Gammelstad Church Town Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Church Town of Gammelstad, Luleå
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Gammelstad Church Town
Location	Gammelstaden, Luleå Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden
Criteria	Cultural: (ii), (iv), (v)
Inscription	1996 (20th Session)
Area	16.402 ha (40.53 acres)
Buffer zone	243.474 ha (601.64 acres)

Gammelstad Church Town (in Swedish: Gammelstads kyrkstad) is a very special place in Sweden. It's located about 10 kilometers north of Luleå, close to the Gulf of Bothnia. This unique town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was added to the list in 1996 because it's the best example of a church town that used to be common in northern Scandinavia.

The town is found about 10 kilometers up the Lule River. In the middle of Gammelstad is the Nederluleå Church, built in the 1400s. Around the church, there are 424 wooden houses. People from far away used these houses only on Sundays and during religious holidays. They stayed overnight because it was too far and difficult to travel home the same day.

Since the buildings are made of wood, they need constant care. Workers regularly check for rot and clear snow in winter. This helps keep the old buildings safe and sound.

How Gammelstad Became a Church Town
Town Layout and Preservation
Important Buildings in Gammelstad
Gallery
External links
See also

How Gammelstad Became a Church Town

Gammelstad Church Town started as a place where people traded goods. Over time, it became a very important religious center for farmers nearby. Gammelstad is a wonderfully preserved example of a Scandinavian church town. These towns are special because they grew based on people's religious and social needs. They were not planned because of money or where they were on a map.

The many wooden houses around the church were used only on Sundays. They also served as places to stay during religious festivals. People traveled long distances in a harsh environment to worship here.

Gammelstad became a church town instead of a trading town for an interesting reason. By the 1600s, the town harbor became too shallow for ships. This was due to natural land rising. So, people had to move the main trading area to a new spot. This new place became the city of Luleå. The old church site was then called Gammelstad, meaning "Old Town." Because the trading moved, Gammelstad stayed much the same. It was not changed by the industrial growth that happened later in the 1800s.

Town Layout and Preservation

The way Gammelstad is laid out has been kept exactly as it was. The town plan developed naturally over hundreds of years. Roads lead from all directions towards the church. Other roads circle the town center along the sides of the hill. A wall with gates was built around the church. The wall you see today is a reconstruction.

Building stopped in the mid-1600s. Today, very few church towns like Gammelstad still exist in Scandinavia. Gammelstad is the best preserved one. This is why UNESCO protects it as a World Heritage Site.

Important Buildings in Gammelstad

There are 520 buildings in the Gammelstad Church Town World Heritage Site. This includes 404 church cottages. These cottages are divided into about 552 separate rooms. There are also 116 other buildings.

The church cottages were used for short stays by people coming to worship. Next to them are larger, more regular houses. These were for officials and merchants who lived in the town all the time. Both types of houses surround the church. The church was built in the late 1400s and is the only stone building in the area. Its large size shows how well-off the region was.

Other important buildings include the Chapel of Bethel, the Cottage of the Separatists, and the Parish House. You can also see the Tithe Barn, the Mayor's Residence, the Captain's Residence, and the Guest House.