Vilhelmina Tourist Guide
The four “Must See and Do’s” when visiting Vilhelmina Fatmomakke - Sami Ancient Culture and Church Site Vilhelmina Church Town Vilhelmina Museum Mountain Trails
Municipality Facts 01
Population 7 400
Area 8795 km²
Regional Center Vilhelmina
County Västerbotten
More Information 02
Internet www.vilhelmina.se www.sodralappland.se
Newspapers Västerbottens Folkbla www.folkbladet.nu Västerbottens-Kuriren www.vk.se Photo: Shutterstock Tourist Bureaus
Vilhelmina Tourist Bureau Storgatan 9, Kyrkstan, Vilhelmina Welcome to Vilhelmina +46 940-152 70 Vilhelmina offers you natural beauty and an celebration and autumn weekend. interesting culture. Would you like to experience hunting or fishing You will encounter different natural habitats in a magnificent natural and come home with Notes 03 in a dramatic combination. Here joins the unforgettable memories - then Vilhelmina is forests, the fertile mountain meadows and the the place for you. The municipality stretches Emergency 112 high mountains. All in a intangible perimeter. from the woodlands in the East, to the Police 114 14 mountains in the West and offers a variety of Country Code +46 Vilhelmina is also a meeting place for different fishing and hunting. cultures and ways of living. In Fatmomakke, Area Code 0940 the newly built culture along with the Vilhelmina Municipality has been awarded traditional Sami, makes an interesting mix. both the “Fishing Municipality of the Year” and Still alive today are the traditional midsummer “Hunting Municipality of the Year.”
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describe the area. Even though the area City is so large in size, public services function Vilhelmina Municipality is situated in extremely well in every corner of the Västerbotten, and is Sweden’s second mucipality. Schools and kindergartens are largest county in area. It is a vast area with often relatively small. Vilhelmina has a well- many different habitats - from expanding functioning social service with child care, urban areas along the coast to towns in the educational opportunities and good elderly hinterland that face emigration and failing care. The urban area has a rich social economy. The county’s economy is based community. The mountains attract many, on traditional industries such as wood, and they are around every corner. hydropower and mineral. But, there are also a number of small companies sprouting up The Town Hall is a hub of opportunities that opens the doors for new businesses in for active leisure and cultural activities. the area. Tourism employs more and more Opportunities for higher education and people, and the small-scale food production learning centers in the area. The Upper is a growing alternative source of income. secondary school is one of the country’s most modern. Vilhelmina Municipality is the largest municipality in southern Lapland by area Sagadal is Vilhelmina’s airport, and the which is approximately 8,700 square flight time to Stockholm is two hours. Bus kilometers. It is a large as Skåne and connections are said to be good both within Blekinge put together. Vilhelmina has about the municipality and to other municipalities. 7,400 inhabitants, of which about half Bus times may often be adapted to fit live in the urban areas of Vilhelmina. The children’s school times, so many still have remainder live in small villages scattered to use the car to get to work. over the municipality. More information is on Vilhelmina’s own The Vilhelmina Municipality’s website says site. that in Vilhelmina the word “levnadsutrymme” (outdoor living room) is a good word to www.vilhelmina.se Photo: Shutterstock
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Photo: Shutterstock Photo: Shutterstock
History museum, The Sameslöjd Gallery, Town and career. The museum is a photographic Hall, Lapplisa Museum, Idbacka Sculpture exhibition and the objects in the museum From a Church Village to Modern Park, Fatmomakke, Ricklundgården (Open have been dedicated by Lapp-Lisas family Municipality Air museum), Norgefarargården (Open and friends. A life-size bronze statue of Air museum), Pålsson Cottage and the Lapp-Lisa stands outside the museum. Vilhelmina grew from a village nn the late Motorcycle Museum in Dikanäs. c/o Bygdell, Mark 25, Vilhelmina 1700s. At that time, it was called Volgsjö +46 70-246 31 07 and had about 230 inhabitants. In 1804, Paddle a Canoe www.lapplisa.vilhelmina.com the name was changed to Vilhelmina after Canoe Safaris with a guide or Queen Fredrika Dorotea Vilhelmina Sofia independently. Vilhelmina Heritage Museum Ulrika whom reigned during that time. The museum is housed in the old parishes house from the 1890s and is located Fishing in the town church. The museum’s Swimming Get the Fish to Bite collections reflect our history from ancient Bathing Places to contemporary. Tools from the settlers Try our exciting lakes, with a guide or on households are the focus of the collections. Bathe in Vilhelmina’s pool, an indoor pool your own. Capture precious fish in our Among the finest sights is “Maksjöfyndet” in with whirlpool and sauna or in one of our mountain waters or in the lakes and rivers the ancient section - a rich grave discovered scenic inland lakes. found in the forests. from the 700-century and a ski from the 4th century.
