Lund
Lund was founded around the year 990 by a Danish king, probably Sven Tveskägg
Sights & Culture
Universitetsbiblioteket
A huge, imposing red brick building, the Lund University Library is as impressive as the Lund University itself.
Lunds Allhelgonakyrka
Consecrated on All Saints' Day in 1891 by Bishop W Flensburg, the impressive silhouette of Lund's All Saint's Church can be seen from quite some distance.
Gamla Biskopshuset
Originally built as a university department building the Old Bishop's House was swapped with the Diocies due to being too small in 1849 and a few years later Henrik Reuterdahl moved in as Bishop-in-residence. By the end of the 20th Century, Lund University had required it as a conference facility.
Gamla Kirurgen
The old surgeon's clinic, finished in 1868 in a late gothic style, it stopped being a university hospital in the 1970's and became teaching facilities. A beautiful stained glass window can be seen above one of the main entrances.
Nasoteket
Currently housed in Kulturen, this is a collection of plaster casts of famous noses from Lund.
Kungshuset
The first building of Lund University in 1688, and all four of the first departments were house here: Medicine, Philosophy, Theology and the Law.
Fontänen på Universitetsplatsen i Lund
Set in the grounds of the university, near a stone circle is a lovely fountain.
Universitetshusets Aula
A huge white building in Lundagård, the university auditorium is a very impressive landmark.
Juridiska institutionen
The courts are another of Lund's impressive buildings.
Gråbrödraklostret
Little can be seen other than a plaque to the Franciscan cloister Sancta Catharina from the 13th Century.
Klosterkyrkan
The land on which St. Peter's Priory stands has seen worship since the 13th century (though the sandstone church was demolished in the 14th century and replaced with the current brick building) and has typically been the domain of Benedictine nuns.
The same church bell has rung for worship for almost 800 years
Though it now stands a little outside of the main city, on the other side of the railway tracks, it is worth the journey.
Lunds Domkyrka
There has been a cathedral in Lund since the 12th Century, and attracting 700,000 visitors a year, it is one of the most well known Swedish landmarks outside of the largest cities. Unfortunately closed during the pandemic, the historical museum in the cathedral is well regarded.
Labyrinten Domkyrkoplatsen
Less impressive than the name implies, the 'maze' of tiles outside of the Cathederal is not a maze at all, a single winding path takes you from start to end.
Stortorget
Seeing less activity than nearby Mårtenstorget, Stortorget has the City Hall, as well as wooden deckchairs to allow residents to take in the Swedish sun.
Mårtenstorget
Mårtenstorget is the venue for the local market, as well as having two of the cities museums on its edges. One side is lined with restaurants with outdoor seating, though it is also a favourite location for local morning drinkers, so it may feel less safe than it should to tourists.
Drottens Kyrkoruin
Open sparingly, and through a door between a florist and a restaurant, if you do get the chance to visit you can see some historic and well preserved building ruins from Lund's past.
Lunds Gamla Observatorium
Lund has a long history in astronomy, its five hundred years detailed in Lundaögon mot stjärnorna. The old observatory was inaugurated in 1867, and once was also the site of a planetarium.
In 2001, the old observatory was left for a new building with the water tour becoming the site of the new observatory.
Rådhuset
The main building in Stortorget the City Hall is a pleasant, if unremarkable building.
Museums & Galleries
Skissernas Museum
Closed for Corona
The Museum Of Sketches is one of Lunds more famous museums, exploring the artistic process with well known global artists. Outside, a series of sculptures can be found in the garden.
The restaurant remains open.
Livets museum
Closed for Corona
The medical history museum tells the story of how the body works.
Kulturen
Offering both indoor and outdoor spaces, the main Kulturen museum (as they run several of the other museums in the city) is well worth visiting. The main building has historic exhibits including runestones, treasures and weapons and a carved clock from Lund's history as well as offering temporary exhibits on a range of subjects.
The main building is also connected to a second with a wide array of weapons downstairs and exploration of Lund's textile history on the ground floor.
Pass through the outdoor tunnel and you find the outdoor museum, with a number of preserved buildings from Sweden's past as well as some containing their own smaller museums, such as a collection of porcelain.
Krognoshuset
A small art museum, with three floors, focused when I was there on a single artist's piece.
Lunds Konsthall
Lund's art museum is excellent. The exhibition was Worst-Case Scenario. Four Artists from Greenland. Julie Edel Hardenberg, who chose to speak only Greenlandic not Danish in Greenland and the challenges it caused to explore post-colonial privilege. I could see so many parallels to the struggles of the Welsh in my own country.
Elisabeth Heilmann Blind explored traditional masks and dance, brought to Greenland from Alaska by the Greenlandic Inuits.
Jessie Kleemann takes performance art to the heart of climate change with her videos set on Sermeq Kujalleq.
Writer & photographer, Pia Arke's work can be explored thanks to her estate and son.
Unlike most museums that offer a free brochure, a full book, in both Swedish and English was given to every visitor to learn about the four women exhibiting their work.
Parks & Gardens
Sunnaparken
A small park, outside of the city, with the events venue Villa Sunna in its grounds.
Botaniska trädgården
Both botanical garden, and at its southern end a graveyard.
Stadsparken
On the south-western edge of the city, the City Park is a large open space with play areas, green fields, flowers and walks that give a sense of distance from the buildings.
Bantorget
A tiny square facing Klosterkrykan on the opposite side of the train tracks.
Lundagård
Lund's oldest park, and the home of Kungshuset as well as backing onto the Cathederal. Designed in 1745 by court architect Carl Hårleman. The city park is more pathways than greenery, but its position in proximity to the centre of the city and the Cathedral and Kungshuset make it a lovely spot to pause.
Restaurants & Bars
Tugg Burgers
Tugg Burgers are a chain across Sweden offering good burgers at good prices.