Two of the stone ships located at Anundshog in Sweden.

© Roland Magnusson/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Anundshög

Top choice


Västerås is surrounded by pre-Christian sites. The most interesting and extensive is Anundshög, the biggest tumulus (burial ground) in Sweden, 9km northeast of the city. You can get the bus 12 to Bjurhovda, from where it's a 2km walk east. The site has a full complement of prehistoric curiosities, such as mounds, stone-ship settings and a large 11th-century rune stone. The two main ship settings date from around the 1st century.

The area is part of the Badelunda Ridge, which includes the 13th-century Badelunda Church (1km north) and the 16m-wide Tibble Labyrinth (1km south).

Ask at the Västerås Tourist Centre for the handy map Badelunda Forntids Bygd.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Karlsgatan 2

3.55 MILES

Comprising the former Västmanland Länsmuseum (county museum) and Västerås Konstmuseum (art gallery) in a re-imagined industrial block near…

2. Västerås domkyrka

3.81 MILES

The fine brick-built Domkyrka was begun in the 12th century, although most of what you see today is late-14th-century work. It contains carved floor slabs…

3. Vallby Friluftsmuseum

4.55 MILES

Vallby Friluftsmuseum, off Vallbyleden near the E18 interchange, 2km northwest of the city, is home to an extensive open-air collection of traditional…

4. Sigurdsristningen

13.11 MILES

The vivid, 3m-long Viking Age rock carving Sigurdsristningen illustrates the story of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer, a hero whose adventures are described in…

5. Fiholms Slott

15.16 MILES

This Dutch-French Renaissance-styled castle was completed around 1630. Private tours (price on application) can be booked for small groups, but otherwise,…

6. Ebelingmuseet

15.82 MILES

Located 7km north of Eskilstuna in the village of Torshälla, this museum features abstract steel sculptures by Allan Ebeling and paintings by his…

7. Eskilstuna Konstmuseum

18.11 MILES

Of this ambitious art gallery's permanent collection of over 1000 works from the 17th century to today, around 120 pieces are displayed at any given time…

8. Rademachersmedjorna

18.39 MILES

The Rademacher Forges uphold the 17th-century traditions of Eskilstuna’s iron-working past in a series of pretty, well-preserved historic buildings that…