Sunday 40 km: City walk
Length: 40.0 km
Total ascent: 157 m
Total descent: 158 m
Min elevation: ‑8 m
Max elevation: 89 m
Description
This route takes you on a city walk through more or less well-known districts of Gothenburg.
Partille and Sävedalen
The day begins when you leave Partille Home Guard hall and walk towards Partille until you can pass under the Western Main Line and Säveån.
It was around Säveån that modern Partille grew up in the late 19th century, when several enterprises were established along the river. Long before then, Partille was a church village. The church was built sometime between 1150 and 1250, most likely on the foundations of an even older one, probably a wooden church. The parish is first mentioned in writing in 1392.
Once you have made your way under the Western Main Line and Säveån, you weave through the built-up area out to Landvettervägen, which you follow up to Björndammen. From there it becomes a footpath to the southern part of Sävedalen.
Sävedalen was formerly called Ugglums by. When a railway station was built in 1917, the name Sävedalen was chosen instead to avoid confusion with Ucklum in Bohuslän.
Björkekärr
After 7 km you leave Partille municipality behind and enter Gothenburg municipality. The district is called Björkekärr and is known for its well-preserved 1950s setting and its considered town planning on hilly terrain.
After another few kilometres you come to Torpa. The name is an old plural form of torp, which does not mean a little red cottage but a new settlement broken off from a larger, older village. Torpa simply means a newly built village split from an older one. Yet Torpa is no longer all that new. The village is mentioned as early as 1572 in King John III’s privileges for Nya Lödöse.
This is where you reach the first checkpoint of the day. Take the chance to have something to drink, change your socks and recharge your batteries before the walk continues.
Checkpoint 1
10 km
Distance from start
N 57° 43′ 04.8″ E 12° 01′ 56.9″
Coordinates
The lawn along Torpagatan, east of Kaggeledsgatan.
Description
Portable toilet at the checkpoint.
Nearest toilet
Kålltorp
Shortly after the checkpoint you come to Kålltorp.
The name is old, recorded since 1416, and comes from two farms where a lot of cabbage (kål) was grown. But that is not why it is called Kålltorp. The first element Kåll is thought to derive from the man’s name Kolle or Kulle. The suffix torp refers to a new settlement broken off from a larger, older village.
Härlanda
When you reach Munkebäcks Allé you see Härlanda New Church on the other side of the road. Next to it lie the ruins of Härlanda Church. It was Gustav Vasa who, in 1528, had the old 12th-century church torn down to obtain materials for building the church at Nya Lödöse.
Nya Lödöse was the forerunner of Gothenburg. The town was founded by the regent Sten Sture the Elder in 1473. The following year the village of Härlanda, which lay next to the church, was donated to it. The remains of Nya Lödöse are today the district of Gamlestaden, which you will walk through on the way back.
For Gothenburgers, Härlanda is probably best known for its prison, which was in use between 1907 and 1997 and is today listed as a building of cultural value. You see it on your left as you walk along Härlandavägen.
After Härlanda Prison you see Östra kyrkogården, the Eastern Cemetery, which was laid out in 1860. Many well-known Gothenburgers rest here, among them Victor Rydberg, Sven Adolf Hedlund, Otto Nordenskjöld, Karin Boye, Sonya Hedenbratt and many more.
Danska vägen and Lunden
When you reach Redbergsplatsen you turn onto Danska vägen and shortly come to Lunden.
The name has been known since 1724. The road is said to have been laid out and maintained by the Danes themselves, to improve the going for their postal coaches, which apparently were not allowed to pass through the fortified Gothenburg. Its present route dates from 1961. Before that, the line was changed both in 1736 and in 1923.
The district you walk through is called Lunden after a farm first mentioned in 1550.
Bö
When you reach Valåsgatan you leave Lunden and enter Bö. The name is Old West Norse and means farm. And this particular farm has been known since 1485.
