Varnhem - Varnhem monastery and abbey church

Varnhem in Västergötland is home to Varnhem Abbey Church and the ruins of Varnhem Abbey, which was founded in 1150. As well as being exceptionally beautiful, the church is packed with Swedish history.

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Varnhem and the Varnhem Abbey Church

Even before the arrival of the monks in the 12th century, Varnhem was an important place, and graves have been found that tell of influential families. In the 13th century, Birger Jarl was a builder here and in the 17th century Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie took over the monastery site. Much history has taken place here, and if you've read Jan Guillou's books about Arn, you'll know that it was here, in Varnhem, that Arn was educated by the monks.

Varnhem with Varnhem Abbey is located in Västerhötland, between Skara and Skövde.

To Varnhem via the charming Vallevägen.

Before we came to Varnhem, we had just "finished" a motorhome trip along the Göta Canal. We had planned to go down towards the church and were advised to follow Vallevägen, which according to several sources is "Sweden's most beautiful road". We do not dare to vouch for this, but we can agree that this is an unusually charming and cosy road.

Vallebygden is located between Lake Vänern and Lake Vättern, and you can find your way if you take the road between Timmersdala and Varnhem, either past Öglunda or past Eggby. Here you can look for a large orange "V" that stands for Vallevägen.

Along the road there are a number of nature reserves, such as the Lycke Lilla Höjen nature reserve. There is also a waterfall (Silverfallet) and a cave (Jättadalen - Öglunda grotta). You can also settle for winding slowly forward, stopping for example at farm shops and galleries. A wonderfully cosy route! You can read more on Vallevägen's website.

Varnhem Abbey Church

Then we arrived at Varnhem Abbey Church, where we were lucky enough to be guided by two pairs of friends who live nearby. The church is both stately and beautiful, and it is fascinating that such an impressive building rises in such a small town as Varnhem. You could say that the church tells of the times when Varnhem was an important place in Sweden. Here is some history in brief:

1098: The Cistercian Order is founded in Citeaux, France.
1150: A group of monks establish Varnhem Monastery. The land had been donated by the rich and distinguished woman Sigrid, and they started building a church in the Romanesque style.
1234: The church was badly damaged in a fire. It was rebuilt in the Young Gothic style, with a choir aisle and a chapel wreath. Birger Jarl was the builder (the only one known).
1260: The monastery church was inaugurated as the largest church in Sweden.
16th century: The Reformation and the Nordic Seven Years' War brought decay to the church.
17th century: Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie received the entire monastery complex from Queen Christina. De la Gardie restored the church and made it his burial church. He added a pulpit, altarpiece and gallery with a baroque organ. On the outside, he built a pillar system, a central tower and two towers on the west side. He then donated the church to the parish.
1918-1923: The last restoration was done. Among other things, the altar over Birger Jarl's tomb in the lay brother choir was restored.
2002: Birger Jarl's tomb was reopened, to make a scientific analysis of the three skeletons found in the tomb. The examination confirmed that it is probably Birger Jarl who lies in the grave, along with his son Duke Erik and his second wife Queen Mechtild of Denmark.
Present tense: The monastery church is a parish church with services and ordinances. The church is also visited by a large number of tourists every year.

The interior of many churches can be seen fairly quickly, but Varnhem Abbey Church is a great place to spend some time. There is a lot to look at here! One of the first things you notice is Birger Jarl's grave. The lid is decorated with a picture of Birger Jarl, his son Erik and his wife Metchild.

Birger Jarls grav i Varnhems klosterkyrka

The church is really beautiful, with a 17th century pulpit and altarpiece. You can see the De la Gardie Memorial Hall with statues of Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie and his father Jacob de la Gardie. There is also a tomb for Magnus and his wife Maria Euphrosyne, and for his son Gustav Adolf de la Gardie and Elizabeth Oxenstierna.

There are details everywhere in the church. For example, you can notice Birger Jarl's head with a ducal crown high up on a pillar. Another detail that caught our eye was two skulls above a doorway and the text "Today king tomorrow dead".

When you enter the aisle behind the altar, you come to the monks' prayer chapel, which in the 17th century was converted into a memorial room for kings Knut Eriksson, Erik Knutsson, Erik Eriksson, Erik Eriksson läspe and halte, Inge the Elder and Birger Jarl.

Varnhem Monastery

Just outside the church are the ruins of Varnhem Abbey. Clear signs are posted to show the functions of the different rooms in the past. If you wish, you can also continue your walk in the area by following the 2 kilometre long Rosenstigen.

Kata farm - from the time before the monks

On the hill behind Varnhem Monastery, archaeologists have made sensational discoveries that tell us about Varnhem before the monks arrived. Here are the ruins of one of Sweden's oldest churches, a private farm church from the Viking Age. A roof has been built over the site, and through glass you can look down on what is perhaps Sweden's oldest preserved room. Fascinating!