Family Activities Museum Vilhelmina museum has a searchable Boat Tours Lapp-Lisa Museum collection of over 6 000 registered objects. Here you find rustic tools, Sami objects, Take a boat tour from Kultsjön to Lapp-Lisa Museum can be found at Lapp- prehistoric artifacts and a few things from Fatmomakke. Lisas birthplace, Mark, about 35 km our own time. Northwest of Vilhelmina. The museum tells Museigatan 2, Vilhelmina Experience the Culture the fascinating story of the settler girl who +46 940-144 97 Visit Vilhelmina’s Church Village, Heritage - became a world famous singer - her life www.vilhelmina.se/~abm/index.html
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See and Do Vilhelmina Museum Vilhelmina Museum is housed in the old parish house from the 1890s to early 1900s and reflects our history from ancient to contemporary. The collection consists of ancient objects and objects from the 1800s and early 1900s, which reflects the household’s for the Sami and later settlers to the Vilhelmina area. The collection of stone, bronze and Iron Age has been described as an unusually wide assortment for a local museum.
Vilhelmina Museum began by the formation of a heritage and tourist association in 1941 and had a large local history exhibition at Volgsjö School in Vilhelmina, during the summer of 1942. The purpose was to celebrate the Public School’s 100-year anniversary in Sweden. The motto of the exhibition was “Past-Present-Future.” The majority of old appliances were loaned from people in the villages. Then, most were willing to donate the objects as the base for a parish / community museum.
During the summer of 1943, Vilhelmina museum opened in the old parish house on the initiative of the local historical association. Photo: Shutterstock The rooms were renovated in 1967 and a new set of objects were arranged. Kyrkstan, Storgatan 7, Vilhelmina skiing, snowmobile and vessel tours, along +46 940-141 63 Nature with ice fishing. www.vasterbottensmuseum.se/oar/ Be Guided vilhelmina/vil_museum.html The Kittelfjäll area is marketed as “Cool Biking, hunting and fishing trips with a guide Kittelfjäll” - the village with big adventures. or rent a Digital Guide and enjoy a GPS- You can go enjoy one of Sweden’s most based tour of the Wilderness Road. different and fun skiing systems. Not only is it known as the country’s best off-piste, Discover the Beauty but there also opportunities for horse riding, Visit a nature reserve or enjoy the scenery good food, wildlife and relaxation. During the along Saga Road and Wilderness Road. summer, there is mountain hiking, canoeing, climbing, hunting and fishing. Mountain or Cycling Trails Hike or bike in the mountains. Take a trip to The Klimpfjäll area has focused on activities Blaikfjället, Satsfjället, Marsfjället, Grönfjället and nature. Cultural experiences are offered or any one of the other scenic areas. in the calm and undisturbed Swedish mountains, mountain walks in the summer, Nature in the Wilderness kalfjäll (bare mountain regions) and the Vilhelmina offers both natural and cultural Stekenjokk plateau with the Wilderness experiences. Here are spruce and pine Road. From Norgefarargården begins the forests, marshes, fertile mountain meadows old hiking trails and Norgefararleden, the and massive barren mountain areas. trading trail. Vilhelmina offers fishing, hunting, fitness, habitat, recreation and nature experiences. In Fatmomakke, the settler and Sami Photo: Shutterstock There are winter tours for cross-country cultures have created an interesting mix.