In the 1920s, Bö Villastad and Örgryte Trädgårdsstad were built here. The villas and terraced houses bear the stamp of 1920s Classicism.
The hum from the E6 grows as you continue past Överås Manor (built in 1861), Sankt Sigfrids Plan (from the 1920s) and Örgryte Old Church (built in the 15th century on the site of an 11th-century wooden church).
Liseberg, Svenska mässan and Korsvägen
Once you have crossed under the E6, you are met by Liseberg and Svenska mässan. At Korsvägen you have to watch out so you do not get run over. The traffic here is, as always, a thoroughly chaotic affair, and the construction of the Västlänken rail tunnel has done nothing to improve it.
Before you continue onto Södra vägen, glance left at Universum and, behind it, Världskulturmuseet – the Museum of World Culture – and right along Skånegatan, with Scandinavium and Nya Ullevi among others.
Lorensberg
Liseberg was created for the Jubilee Exhibition of 1923. So was Carl Milles’s statue of Poseidon, which stands on Götaplatsen. You reach it after walking a short way along Södra vägen and then turning left up Berzeliigatan. Here you find some of the city’s larger cultural institutions: the City Library, the City Theatre, the Art Museum, the Art Gallery and the Concert Hall.
Behind the Art Museum lies Näckrosdammen. On the way there you pass the Academy of Music and Drama and see the Faculty of Humanities further on.
Go round Näckrosdammen and continue up onto Viktor Rydbergsgatan.
Johanneberg
You have now reached Johanneberg. In the district’s grand apartments, a large share of the well-to-do shipowners and manufacturers of the day came to settle. The blocks around Lorensbergs villastad in particular have been home to influential families who played a significant role during and after Gothenburg’s industrial age.
As you emerge onto Gibraltargatan and continue uphill, you have Campus Johanneberg, part of Chalmers University of Technology, on your right. At the top you turn right onto Chalmers Tvärgata and cross the campus to come out at the main entrance. There you head onto Sven Hultins Gata and make your way up Helge Zimdals Gångväg.
Landala Egnahem
Helge Zimdals Gångväg leads you up to Landala Egnahem – a picturesque enclave of small wooden houses in grey and brown on the hill west of Chalmers.
It is Gothenburg’s first planned owner-occupied housing area, drawn by the great architect of National Romanticism Carl Westman (the man behind Stockholm City Court House and the Röhsska Museum). The first families moved in in 1914, and ten years later the area was complete, with 63 properties for 105 families. The idea was that ordinary workers should have the chance to own their own home instead of renting. To preserve a coherent townscape, residents had to choose between only two colours when painting the houses: grey or brown. Today Landala Egnahem is listed as being of national interest for the preservation of the cultural environment.
Guldheden
When you leave Landala Egnahem, cross Doktor Allards Gata and the tram tracks, you stand in front of Doktor Fries torg. You are now on Guldheden – a residential area that grew up between 1944 and 1953. The district is regarded today as a textbook example of folkhem-era architecture. It was also the first place in Sweden where pedestrian and cycle traffic was systematically separated from car traffic.
When you reach Wavrinskys Plats you make your way across to Guldhedstorget. There we wait for you with the second checkpoint. Rest your feet and make sure to eat something. You are halfway.
Checkpoint 2
21 km
Distance from start
N 57° 41′ 21.9″ E 11° 57′ 58.3″
Coordinates
The lawn next to Guldhedstorget, east of Reutersgatan.
Description
Portable toilet at the checkpoint.
Nearest toilet
Landala
You make your way down the hill from Guldhedstorget and enter Landala – not to be confused with Landala Egnahem, which you passed earlier.
The Landala you walk through today bears little resemblance to the Landala that stood here until the 1970s. Back then it was a typical working-class district of around 2,200 homes, most of them without an indoor toilet or shower. During the ’demolition mania’ years, the buildings were deemed outmoded, and between 1967 and 1973 the whole district was levelled. Of the old Landala, only Landala Chapel from 1885 remains today – it was moved aside when the bulldozers came.
