Browsing Category : Sweden

Faces of Sundborn: Carl Larsson Portraits in the Parish Hall


The Carl Larsson Portrait Collection, Carl Larssons porträttsamling, Sundborn, Sweden The portraits are of local citizens who were involved in keeping village life ticking over.  Larsson painted these ‘fine villagers’ for the parish of Sundborn, and donated the portraits to the village in 1916, with the condition that they remained there and were not moved.  This has clearly been a struggle,…

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Serving Sundborn: A Special Swedish Church


Sundborn Church, Sundborns Kyrka, Sundborn, Sweden Situated on a picturesque spot by Lake Toftan are two little red buildings.  These are the church and bell-tower of Sundborn, both covered with wooden shingles, and both sitting charmingly by the water.  Although it presents a very traditional Swedish image from a distance, when you get closer, you notice small, ‘modern’ touches, like the…

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Gimme, Gimme, Gimme: All Bow To ABBA in Stockholm


ABBA The Museum, Stockholm, Sweden ABBA.  Love ’em or hate ’em, they are one of the most influential bands in the history of modern music.  From 1974 to 1982, the group topped charts all around the world, and in the last few decades they’ve re-emerged and caught up a whole new legion of fans. Even though I love many of…

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Swedes on the High Seas: the Maritime History of a Nation in Stockholm


Maritime Museum, Sjöhistoriska museet, Stockholm, Sweden Maritime history, and the way that people have used the sea for exploration and trade, is fascinating.  I never really got it until I visited the oh-so wonderful Maritime Museum in Amsterdam.  Since then, if there is a museum on the subject, I’m there. Unfortunately none of the ones I’ve visited since have really…

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People of the World in Stockholm’s Ethnographic Museum


Ethnographic Museum, Etnografiska Museet, Stockholm, Sweden What is interesting about going to Ethnographic Museums in different countries is that they all have a slightly different emphasis: some, like the Museum of Culture in Basel, have a lot of objects from Papua New Guinea; the Ethnographic Museum in Zurich has an extraordinary Chinese collection.  Each reflects the interests of the people…

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Simple and Stately: Mora Church


Mora Church, Mora kyrka, Mora, Sweden Right at the end of Mora’s main shopping street are two of its main attractions: Zorngården, which is dedicated to local boy, Anders Zorn, and a grand church.  I say grand, but it’s not grand in a south European sort of way – it’s grand by Swedish provincial standards.  And that makes it charming…

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At Home With Mr & Mrs Zorn in Mora


Zorn’s House, Zorngården, Mora, Sweden Behind the yellow-painted timber walls of this modestly sized house, lies the delightful home of Anders Zorn and his wife Emma, right by the Mora Church.  Unfortunately you aren’t allowed to take pictures inside, nor are you really allowed to linger, because you have to take guided tours.  This isn’t an ideal combination for me,…

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Ancient Worlds in Stockholm: From Egypt to Rome


The Museum of Mediterranean and Near Eastern Antiquities, Medelhavsmuseet, Stockholm, Sweden Clearly if a town has a museum dedicated to the ancient world, I’m there.  And I’ll probably be there for a long time.  And I was at the Mediterranean Museum for much longer than I expected –  and still didn’t see the entire collection.  I totally missed the Islamic section,…

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