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Jakriborg in Skåne - inspired by the Middle Ages

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Jakriborg is a residential area on the Scanian plain, just south of Lund, that looks like a cross between a medieval Hanseatic city and a modern fairytale town. Here, colourful houses with steep roofs, cobbled streets and signs for 'specerier' and 'charkuterier' meet.

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Jakriborg

Jakriborg is sometimes described as a 'pastiche', that is, something clearly inspired by an older style. And that's certainly the feeling you get when you drive through the Scanian plains. In the middle of 'nothing' rises a residential area that looks like something out of a film about a late medieval Hanseatic city. Only the sea and the ships are missing ...

Jakriborg

Jakriborg is located between Lund and Malmö in Skåne, with about 6 kilometres to central Lund and about 10 kilometres to central Malmö.

One night at Rovelyckan Garden & Ställplats

We are on a motorhome trip that will take us from western Skåne and up along the west coast of Sweden. Our first stop in Skåne was at Rovelyckans Trädgård & Ställplats in Höör. This visit was a stroke of luck! The site is fantastically nice and well maintained, with the opportunity to fill and empty tanks.

We immediately felt the love and care behind the place, with beautiful flower boxes, brochures on display and the opportunity to swipe for an ice cream. In the evening, the owner came by to offer home-grown tomatoes and welcomed us to take a look at the beautiful garden. The price was 140 SEK/day without electricity or 170 SEK/day with electricity.

Trolleholm Castle

The next morning we set off and made a first stop at Trolleholm Castle in Svalöv. There has been a castle here since the Middle Ages, and the current castle was built in the 1760s. It got its current fairytale appearance at the end of the 19th century, when it was renovated in Renaissance style.

Trolleholm Castle is very beautiful, but it is completely private so you can't get any closer than the gate. At least not unless you are a company that has booked an exclusive conference.

A visit to Jakriborg

Then it was time to visit Jakriborg! We parked the motorhome just outside the residential area and walked into the cobblestone streets. The houses that line the streets have steeply sloping roofs and are painted in soft tones of beige, yellow, orange, red, green, blue and grey.

Jakriborg

The houses are reminiscent of towns in Denmark and northern Germany, rather than Sweden, and both squares and streets have a medieval feel.

There is a sign in the shape of a comb outside the hairdresser's and a pretzel outside the bakery. On the walls of grocery stores you can read 'charcuterie' and 'spices'.

Behind Jakriborg is the main railway line, and to protect the neighbourhood from noise and dust, a 'city wall' has been built, which of course looks like it's straight out of the Middle Ages.

In fact, the neighbourhood is not very old. Architects Robin Manger and Marcus Axelsson, through the property company Jakri AB, realised their idea sometime in the 1990s, and the first tenants moved in in 1999.

Jakriborg

The project has received both praise and criticism, both in terms of style and maintenance. We don't know what it's like to live here. What we do know is that it feels a bit like stepping into a fairy tale when you come here as a tourist.

Jakriborg

It was very quiet on the streets when we were here, and we only saw a few people walking, cycling or popping into a shop. But at Christmas time, there is apparently a Christmas market organised in Jakriborg, and that sounds nice!

Jakriborg

The gables of Måntorp

After our visit to Jakriborg, we sought out a few more places that were on our "list". Peter likes ruins and so the motorhome rolled to the gables of Månstorp in Vellinge in south-west Skåne. Månstorp is a former manor house dating back to the Middle Ages. In the 16th century, a Renaissance castle was built here, with a five-metre high circular rampart and moat.

Borgeby Castle

We made one more stop before it was time to roll towards Landskronanamely Borgeby Castle in the municipality of Lomma. There was probably a fortress in the area as early as the 11th century and a stone house was built on the site in the 12th century. Since at least 1410 the castle belonged to the Archbishop of Lund.

The castle was burned both in 1452 and 1678, and has been rebuilt and restored several times. Today, it is home to a café and conference centre, and the place felt very pleasant with a shop, museum and canoe rental in the Kävlinge River.

More to see and do near Jakriborg

From Jakriborg you are close to both exciting Lund and to lovely Malmö. In Lund, we can recommend a visit to Lund Cathedral and a visit to the open-air museum Cultures. Nearby are also nature areas such as Skrylle, Dalby quarry and Dalby Söderskog National Park.

All our top tips for holidays in Skåne

Have you visited Jakriborg and how was your experience? Do you like this type of attraction?

Facts about Jakriborg

  • Landscape: Skåne
  • County: Skåne County
  • Municipality: Staffanstorp
  • Urban centre: Cereals
  • Location: Near the village of Uppåkra, a few kilometres south of Lund.
  • Style: Inspired by pre-industrial style, Hanseatic coastal towns and medieval buildings. Jakriborg is considered a Swedish example of neo-urbanism.
  • Architects: Robin Manger and Marcus Axelsson
  • Construction of property companies: Jakri AB, founded in 1983 by Jan and Krister Berggren.
  • First occupation: 1999

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