Karlstad Things to Do

The House of the Godtemplars in Karlstad is one of the most important places in Karlstad.

In the year 1905 the Union between Norway and Sweden was cracking up. The norwegiands demanded full independence and the swedish King Oscar II was reluctant to give up such a large part of his "Kingdom". There had been a norwegian government elected before the year 1905 and now a delegation from them were in Sweden to negotiate a way out of the union.

There was huge tension and the soliders had already lined up along the norwegian/swedish border when the two delegations reached a peaceful solution and Norway gained it's independence. The house of the GOdtemplars in Karlstad was where the treaty was negotiated and signed so it shouldn't be missed. You may not enter but you may of course watch it from the outside

The museum of schools and education is a small museum in a building just nest to the Dome and it's a rather unknown gem in the city. You get to see collections of material connected to education in past times, from the 1850's and onwards. The collections include old school books, desks, chalkboards, posters etc.

It is unfortunately closed for renovations until march 2005 but after that it is open:
Tuesday 10-12, 14-16
Wednesday 10-12
Thursday 10-12, 14-16
Sept 25th 12-14
Oct 30th 12-14
Nov 27th 12-14

Admission: 20 Kr, children under the age of 12 10 Kr.

Guided tours for groups of 15 people and more.

When you walk along the River Klar, especially just before the stone bridge you will find several red pillars in the river, about 2 metres tall. These are the only remnants of the once so common log-driving of timber on the river. These days they drive all timber by road down through the county of Värmland, the last log-driving on the river was in the beginning of the 1990's.

They were used to collect timber and to make the timber float in the right places and so on.

If you go to the karlstad Theatre you should take a look at the statue of Värmland's most famous author, Selma Lagerlöf who was born and lived in Mårbacka mansion close to Sunne north of Karlstad and won the nobel Prize in Literature among other things.There's a statue of her in front of the the theatre, close to the river.

If you're in karlstad you might wanna do some celebrity hunting. Keep your eyes open, you might stumble upon Roger Moore. If you don't see him you should go to the Conference center, the same building as the Tourist center. In the high house there, on the top floor he and his woman has an apartment.

The Stone Bridge, or formally the Eastern Bridge was completed in 1797 and is the longest stone bridge in Sweden and to my knowledge in Europe. It was originally built as a way out of the city, but today it is situated just about in the middle of it, binding together the two urban living areas of Haga and Hagaborg/Norrstrand

For the moment only city buses may cross the bridge, but there is talk about opening it for pedestrians. And even if it isn't it's still worth watching (and maybe secretly walk over...) and a sure thing for your photo album

Karlstad Theatre is probabably the most beautiful building in the city with its white-washed 19th century walls.

They give nationwide famous sets of well-known plays and musicals. This automn they will show "West side story" for example.

This theatre could be considered the more "upper-level" theatre in town, as opposed to Scala theatre which hosts more "light" entertainment and plays, such as comedies, music events and cabarets.

It was in Karlstad that the peace treaty between Sweden and Norway was signed in 1905, a treaty that turned Norway into an independent country.

In memory of this people from the COunty of Värmland raised the Monument "The Godess of Peace" on the city Square in 1955, in memory of the peaceful dissolvment of the Swedish-Norwegian Union. It also has the inscription "Wars gives birth to hate between peoples, peace bringeth understanding".

The actual treaty was signed in the house of the Godtemplars in karlstad, a house which nothern side faces the Square, ie just south of the square, to the "left" in the picture here.