Kristianstad a visitors guide Kristianstad auf eigene faust Kristianstad a visitors Guide stad showing what the fortified town Patrik Olofsson in “The Hooked Be- once looked like, and walk to… aks”: “With the cries of the fledglings We started as Danes, back in 1614. echoing over the town, the female Today we are Swedes. And there have …Holy Trinity Church (7), built by the returns, a starling in her talons. A male been more changes over the years. We Dutch Steenwinkel Brothers, consecra- fledgling takes to the air to meet this drained the lake to provide building ted in 1628 and famed as “Scandina- welcome meal, but is overeager, misti- land, and transformed the municipal via’s most beautiful Renaissance temp- mes his mother’s aerial exchange and waste tip into a biosphere reserve, le”. Legend says Christian IV rested her prey falls through the air, landing busy narrow streets into a spacious pe- here under a tree during a hunting trip, with a thud on the roof of a parked car destrianised city centre, the regimental fell asleep and dreamed of a new town. below.” HQ into a university, military buildings When he awoke, he proclaimed he into a kindergarten, a wool factory would build his own town – Christian’s Turn left into Norra Kaserngatan and into a conference centre, a mill into a Town – and a church on the spot where continue towards Västra Boulevarden business park... the list goes on. We he took his nap! before again turning left. This is one of will continue to change, because that’s the broad boulevards that have given something we’re proud of. But we’re Eva Waldemarsson in “The King’s Kristianstad the epithet Little Paris. equally proud of the way things are City”: “Hans Fiskare’s mouth is wide right now, too. Let us show you some open. He hardly dare breathe, but waits If you continue a kilometre or so fur- of what Kristianstad has to offer, on a for the king’s word. ‘Here,’ the king ther north, you arrive in Näsby, where city-centre walking tour. says, making a broad, sweeping ge- you will find Kristianstad University and sture with his arm. ‘Here is where the another vestige of Kristianstad’s proud START – STORA TORG church will stand.’ Hans Fiskare falls to military past: the infantry regiment I6 his knees in tears.” (later P6) was stationed here before be- In Greek mythology Icarus flew too clo- ing disbanded. If you turn left instead, se to the sun, burned his wings and fell Walking along Västra Storgatan you along Norra Kaserngatan, and then to Earth. Since 1966 Palle Pernevi’s pass a number of very old buildings left again, you’ll find yourself back on steel sculpture Icarus (1) on the main on your right. The first was once an Västra Boulevarden. square, Stora Torg, has given local and inn (the inscription: “Måttlig fägnad…” regional politicians and civil servants means “Ale and good cheer await you The Central Station (10) was built in in the Town Hall (2) on the west side here”). The second is one of Kristi- 1865. Kristianstad is on a branch line, of the square, food for thought. “Pax anstad’s oldest houses. In the third, but has direct connections to Karlskro- vobis” (“Peace be with you”) was Da- a coup d’état was plotted in 1772 to na, Helsingborg, Ystad, Malmö, Copen- nish King Christian IV’s message to the strengthen King Gustaf III’s power at hagen Airport and central Copenhagen. town’s residents. To the south is the the expense of the politicians. The The station played one of the main Freemasons’ Hall (3) inaugurated by south of Sweden was secured for the roles in Therese Ahlbeck’s short film King Oscar II. Argentinian racing driver, Crown when Johan Christopher Toll “The Platform”. Juan Manuel Fangio, danced the tango proclaimed a state of emergency and here after the 1955 Kristianstad Grand seized power in Kristianstad. Cannons Bent William Rasmussen in “Calm Prix. were rolled out on the cobblestones, Flight”: “I walked through the station’s but they were never loaded. waiting room, which still resembles the To the east is all that exists of what was dining hall of some palatial German planned as King Christian IV’s castle. Lars Rosander and Lennart Frick in hunting lodge…” Only the stables were ever built. Today “The Watchful Eye”: this is the home of the Regional Muse- “The citizens awoke to find themselves On the opposite side of the street is um (4). In the old General Post Office under martial law. Post was inspected the main entrance of the church. Step next door is Kristianstad Art Gallery (5) and censored. No one was allowed into the tranquil interior and imagine (free admission!). Opposite was the Na- to enter Kristianstad without a pass, the scene when the altar was raised in tional Bank of Sweden – now a popular signed by Toll himself.” 