There is also a Christian burial site from the 10th century. A woman's grave has been found here and thanks to a rune stone with inscriptions the names are known: the woman's name is Kata, her husband Kättil and her brother Torgils. The fine coffin and the rune carving show that Kata belonged to the elite of society. She probably owned the large farm Varnhem in the first half of the 11th century.

Naturum Hornborgarsjön

After the visit to Varnhem Abbey Church, our friends took us to Naturum Hornborgarsjön, which is located less than 9 kilometres southwest of Varnhem. The bird lake is of course mainly known for the cranes that come in the spring, but there are also many other bird species here. The Naturum has fine exhibitions about the cranes, bird life and the history of wildlife conservation.

In Naturum's little shop, Peter also found the pike Jedi, which he became very fond of. The pike was taken "home" to the motorhome where he now has a place of honour at the front.

At Naturum there is also the restaurant Doppingen. Here we had a (really good!) lunch with our friends and local guides. Britt-Marie and Lars blog at bm.lars.travelblog and Maria and Göran wrote earlier on the blog Magnolia Magis. Very nice and lots of laughter!

New car park in Axvall

Our friends Britt-Marie and Lars knew about a brand new caravan park in Axvall, which has just opened and is being developed. We were probably some of the very first guests! We also got to meet the super nice owners who wanted tips on how we motorhomers would like to live on a site, in order to be able to organise as well as possible.

The site is located at Axvall IF, with sites both inside the fence (near a football pitch) and outside the fence. So far, there was only electricity on the inside sites, but it will be organised on the outside as well. There is also access to toilets, showers, water and latrine emptying. You stand on grass, and the ground is hard and stable. The price is 200 SEK/day including electricity.

The site is in an excellent location for visiting Varnhem Abbey Church, for example (about 5 km and there is a cycle path). When we were here, the signs were a little small and unclear, but the owners carefully noted our comments, so it is quite possible that the signs are already clearer! For us it was a very nice evening at the campsite together with Britt-Marie and Lars!

See more in the neighbourhood

Not far from Varnhem is Gudhem with its church and monastery ruins. On the way there, you can also stop at Ekornavallen, where you can see a large number of impressive ancient tombs of various models. It's also not too far to get to the marvellous Läckö Castleand the nearby Spiken fishing harbour. A further proposal is to discover beautiful Vänersborg.

Facts about Varnhem

Municipality: Skara municipality
County: Västra Götaland County
Population: Approximately 700
Attractions: Varnhem Abbey Church, Varnhem Abbey Ruin and Kata Farm.

Facts about Varnhem Abbey Church

Inaugurated: 1150s
Pin: Diocese of Skara
Parish: Valle parish
Sights in the church: The Lekbrödra altar with Birger Jarl's tomb, a 17th century pulpit, a founder's picture of Birger Jarl in a ducal crown on a pillar, a 13th century baptismal font, the De la Gardie Memorial Hall, a memorial room for kings, a high altar with an altarpiece from the 17th century and more.
Sights around the church: Varnhem monastery ruins, Kata farm and Rosenstigen (2 km hiking trail around the monastery area).
Service: A café with sandwiches and pastries is located next to the church. Information is available at Ryttargården.
Opening hours and guided tours: For information on opening hours and guided tours, see Varnhem's website.

Find your way to Varnhem

Car: Varnhem is located along road 49, between Skara and Skövde.

READ MORE: Campsites and caravan parks in Västergötland
READ MORE: Things to do in Västergötland - sights and experiences
READ MORE: Churches in Sweden - 25 very beautiful Swedish churches
READ MORE: Holidays in Sweden - your guide to Sweden's best destinations

Helena

29 July 2020 6:00

Sweden

history, Motorhome holidays Sweden, culture, churches-ruins, nature, experiences in Europe, Västergötland

Helena

Administrator

23 Comments

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Solan says:

The pike is so much fun. Will probably check the fish counter for purchases later.
Vallevägen, great tips, we will be in the area in a few weeks....
Good continued roll! ?

29 July 2020 - 8:27

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Glad that you will also roll in the corners! Vallevägen is nice! ??
  
  29 July 2020 - 15:18
  
  Reply
Maria/Magnolia Magis says:

What a great post! You got most of it and much more! It was a lovely day even with the rain, and laughter?...no?!!! You are as good as you seem via the blog!

29 July 2020 - 8:48

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Glad you liked the post! And likewise, great to see you! ??
  
  29 July 2020 - 15:19
  
  Reply
Ama de casa says:

Really a beautiful church and so much fun to meet blog friends irl too 🙂 ).

Keep up the good work!

29 July 2020 - 9:09

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Isn't it fun to meet blogging friends! The blogging world is great! ??
  
  29 July 2020 - 15:19
  
  Reply
Ninny says:

Nice pictures and so much fun to read about places that are close to my childhood neighbourhood!
So beautiful there - I think, of course... 😉.

29 July 2020 - 9:19

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Glad we were close to your childhood neighbourhood! Agree that it is nice here!
  
