Västerås

Västerås lies about 100 km from Sweden’s capital, Stockholm, in Västmanland County. The city’s history goes back to the Viking Age, and Västerås has been the seat of a bishop since 1120. The city has also played a part in the history of Sweden itself: the Riksdag assemblies of 1527 and 1544 are historic. At the Riksdag of 1527, Gustav I Vasa broke the power of the Catholic Church and began introducing the Protestant faith to the country. In 1544 he made the crown hereditary within his family. In 1990 the people of Västerås celebrated their city’s 1,000th anniversary.

The city centre is car-free. The very old historic quarter is called Kyrkbacken, and the modern city hall forms a contrast to it. King Erik XIV is buried in Västerås Cathedral, which lies south of the city hall. When the king’s coffin was opened in the 1970s, his legs were found sawn off and lying next to his body. This caused great astonishment, but it could be explained scientifically: the stone coffin had probably simply turned out too short, and altering it afterwards was impossible. Today the regional government is based in Västerås Castle. The prehistoric burial site of Anundshög and the open-air museum in Vallby are absolutely worth seeing. A visit to Jazzens Museum, the first jazz museum in Europe, is also well worthwhile. In addition to the city castle already mentioned, there are other castles worth visiting, including Ängsö Castle and Tidö Castle. The well-known burial ground of Årby lies west of Västerås. There is a marina in the city centre, and Stockholm can be reached across Lake Mälaren.

Hikers and cyclists will find plenty to enjoy in and around Västerås. The city has a very well developed cycle network, both inside and outside the city. Lovers of American cars also associate Västerås with a special event: Power Big Meet, one of the largest gatherings of American vehicles, at which more than 14,000 cars have been shown. For many years the three-day meet in the first week of July was held in Västerås and made the city internationally known among fans of classic American cars. Since 2017, Power Big Meet has taken place in Lidköping.

For some years now, Västerås has increasingly been developing into a university city. The city also has its own airport and is directly connected to Stockholm by both rail and motorway. Lars Gustafsson, an internationally renowned writer, was born in Västerås. The singer Loreen, who won the Eurovision Song Contest for Sweden in 2012 and 2023, is also a child of Västerås.