1625 – ferried here on a barge all the pub and restaurant. way from Amsterdam! We have now reached the North Gate, On the north side of the square, the Norreport (8). The cobblestones be- Leaving the church, continue south and motto LEGIBUS ET ARMIS (“Through yond the gate are part of what used to turn right along Nya Boulevarden (once laws and arms”) can be seen on the be a military barracks, designed by the a canal!) but first... Stora Kronohuset (6), built in Empi- architect Carl Hårleman. A memorial …cast a glance at the hotel on the re style in 1840–41 for the Wendes has been raised here in recognition opposite corner. This Old Savings Bank Artillery Regiment. At the time this was of the Wende Regiment’s role in the (11) in German Renaissance style has said to be the largest artillery regiment Napoleonic Wars. In front of you stands decorations fit for a palace. Why don’t anywhere in the world. Note the wyvern the 53-metre high Water Tower (9); we build like this today? on the roof. In myth, those who dared unremarkable in itself, perhaps, but approach this beast were gifted with for a number of years it was home to a Across the railway line, on the right, magical powers... breeding pair of peregrine falcon. Only is Barbacka (12), a cultural centre for a few blocks away, kestrels have been children and young people, with a café, Leave the square via the northwestern regular residents for many years. games rooms, rehearsal studios and corner, past the model of Old Kristian- exhibitions. Beyond, towers the old mill, now a business park and restaurant. Birgitta Trotzig in “The Mud King’s ted Battle. This is the only house in Daughter”: Kristianstad to be blessed by a Catholic Continue down to the River Helge å. “Inside the factory, in the broad, low priest, as part of the ceremonies when On the right is the Tivolibadet swim- halls, row on row of machines rattled a memorial statue was unveiled in ming pool: ahead a pedestrian bridge and shook on the oilstained floor, and 2011. leads to the naturum Vattenriket visitor the air was thick with steam and dust, centre (13). This “nest in the reeds”, a haze of swirling fibres. The noise was Just 100 metres along Östra Storgatan the nerve centre of Kristianstads Vat- deafening: lips moved, but words had is the Film Museum (21), the first home tenrike Biosphere Reserve, is Kristi- to be bellowed to be heard.” of the Swedish film industry. The studio anstad’s biggest tourist attraction. In where the first feature films were made addition to exhibitions, it hosts lectures Cross the railway tracks to the old sta- in 1909 can still be seen. Films are still and seminars about nature and the tion at Kristianstad Södra (16), now a shown here even today. environment, and is the starting point railway museum. Here, too, is Kristian- After the short walk back to Lilla Torg, for the Linnérundan Trail through the stad Arena (17) built in 2010 to host turn left at the corner to see the eas- wetlands to the west. the World Handball Championship. The tern retail centre with its landmark Gal- During the opening ceremony in local team, IFK Kristianstad, is one of leria Boulevard shopping mall. At the November 2010 a whitetailed eagle Sweden’s best, feared by opponents for southern end is the bustling Hästtorget circled auspiciously overhead, and its fiercely partisan supporters. bus station, now served by biogasfu- more recently otters have returned to elled buses. Further east, across the the river – nature in the very heart of Turn back to follow Västra Storgatan canal, is Kristianstad’s Cultural Quarter Kristianstad. towards the centre of town. At the cros- (22) with the City Library and Concert sing with Blekingevägen the impressive Hall. This is the home of Musik i Syd, Turn left before the bridge into Tivoli brick building on the left is the CJF southern Sweden’s own regional music Park. This was once marshy pasture Ljunggren Factory (18). Here locomo- institution. If you turn around, on the where the military garrison’s comman- tives and carriages were built in the other side of the canal you can see der kept cows to earn a little extra in- golden age of steam 100 years ago. Scandinavia’s first street plaza for ska- come. Today it is a popular green oasis Here too, are the roots of the Swedish teboarders and bicycle acrobats. where summer concerts attract up to workingclass movement. 8,000 people, many picnicking on the North along Kanalgatan, past the con- lush grass.