Skara

Skara, with its 11,000 inhabitants, is one of Sweden's oldest towns, and has recently been voted Skaraborg's most beautiful town. It has many stunning buildings and a wonderful atmosphere. Several famous Swedish architects of the 19th and 20th centuries designed many of the town's buildings. For example the tower by Ernst Torulf. Ivar Tengbom, the architect behind Stockholm's concert hall, contributed to the rebuilding of Skara's cathedral. Ragar Östberg, the architect of Stockholm's town hall, designed Skara's railway station.

Skara Cathedral is one of Sweden's largest churches. Its present style dates from the High Gothic of the 14th century, while some parts of the church date back to the 11th century. There is a unique crypt,  from the 11th century, which was used as a resting place for the first bishops of the diocese. The present choir dates from the beginning of the 13th century, while the nave and transept, which gave the building its High Gothic character, date mainly from the early 14th century. These parts were built with local sandstone. The church has been restored several times, including as a result of the Danish-Swedish wars and major fires. The cathedral is a modern building with a diverse touch of medieval architecture. The church is also worth visiting for its art collection.

In Skara you can choose to visit the Västergötland Museum and the Veterinary Museum. Västergötland Museum has permanent exhibitions showing life as it was in the area over time and a varying number of temporary exhibitions. Behind Västergötland Museum you find the open-air museum Fornbyn; an idyllic museum in 1930s buildings. The museum portrays the area's old farming community.

About a 5-minute walk from the hotel, but in more rural surroundings at Veterinärgatan 7, you find The Veterinary Museum. It is housed in a beautiful building that was once Sweden's first veterinary school and is now Sweden's only veterinary museum. It presents the development of the veterinary profession over 250 years using modern museum teaching methods.
For history buffs, we can further recommend the ruins of the Franciscan monastery church of St. Katarina. Be sure to check opening times before visiting.

In Skara's centre you can shop in serene shops with a distinctive medieval atmosphere. There are also welcoming cafés and restaurants.