Sweden Guide
The Bothnian coast
Gammelstad
The original settlement of Luleå, GAMMELSTAD is 10km northwest of the city centre. When the town moved to the coast a handful of the more religious stayed behind to tend the church, and the attached parish village remained in use. One of the most important places of historical interest north of Uppsala, the site now proudly boasts inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The church itself (mid-June to mid-Aug daily 9am–8pm, mid-Aug to mid-June Mon– Fri 10am–2pm; free) was completed at the end of the fifteenth century and adorned with the work of church artists from far and wide: both the decorated choir stalls and the ornate triptych are medieval originals, while the sumptuous pulpit is a splendid example of Bothnian Baroque, trimmed with gilt cherubs and red and gold bunches of grapes. Look out for the opening above the south door, through which boiling oil was generously poured over unwelcome visitors. Around 450 well-kept cottages are gathered around the church, making this the biggest parish village in Sweden, though nowadays they're mostly unoccupied except during important religious festivals.
Getting to Gammelstad from Luleå is straightforward: bus #9 runs twice-hourly from the main bus stop on Smedjegatan.