buildings from Sweden´s time of great power. To find older churches one has to go some kilometers outside Kalmar, to Kläckeberga, Hossmo, Hagby, Voxtorp or Arby, where several churches from the 1100s are found, all well worth visiting. Kalmar Läns Museum (the County Museum) has several interesting exhibitions, but the main one is dedicated to the seventeenth-century Royal warship Kronan that sank outside Öland in 1676 while fighting the Danes. Kronan was one of the largest and most expensive ships ever in Sweden and more than 20 000 objects have been recovered from it by divers. Other permanent exhibitions here are "The Medieval Kalmar" and "Jenny Nyström", one of the most loved illustrators in Sweden, as well as a Kalmar-girl.

There are other popular museum in Kalmar, and also several galleries. An oasis is the Krusenstiernska gården, an old citizen house which is a museum today, and also houses a cafe. At the Butterfly House in Skälby greens one can see free-flying butterflies from most parts of the world. In Kalmar one is never far from the ocean, and one of the great beaches is Stensö, where it is also possible to stay overnight in a cottage or camping area. Other popular beaches are Kalmarsundsparken, Jutnabben and Bergavik, all of them which are close to Kalmar centre along the fifty kilometer long coast.

The city has a rich supply of restaurants with menus from all over the world as well as local specialities, pubs with an Irish or old Norse theme and nightclubs with dancing and shows. When in a shopping mood, it's great to be in Kalmar, since the city has over 200 shops. Kalmar has so much more to offer, but the rest is up to you to explore.

Other Places of interest!

KALMAR THEATER

The theatre was completed in 1862 in New Classical style, and was opened the following year. The architect was Bror Carl Malmberg and the interior decor was by the sculptor Carl Ahlborn. The building was first used as a house of culture, with parties, bazaars, dances and circus acts with live horses. The first movie film shown there was in 1906. The theatre changed hands many times during the ensuing years, and was rebuilt several times.
The building has been remodelled many times during its life, each alteration being dictated by the fashion of the times and functional requirements. Its present-day appearance is the result of the material resources and the cultural values of many generations. The most recent restoration was carried out in 1987, and the present interior is based upon the original drawings from 1860, with the addition of modern equipment to improve comfort.
The Teaterkällaren (today Teatervallen) was opened on the same date as the theatre, and it gave Kalmar a new, modern restaurant. At the start, food was served in the theatre foyer and on the veranda facing the rampart, but the rampart itself was also used later during the summer seasons. The theatre and the restaurant became separate entities after the second world war.