Attractions and Places To See around Timrå - Top 20

After the Sundsvall fire of 1888, the city's reconstruction was the subject of much debate. Officials eventually agreed to largely preserve the existing city plan, rather than transforming it into a network of wide fire lanes. However, all buildings were to be constructed of stone (hence the name Stenstaden, or Stone City), and a wide promenade, serving as a fire lane, was to be built through the city center. The use of stone for all city buildings meant that many who had lost their homes in the fire could not afford to rebuild. Despite immediate aid from across Europe, only the city's wealthy timber barons could finance the new stone structures.

Together with Stora Torget on the other side of the Esplanade, Vängåvan Park forms a large green space and the heart of Sundsvall. The park, with its fountain built at the end of the 19th century, was one of the first publicly designed spaces in Sweden. During Sundsvall's rapid economic growth, the area around Vängåvan, with its several banks, became one of Sweden's most important financial centers. The fountain in the center of the park was designed by the Sundsvall artist Sofia Gisberg. It was completed on August 25, 1886, the same day as the new Läroverket (the Swedish National Library), now the Hedbergska School. The fountain was made possible by donations from A. P. Hedberg. Public artworks were rare in Swedish provincial towns at that time and considered highly exclusive.

Located in the heart of Stenstan, the stone city, some of Sundsvall's most magnificent houses are situated around its main square, Stora Torget. A market is also held here regularly.

Sundsvall's city park is not in the middle of the city center, but on a 165 m high mountain. It is called Norra Berget. But it is not just the location of the city park that is unusual, but also its shape. The city park is an exciting open-air museum with playgrounds and barbecue areas, all kinds of animals, two cafés, small shops and over forty typical Swedish wooden houses from all over Medelpad. The open-air museum grounds are always open. The cafés, shops, the restaurant and the observation tower have different opening times.

If you are standing in the center at Stora Torget in Sundsvall, you should look up at the house facades and see the richly decorated dormer windows and roofs of the stone houses. With all this splendor, you can understand why many Swedes today consider Sundsvall to be the most beautiful city in the country. This district is called Stenstan, or the stone city. The center of the district is the magnificent Stadshuset at Stora Torget. If you stroll through the city center along the pedestrian zone, you will be able to admire many colorful dragons. We discovered around 20 dragons. The dragon is a symbol of Sundsvall.

At the pilgrimage centre there is also a beautiful circular path around Selångersfjärden from Selånger with information boards about the history of the place and the local wildlife, about 6 km long

The medieval pilgrimage route St. Olavsleden was reopened in 2013 after extensive renovation work. The hiking trail is about 580 km long and runs between Selånger near Sundsvall and Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway. Nidaros Cathedral is the burial church of St. Olav. The route stretches from coast to coast, from the Gulf of Bothnia to the Atlantic Ocean.

The Selånger Pilgrimage Centre has been located in an old barn of a vicarage from the early 20th century, which once housed 27 cows and four horses, since 2021. This is where the St. Olav's Way officially begins. The Selånger Pilgrimage Centre has a café, conference rooms and exhibition areas, and of course lots of information about the pilgrimage route.