Skara facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Skara
|
||
|---|---|---|
|
||
|
||
 Skara
Location in Västra Götaland
Skara
Location in Sweden
|
||
| Country | Sweden | |
| Province | Västergötland | |
| County | Västra Götaland County | |
| Municipality | Skara Municipality | |
| Charter | 988 | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 440.1 km2 (169.9 sq mi) | |
| Population | ||
| • Total | 18,580 | |
| • Density | 42.2/km2 (109/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) | |
| Climate | Dfb | |
Skara is a small city in Sweden. It is located in the Västra Götaland County. In 2013, about 18,580 people lived there. Even though it is not very big, Skara is one of Sweden's oldest cities. It has a long history, especially in education and church matters. One of Sweden's oldest high schools, Katedralskolan, is in Skara.
Contents
Where is Skara Located?
Skara is in the middle of a region called Västergötland. It is about 130 kilometers (80 miles) northeast of Gothenburg. You can find it right next to the E20 motorway. Another city, Skövde, is about 25 kilometers (15 miles) east of Skara, across some hills.
What is Skara's Weather Like?
Skara has a humid continental climate. This means it has warm summers and cold winters. However, because it is close to the Kattegat sea and Lake Vänern, the weather is a bit milder. Summers are not too hot, and winter temperatures usually stay around freezing.
| Climate data for Skara (2002–2021 averages), extremes since 1901 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 9.9 (49.8) |
13.2 (55.8) |
19.1 (66.4) |
27.6 (81.7) |
29.0 (84.2) |
33.8 (92.8) |
34.0 (93.2) |
34.5 (94.1) |
26.2 (79.2) |
21.1 (70.0) |
16.1 (61.0) |
11.5 (52.7) |
34.5 (94.1) |
| Mean maximum °C (°F) | 6.8 (44.2) |
7.3 (45.1) |
12.4 (54.3) |
19.0 (66.2) |
24.4 (75.9) |
27.1 (80.8) |
28.7 (83.7) |
27.3 (81.1) |
22.4 (72.3) |
16.0 (60.8) |
11.4 (52.5) |
8.0 (46.4) |
29.9 (85.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 0.9 (33.6) |
1.3 (34.3) |
5.2 (41.4) |
11.6 (52.9) |
16.6 (61.9) |
20.4 (68.7) |
22.4 (72.3) |
21.0 (69.8) |
16.7 (62.1) |
10.3 (50.5) |
5.7 (42.3) |
2.5 (36.5) |
11.2 (52.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −1.5 (29.3) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
1.5 (34.7) |
6.5 (43.7) |
11.3 (52.3) |
15.0 (59.0) |
17.3 (63.1) |
16.2 (61.2) |
12.5 (54.5) |
7.1 (44.8) |
3.4 (38.1) |
0.3 (32.5) |
7.4 (45.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −3.9 (25.0) |
−4.0 (24.8) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
1.3 (34.3) |
5.9 (42.6) |
9.6 (49.3) |
12.1 (53.8) |
11.4 (52.5) |
8.2 (46.8) |
3.9 (39.0) |
1.1 (34.0) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
3.4 (38.2) |
| Mean minimum °C (°F) | −14.7 (5.5) |
−13.4 (7.9) |
−10.1 (13.8) |
−5.0 (23.0) |
−1.3 (29.7) |
3.7 (38.7) |
7.1 (44.8) |
5.1 (41.2) |
0.4 (32.7) |
−3.9 (25.0) |
−7.3 (18.9) |
−11.2 (11.8) |
−17.8 (0.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −32.0 (−25.6) |
−33.7 (−28.7) |
−29.3 (−20.7) |
−22.8 (−9.0) |
−7.8 (18.0) |
−4.0 (24.8) |
3.0 (37.4) |
−2.8 (27.0) |
−6.5 (20.3) |
−15.0 (5.0) |
−22.5 (−8.5) |
−26.3 (−15.3) |
−33.7 (−28.7) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 42.6 (1.68) |
35.4 (1.39) |
31.5 (1.24) |
31.7 (1.25) |
52.8 (2.08) |
79.9 (3.15) |
92.0 (3.62) |
89.0 (3.50) |
57.2 (2.25) |
66.6 (2.62) |
55.9 (2.20) |
52.3 (2.06) |
686.9 (27.04) |
| Source 1: SMHI Open Data - Precipitation for Skara | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: SMHI Open Data - Temperature for Skara | |||||||||||||
Skara's Long History
Local stories say that Skara was founded in the year 988 AD. This makes it one of the oldest cities of Sweden. It was one of only two important cities in the area that would become Västergötland. Skara was also the place where the regional assembly, called the Thing of all Geats, met.
Skara as a Religious Center
Around 1000 AD, Sweden started to become Christian. Skara then became a very important religious center. It was the home of the bishop, and there have been bishops of Skara ever since. Many important meetings were held in Skara during the Middle Ages. For example, a big meeting in 1458 helped decide on the Kalmar Union. This union brought Sweden, Denmark, and Norway together.
Monasteries and Churches
During the Middle Ages, many monasteries and churches were built in Skara.
- The first monastery was for the Dominican order, called Saint Olaf, and it opened in 1234.
- Another monastery was for the Franciscan order, known as Saint Catherine, built in 1259.
Skara Cathedral
The Skara Cathedral is a very old church. People believe its first foundations were laid around 1050 AD. The current cathedral was officially opened in 1150. However, recent discoveries show it might be even older, perhaps by a hundred years! The way it looks today is mostly from changes made in the 1880s.
Old Discoveries in the Cathedral
Many old items from the Middle Ages have been found in or near the Skara Cathedral. For example, a special cup (chalice) belonging to Bishop Adalvard the Elder was found in his grave. He died in 1064. This cup, called the Adalvardskalken, was even used in church services for a while.
Another important find is the Skara Missal. This is a book with 44 pages of old Catholic texts and hymns from the 11th century. You can see it on display in Skara. Other ancient objects have also been found during digs at the old monasteries and churches.
Education in Skara
Skara is also a place for learning. A part of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet) is located here. This university focuses on farming and nature.
Fun Things to See and Do in Skara
Skara has many interesting places to visit!
Skara Cathedral and Museums
In the center of the city, you can see the impressive Skara Cathedral. It is a beautiful and historic building. Not far from the Cathedral is the Museum of Västergötland. This museum shows the history of the local area. Next to it is an open-air museum called Fornbyn. It has old houses and buildings that show how people used to live.
Nature and Wildlife
If you visit in early spring, you might see thousands of cranes gathering near Lake Hornborga. They stop there during their long journey from southern Europe to northern Scandinavia. It's a very popular sight for tourists in March and April.
Varnhem Abbey
Outside the city, in the same municipality, is Varnhem. Here you can find a medieval Cistercian abbey. It also has the remains of what might be the oldest Christian church in Sweden. Near the abbey, you can see the ruins of a Cistercian monastery built around 1150 AD.
Amusement Park Fun
Skara is also known for its fun places. The Skara Sommarland is a very popular amusement park. It is famous all over Sweden, especially for its water park. It has exciting water chutes and artificial rivers for rafts.
More Museums
Besides the Västergötland museum, there is also a railway museum called Järnvägs. It's a great place to learn about old trains.
Skara's Sister Cities
Skara has "sister cities" in other countries. This means they have special friendly connections. Skara is twinned with:
Radviliškis, Lithuania
Eidsvoll, Norway
Sorø, Denmark
Fljótsdalshérað, Iceland
Zeven, Germany
See also
In Spanish: Skara para niños