On the cleared ground, 2,600 new flats were built in the early 1970s in the style of the Million Programme, grouped around Landala Torg, which opened in 1973. Of the old grid, the rich street life and the small scale, nothing remains today.
The name ’Landala’ is thought to come from the coppersmith Bengt Landin, who owned the land in 1782.
Vasastaden
As you walk down Aschbergsgatan you enter Vasastaden, known for its continuous stone-built city blocks from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The town plan is the result of Sweden’s first town-planning competition, announced in 1861. As many as 23 entries were submitted, and the winning proposal from 1866 was inspired by the boulevard systems of Vienna and Paris. The streets are wide, the blocks regular, and Vasagatan is laid out as a main showcase street with tree-lined avenues down the middle.
Today 65 per cent of the houses were built before 1930, making Vasastaden one of the country’s best-preserved stone-built city districts.
When you reach Vasaplatsen, follow Vasagatan eastwards towards Avenyn.
Avenyn and Kungsportsplatsen
Kungsportsavenyn, or Avenyn as every Gothenburger calls it, is Gothenburg’s main showcase street, built in the 1860s. It cuts straight through what was once landerier – large estates outside the city walls where the bourgeoisie kept summer residences and tobacco fields.
At the end of Avenyn lies Kungsportsbron from 1901, designed by Eugen Thorburn in Italian Renaissance style and inaugurated by King Oscar II himself. It carries you over the moat, and you have now entered the historic core of the city, which goes by the prosaic name Inom Vallgraven – ’Within the Moat’.
Gothenburg was founded in 1621 by Gustav II Adolf. To draw up the town plan, the king brought in Dutch engineers, who laid out the city in a rectangular grid with canals – inspired by Amsterdam.
On the spot where Kungsportsbron now stands, the city gate stood from 1621. It was later renamed Gamle Porten, then Söder Port, and finally Kungsporten. It was torn down in 1836, and Kungsportsplatsen was laid out in 1845.
Inom Vallgraven
Avenyn’s continuation is called Östra Hamngatan. A canal once ran here all the way down to Lilla Bommen by Göta älv. It was filled in at the end of the 19th century to make more room for the growing traffic on Gothenburg’s grandest commercial street.
But you do not take Östra Hamngatan; you follow Södra Larmgatan past Stora Saluhallen, built in 1888–1889, and on to Hvitfeldtsplatsen. There you follow the street down towards the moat, past the English Church built in 1857, and turn onto Rosenlundsgatan. Here you see one of Gothenburg’s most iconic buildings: Feskekôrkan, completed in 1874. It is a market hall for fish and shellfish.
When you reach Esperantoplatsen and look up at the massive bastion Carolus XI Rex – one of the few remaining parts of Gothenburg’s fortifications – you stand where Karlsporten gate stood until 1821. From here, one could enter inside the moat through the ravine where Kungsgatan now runs up. On the left lies Stora Otterhällan, and on the right Lilla Otterhällan, today better known as Kungshöjd.
According to the much-loved legend, Gustav II Adolf stood on Stora Otterhällan when he pointed down at the marshy delta of Göta älv and uttered the famous words: ’Here shall the city lie’.
Follow Kungsgatan down to Västra Hamngatan. As the name hints, a canal once ran here too. Now you must make do with following the street northwards, past the cathedral built in 1815 on the same site as Gothenburg’s first church.
Public toilets
Nordstaden and Kronhuset
When you reach Stora Hamnkanalen you cross Kämpebron and then follow Smedjegatan. You are now in Nordstaden.
Where Smedjegatan meets Postgatan you see Kronhusparken in front of you. Walk through the gate, cut across the park, and out through the gate in the wall that surrounds Kronhuset.
Kronhuset was built as ’an artillery and grain house’ between 1643 and 1654. It is the second oldest secular building in Gothenburg. Only the county governor’s residence near Kämpebron is older.