  29 July 2020 - 15:20
  
  Reply
Elisabeth says:

We have visited Varnhem Abbey Church and many other places. When we read the books about Arn, we did a tour to see what the different places looked like in the present day. Since then we have done many other tours. Åsele toe is a place we can recommend with the possibility to stay overnight in the car park. Fun with new sites and that you met B-m and Lars.

29 July 2020 - 9:49

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Fun to travel after the places in the books!!! Thanks for the tip about Åsele toe! We have had time to turn further, so we will have to save it for another occasion!
  
  29 July 2020 - 15:22
  
  Reply
Goatfish says:

What fun! Now you are in my domains, if one may say so 😀 Many are the times that I have been in Vallbygden and walked, been at Varnhem, Gudhem and everything around there. Kata farm. Ekornavallen, hiked, spent the night at Hornborgasjön in various places.
Läckö Castle and Spiken fishing village, where I was on Monday with my daughter and son-in-law! I have been there as many times as possible. This year I have taken the unguided tour twice and they have opened up all four floors for visitors, fantastic.

29 July 2020 - 10:46

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  I hear that you know these areas well! Then you will probably recognise yourself in some more posts coming soon too! ??
  
  29 July 2020 - 15:23
  
  Reply
Lena in Wales says:

Varnhem, an important part of "my" landscape's history. A landscape with a rich history. Perhaps the cradle of Sweden? But we probably don't all agree on that. I was quite involved in this when Dag Stålsjö raised the issue sometime in the 1980s. So interesting then. He didn't live too far from where I lived at the time, so as a history buff, I was kind of drawn into the whole thing.
Have a nice trip!

29 July 2020 - 11:14

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Yes, there is a lot of Swedish history in these parts!!! And thank you!
  
  29 July 2020 - 15:24
  
  Reply
Ebba Larsson says:

Enjoy reading about our neighbourhood! Vallevägen is beautiful in all seasons, perhaps best in spring when the fruit trees are in bloom. There are many nice hiking trails in the area. You are soooo welcome back! It was nice and instructive to meet you and talk about pitches. Thanks for all the good advice we got about AxvallsIF's site here in the village. Now we can work further! Welcome back when you have the roads past! Regards Ebba and Stig Larsson

29 July 2020 - 11:44

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Glad you enjoyed our post! A very exciting and interesting visit! Nice to meet you and good luck with the site!
  
  29 July 2020 - 15:26
  
  Reply
Annika in Spain says:

Now you drove exactly right! Welcome "home" I would like to say, home to my neighbourhood 🙂 .

29 July 2020 - 11:45

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bmlarstravellingblog says:

What a nice post and nice pictures. That you become so homesick when I lived in Varnhem and hardly understood that our church where the children had Lucia trains and school graduations is so incredibly unique.
(The stop the day before was a real success).

29 July 2020 - 13:00

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BP says:

Talk about a monastery church that looks nothing like one. A very cool building. And the building at the Naturum is no slouch either. Different. The pike - is it a stew? In any case, it is much sweeter than a real pike which also tastes like throat medicine;-)

29 July 2020 - 17:37

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Matts Torebring says:

Wow, amazing what a church. So many times seeing the signs and just driving by. You are creating extra work for many of us, I'm sure.

29 July 2020 - 18:46

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Deciree says:

But what a pity that we have been too far up again to be able to visit there as you did....super nice it seemed to be. Fun with bloggers to socialise with...too bad we were not there. Hugs

29 July 2020 - 20:29

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4000mil says:

Now you are in my sister's neighbourhood. I have been there a lot over the years. But mostly spending time with family and doing children's activities.

29 July 2020 - 22:14

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Emma, sun like sun? says:

What a stunningly beautiful church, like the building itself from mainly the outside. Definitely different.

The road was very beautiful, looks so Swedish.

Nice with the blogger meeting and that you could help with tips on the site! It must be worth its weight in gold for them and what nice advertising they have now received from you.

30 July 2020 - 11:33

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Varnhem - Varnhem monastery and abbey church

Varnhem and the Varnhem Abbey Church

To Varnhem via the charming Vallevägen.

Varnhem Abbey Church

Varnhem Monastery

Kata farm - from the time before the monks

Naturum Hornborgarsjön

New car park in Axvall

See more in the neighbourhood

Facts about Varnhem

Facts about Varnhem Abbey Church

Find your way to Varnhem

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23 Comments

Solan says:

Helena says:

Maria/Magnolia Magis says:

Helena says:

Ama de casa says:

Helena says:

Ninny says:

Helena says:

Elisabeth says:

Helena says:

Goatfish says:

Helena says:

Lena in Wales says:

Helena says:

Ebba Larsson says:

Helena says:

Annika in Spain says:

bmlarstravellingblog says:

BP says:

Matts Torebring says:

Deciree says:

4000mil says:

Emma, sun like sun? says:

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