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an outstanding altarpiece painting. Sami Pålssons Cottage Parks huts and storage cabins are grouped along Idbacka Sculpture Park the paths up to the slopes, while the settlers Lars Pålsson was the first settler in timber houses were placed down towards the Marsliden. In 1856, he took his family The park exudes tranquility, power and love beach. Fatmomakke is still a Sami meeting from Fjällboberg to settle here in Lapland of the Lapland Nature. If your looking for a place for religious events and entertainment. country. Settlers coming here and settling nature experience, inspiration, meditation, Midsummer in Fatmomakke is one of the down received in return, free use of the power, or harmony, then the park is a highlights of the year. The church is open land for a number of years. The first settlers suitable destination and is located on the during the summer. Fatmomakke also has a lived by farming the land, where hunting tourist route between Åsele and Vilhelmina. culture room in cottage No 27. A 50 square and fishing was an integral part of daily Open for groups and the general public by meter area, divided into two rooms and a life. Bernard Nordh described the hard life, arrangement. hall displaying the exhibition “To meet in hardships and suffering by the people in +46 940-49 50 24 Fatmomakke”. area in several books, for which “In March [email protected] +46 940-730 60 the Mountain Shadow” is the best known. www.idbacka.com www.fatmomakke.se The book, “In March the Mountain Shadow” has been printed in several editions, in Norgefarargården (Culture Farm) several languages, and has sold several Worth Seeing Norgefarargården in Klimpfjäll. Vilhelmina’s hundred thousand copies. In the 1950s, Fatmomakke - Sami Ancient only cultural farm. It was the last port of call Bernard Nordh was one of the most widely for those who went on trade trips to Norway. read English authors, together with names Culture and Church Site There are fantastic views over Lake Kultsjön such as Jan Fridegård, William Moberg and Fatmomakke is a unique environment with Marsfjällen and Autjoklimpen Mountains Ivar Lo-Johansson. Also during that time, along the beach of lake Kultsjön which in the background. In the courtyard, you can life in the area was filmed for a television was rescued as a culture area of historical buy local crafts of the highest quality in an series called “Nybyggarland.” Today, there interest. The church site has been used by atmosphere from the turn of the century. For is a replica of the home in Marsliden where the Sami during the late 1700’s, and also by the children, there are animals on the farm. Liden Lars Pålsson lived with his family - the the settlers in the area. The beautiful little Cafe. Pålsson Cottage. Visit and experience the wooden church from 1881 - 1884, which is +46 940-712 71, +46 940-710 75 environment and atmosphere. still used today, is well preserved and has www.norgefarargarden.se
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Photo: Shutterstock Ricklundagården (Art Museum) Other Art Museum and Guest Studios. A well-worth seeing Mediterranean villa from the 40’s. Events Artists came here from near and far. The Enjoy the Heritage Days, Midsummer museum shares exciting oriental things with celebrations in Fatmomakke, theater objects from the mountain district. There is performances, Mikaeli market. also a unique art collection. Saxnäs, Marsfjäll Risfjells Sami Handicrafts +46 940-700 14 Gallery [email protected] The gallery is in the church town. You can www.ricklundgarden.com see and buy Sami handicrafts (horn, wood, tin, knives, crafts supplies, etc.) in a nice Vilhelmina Church Town garden environment. You can also see The unique Church Town dates back to Sven-Åke Risfjell making one of his works 1792, when the first church was inaugurated and hear him tell about the Sami culture. in Vilhelmina, and lies at the center, below Also, see the world’s largest Sami knife, 2.5 the church. The Church Town has been m. long and weighs 87.5 kg. renovated in consultation with the National +46 940-152 05 Heritage Board and today contains church cottages which can be rented to visitors. Rock Climbing Try rock climbing in the Swedish mountains Originally, the church used the cottages on along the secured part of Kittelfjäll. weekends for the rural population. In it’s Photo: Shutterstock finished state, the Church Town included Shopping 75 cottages and shaped one of the largest There are many great shopping opportunities SOURCES plants of its kind. In 1921, there was a in our well-stocked department stores and Vilhelmina Turistbyrå devastating fire which left much of the area boutiques for all tastes. www.sodralappland.se in ruins. There were 27 cottages remaining www.vasterbottensmuseum.se and you can still see and experience them www.kommunernaskalender.com today. www.eurotourism.com +46 940-152 70 www.dagspress.se [email protected] Subject to change www.kyrkstan.vilhelmina.com Photo: Shutterstock
Eurotourism Media Group AB: Box 55157 504 04 Borås Sweden Tel +46 33-233220 Fax +46 33-233222 [email protected] 6 Copyright © 2009 E.M.G. AB Protected by international law; any violation will be prosecuted. An Independent Tourist Information Company Eurotourism Media Group AB: Box 55157 504 04 Borås Sweden Tel +46 33-233220 Fax +46 33-233222 [email protected] Copyright © 2009 E.M.G. AB Protected by international law; any violation will be prosecuted. 7 An Independent Tourist Information Company Eurotourism Media Group AB: Box 55157 504 04 Borås Sweden Tel +46 33-233220 Fax +46 33-233222 [email protected] 8 Copyright © 2009 E.M.G. AB Protected by international law; any violation will be prosecuted. An Independent Tourist Information Company