Skara can be explored through several distinct themes: its cathedral and medieval townscape, collections on the history of Västergötland, and historic railway and walking experiences. When planning your visit, you can consider whether to explore individual architectural and museum sites or set aside time for a walk, a train ride or a cycling tour.
The Cathedral and Medieval Townscape
Skara Cathedral is Sweden’s oldest cathedral and is open to visitors daily. It contains a well-preserved crypt dating from the 12th century. Another historical detail: the first known cathedral in Skara was consecrated around 1150. The town’s medieval street plan has been preserved and offers a different perspective on history from its religious architecture. You can therefore consider the cathedral and the streets as two distinct aspects of historic Skara.
Museums and Buildings from Västergötland
The Västergötland Museum presents more than 10,000 years of the region’s history. It also has a permanent exhibition devoted to medieval Skara. This brings together a broad regional timespan and a specific period in the town’s history. Fornbyn, an open-air museum right next to the Västergötland Museum, focuses on something different: around 30 buildings from various parts of Västergötland form a collection of historic structures there.
Visitors to Fornbyn can see, among other things, an old-fashioned village shop, old cottages, a church, a blacksmith’s forge, an old barn and an inn building. Comparing it with the permanent exhibition highlights the different approaches: the museum focuses on history, while Fornbyn brings a variety of buildings into view.
Veterinary Medicine and Monastery History
The Veterinary Museum is housed in the building on the site where Sweden’s first veterinary school was founded in 1775. Remains of the 13th-century Franciscan monastery of Sankta Katarina can be seen in the basement. Two very different historical themes meet at this museum: the history of veterinary training and medieval monastic remains.
Historic Railway and Walks
The Railway Museum is housed in an old locomotive shed. Separate from this is the Skara–Lundsbrunn railway, which offers journeys between Skara and Lundsbrunn on an old steam locomotive with carriages from the first half of the 20th century. If you plan to take a trip, check the timetable in advance for your chosen date.
There are ten themed walking routes in Skara. “Grönskande överraskningar” takes 45 to 60 minutes, giving you a specific timeframe for this walk. Bokäventyret offers a different focus, with play and craft stations about runestones, the art of printing, and children’s and young adult literature through the ages. The walk and the stations appeal to different interests, without requiring you to focus on any one theme in the town’s history.
Explore Skara by Bicycle
There are 13 cycling tours around Skara for exploring the surrounding area. A cycle path runs between Skara and Varnhem and offers beautiful views. This makes cycling different from the themed walks in Skara: the tours around the town focus on the surrounding area, while the walk mentioned above has a specific timeframe. When planning, you can choose between exploring the town’s history on foot and routes by bike, without assuming that all routes have the same duration or character.
Discover more destinations: Axvall.
Go to the main travel overview: Skara.