When Karl X Gustav summoned the Riksdag on 4 January 1660, Kronhuset was used as the royal hall. Only a few days later the king fell ill. On 13 February the king died at the residence. He died at a moment when Sweden, owing to his policies, was under threat from several quarters. For that reason the three city gates were closed so that news of the king’s death would not spread, while the proclamation of his son, the four-year-old Karl XI, as the new king was hurriedly prepared. The historic ceremony took place in Kronhuset’s royal hall, which for a brief moment was thus transformed from a military store into Sweden’s absolute centre of power in a critical hour.
Around Kronhuset stand the Kronhusbodarna – 18th-century workshops that today house craftsmen, potters, silversmiths and a chocolate kitchen.
Once you have passed Kronhuset you come to Gustav Adolfs Torg. There stands the City Hall, whose oldest part from 1672 was designed by Nicodemus Tessin the Elder. The functionalist extension from 1936 is one of Erik Gunnar Asplund’s internationally most acclaimed works, where modernism meets baroque in a sophisticated balance. The interior in particular is regarded today as an architectural masterpiece, celebrated for its rich light and its carefully worked-out details, which together create a unique and harmonious atmosphere.
On the other side of the square spreads Nordstan, an area that at its opening in 1972 was Sweden’s largest continuous shopping centre. What makes Nordstan unique is that it consists of eight city blocks built together entirely under one roof. This makes the complex one of the largest shopping centres in Europe, where the glazed streets hold around 200 shops and restaurants and 150 offices. With its 35 million visitors a year, Nordstan is also one of the most frequented places in the whole of Scandinavia.
Public toilets
Stampen
When you reach Drottningtorget you are met by the monumental former Central Post Office building from 1925. On your left is the Central Station, opened in 1858. And behind you stands Hotel Eggers from 1861. Here stood Drottningporten, the third and last of the three gates of the fortified city of Gothenburg. Outside it begins the district called Stampen, named after a fulling mill – a water-driven installation for finishing cloth – which in the 17th century made use of the water power in Fattighusån.
The walk continues for a short stretch along Fattighusån. At Polhemsplatsen you turn off onto Odinsgatan, which further on changes its name to Friggagatan.
This stretch is marked by large-scale, uniform buildings put up in the post-war years. The architecture, with its straight lines and functionalist ideals, reflects 1960s town planning and creates a clear contrast with the older inner city.
At the end of Friggagatan you pass the old Jewish burial ground from 1792.
Shortly afterwards you cross the E6 and enter Olskroken.
Public toilets
Olskroken
As you enter Olskroken you follow Redbergsvägen, which has very old roots. From time immemorial the main road westward to Västergötland has run along here.
Several bloody battles were also fought here when the commandant Mårten Krakow defended the Gullberg fortress against the Danes.
In 1866 it was decided to build a suburb for the working class. But construction did not get under way until 1880. The result was one of the city’s most distinct working-class districts. A densely built and characterful proletarian setting grew up, which over time came to be marked by severe overcrowding. In later debates the area was often described as a slum because of the poor sanitary conditions.
Between 1973 and 1983 the old houses were torn down and replaced by today’s buildings. One of the few buildings to survive is Sankt Pauli Church from 1882.
Redbergslid
It is not surprising if you recognise the place when you reach Redbergsplatsen. You walked here earlier today. But now we are turning onto Ånäsvägen and walking through Redbergslid’s blocks of landshövdingehus from the 1920s – the characteristic wooden houses on a stone ground floor.
Landshövdingehus are three-storey apartment buildings with the ground floor in stone and the second and third floors in wood. They appeared in Gothenburg in the 19th century to solve the housing shortage. The rules said one could not build wooden residential houses higher than two storeys because of the fire risk. And building in stone made the homes too expensive. So the cooperative housing company Arbetarnas Byggnadsförening came up with the creative solution of applying to build one storey in stone and two storeys in wood. But that was not allowed. After various twists and appeals, however, the idea was approved by the county governor of Göteborg and Bohus county, Albert Ehrensvärd the Elder. Hence the name.
