Lysekil Municipality Facts for Kids

Lysekil Municipality (called Lysekils kommun in Swedish) is a special area in western Sweden. It is part of Västra Götaland County. The main town and center of the municipality is Lysekil.

This municipality was created in 1971. It brought together the old City of Lysekil (which became a city in 1903) with two other areas: Stångenäs and the island of Skaftö.

Geography of Lysekil Municipality
History of Lysekil
Herring Fishing History
Protected Buildings
Images for kids
See also

Geography of Lysekil Municipality

Slävik, Härnäset.

Lysekil Municipality is located on the coast. It shares borders with other municipalities. To the north-west, it borders Sotenäs. To the north, it borders Munkedal. To the east, it borders Uddevalla. The main town of Lysekil is found at the very southern tip of the municipality. It sits right by the Kattegatt strait, which is a narrow sea passage.

Gullmarn Fjord: Sweden's Only True Fjord

To the east, there is a large bay called Gullmarsfjorden, or Gullmarn. This bay forms the border with Uddevalla. It is special because it is Sweden's only true fjord. A fjord is a long, narrow, deep inlet of the sea between high cliffs. Gullmarn is about 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) long. It is also between 1 and 3 kilometers (0.6 to 1.8 miles) wide. At its deepest point, it reaches 118.5 meters (389 feet) down.

The entrance to the fjord is quite shallow, only 20-40 meters deep on average. This shallow entrance creates a unique environment. It allows for special marine life to thrive inside the fjord. Gullmarn is currently Sweden's only protected marine nature area. Many marine research centers are located here. They study the fjord because it is like a small, easy-to-study ocean environment.

Islands and Coastal Communities

Some of the small islands in Lysekil Municipality are part of the Gothenburg archipelago. Many of these islets are like tiny communities. They have interesting stories about trading, fishing, and stone quarrying. Besides their history, they are also known for their beautiful natural scenery.

Main Towns and Villages

Here are some of the main towns and villages in Lysekil Municipality and their populations:

Lysekil (the main town), with about 7,300 people.
Brastad, with about 1,800 people.
Lyse, with about 1,700 people.
Brodalen, with about 1,050 people.
Grundsund, with about 627 people.
Fiskebäckskil, with about 438 people.
Rixö, with about 357 people.

History of Lysekil

Postcard from Fiskebäckskil around 1900.

People have lived in the Lysekil area for a very long time. They have always used the water, wood, soil, and stone around them.

Fishing and the Sea

Lysekil has a protected harbor. It is surrounded by water and reaches out towards the rich fishing grounds of the Kattegatt and the North Sea. Because of this, Lysekil has always been strongly connected to the fishing and canning industries. The municipal coat of arms shows two fish. The old coat of arms from 1895 showed a jumping dolphin. These symbols clearly show how important the sea has been to the area.

A Popular Bathing Spot

In the 1800s, Lysekil became a very famous place for bathing. Many visitors came from other parts of Sweden, especially from Stockholm and the East coast. For them, the salty waters of the Baltic Sea were different from Lysekil's granite beaches and the fresh water of Gullmarsfjorden.

The Kallbadhuset, or "cold bathing house," is a special wooden building from 1847. It was once quite exclusive but very popular. It is still used today! There's a local story that the King of Sweden once visited. He supposedly asked that ordinary people from the town be allowed into the Kallbadhuset. He liked the everyday people of Lysekil, who usually weren't allowed inside the bathing house.

Economy Today

In the past, the main jobs in Lysekil were fishing, sailing, farming, stone-cutting, and forestry. These activities are still important today. However, the economy has grown to include other industries. These include petroleum refining (at Preemraff in Lyse) and light industry (like Husqvarna in Brastad). Tourism is also a big part of the economy, especially during the summer months.

Herring Fishing History

Herring fishing has played a huge role in Lysekil's past. For some reason, large schools of herring often came close to the coast in Bohuslän for long periods. This made it easy to catch huge amounts of fish. Herring fishing was popular even in the Middle Ages. But it was especially important during these times: 1556-1589, 1747-1809, and 1877-1906. During these years, salted herring was sold and shipped all over the world. This brought a lot of wealth to the area.

You can still find signs of old herring fisheries in Lysekil. Many are on Härnäset, Stora Skeppsholmen, and Saltö. There are also several old factory buildings. This is where the herring was prepared and packaged for sale.

Protected Buildings

Lysekil Municipality has three buildings that are "listed buildings." A listed building (called byggnadsminne in Swedish) is a building that is legally protected. This means it cannot be changed or torn down easily. It is preserved because it is important for culture and history. The county administrative board (Länsstyrelsen) and the Swedish National Heritage Board (Riksantikvarieämbetet) decide which buildings become listed.

The three listed buildings in Lysekil are:

Curmanska villorna
Wilhelmsons villa
Härnäsets folkets hus

Other important buildings and areas in Lysekil are also protected. These are protected through special plans controlled by the municipality. Some of these places include the old town area (Gamlestan), Fiskebäckskil, and Östersidan.