Bagaregården and Strömmensberg
As you pass Redbergskyrkan you leave Redbergslid and enter Bagaregården. The name comes from the fact that the baker Joachim Schönfelt leased a piece of land here in 1651.
During the years 1907–1927, when Albert Lilienberg was city engineer in Gothenburg, a new type of town plan was introduced – more irregular and adapted to the terrain. In 1911 a medievally inspired town plan for the whole of Bagaregården was adopted; it drew international attention at a town-planning exhibition. The western part of Bagaregården was built up with landshövdingehus and villas between 1914 and 1930. Lilienberg’s plan for the eastern parts, however, was not carried through. Instead a new town plan was drawn up in 1942, and the area now known as Strömmensberg was built with slab blocks and point blocks between 1944 and 1958.
Halfway down Strömmensberg you take a short detour onto Lefflersgatan. There we have our third and final checkpoint. Now only ten kilometres remain to the finish.
Checkpoint 3
30 km
Distance from start
N 57° 43′ 21.4″ E 12° 00′ 52.0″
Coordinates
The lawn south of Lefflersgatan.
Description
Portable toilet at the checkpoint.
Nearest toilet
Gamlestaden and Kviberg
After the checkpoint you make your way down to the E20, which you cross on a footbridge. Later, when you cross Säveån, you reach Gamlestaden, where Nya Lödöse once stood.
You turn right onto Artillerigatan and follow it to Bellevue. On your left you have handsome landshövdingehus, which testify to the wish to build with quality for the working class. On your right you have Svenska Kullagerfabriken (SKF), founded in 1907 by Sven Wingquist. It is no exaggeration to say that the ball bearings produced in these buildings have set the whole world rolling. It was also here, in SKF’s premises, that the very first Volvo vehicle saw the light of day in the 1920s.
Some way after Artillerigatan changes its name to Kvibergsvägen, you take a short detour to follow Luftvärnsgatan through Kviberg Barracks. These were built during the 1890s. Here was based the Göta Artillery Regiment (A 2) between 1895 and 1962 and the Göta Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Lv 6) between 1942 and 1994. Since Lv 6 was relocated to Halmstad, Kviberg Barracks have been used for sport and other purposes.
Utby
When Kvibergsvägen changes its name to Utbyvägen you have reached Utby. Until the start of the 20th century this was farmland. Between 1910 and 1960, however, an owner-occupied suburb was built here for Gothenburgers seeking fresh air and greenery.
Utby is best known today for its leafy villa blocks and the dramatic Utby cliffs that rise in the north. The cliffs are one of Sweden’s most classic climbing areas and draw climbers from across the country.
Just after the junction at Mellbyleden you cross the little Mellbybäcken stream and thereby leave Gothenburg to return to Partille municipality.
Mellby and Lexby
The first thing to meet you as you enter Partille municipality is Mellby – an area that has historically served as a hub for Partille’s industrial growth.
The walk continues along Mellbyvägen and soon brings you to Partille Station on the Western Main Line. The station opened in 1856, at the same time as industrialisation was turning the medieval church village into today’s town. The present station building, however, with its red brick and yellow stucco facade, was built in 1901 in Art Nouveau style.
In the Lexby hills on the other side of the road, Paradiset spreads out. It is a residential suburb from around 1900 with stately wooden houses with ornate fretwork, from which you can enjoy the view over the valley.
Fairly soon you enter a typical terraced-housing area from the mid-1970s.
But when you turn onto Gamla Lexbyvägen the landscape soon changes character. After Lexby School you are suddenly in the countryside and walk the last kilometre through a beautiful cultural landscape before finally reaching the finish at Partille Home Guard hall, housed in the historic buildings belonging to Lexby Hålegård.