Let’s investigate the best things to do in Lund.
Lund was as the seat of an archbishopric that ruled over the entire Nordic region during the Middle Ages. The magnificent cathedral, the largest Romanesque structure in Scandinavia, speaks to this spiritual force. In Lund, a green city known for its prestigious university and where the final moments of Ingmar Bergman’s timeless Wild Strawberries were filmed, it must be the first thing you do.
In the heart of the city, in a small area of historic buildings, lies Sweden’s second-oldest outdoor museum, where traditional crafts and everyday life are still practiced today much as they were before the arrival of industrialization. Additionally, as a center of higher learning, Lund is brimming with educational attractions connected to the university, including a top-notch museum of famous painters’ early sketches and a botanical park.
1. Lund Cathedral
Lund Cathedral, regarded as Sweden’s finest example of Romanesque architecture, contains features that haven’t changed in 900 years.
These earliest components, which blend Rhenish and Lombard architectural forms, are particularly noticeable in the crypt and apse.
Check out the 1123-dated altar and the chiseled pillars below. A magnificent astronomical clock from 1380 is located upstairs. The hours are marked by two mechanical knights, and the phases of the moon and the direction of sunset are indicated on the astronomical dial.
Finally, in the choir, which is dimly lit due to the small Romanesque windows, you will see the 14th-century stalls. Then, go up to the altar to see the magnificent 1382 gilded Gothic altarpiece.
2. Kulturen
The open-air museum in Lund is Sweden’s second-oldest after the one in Stockholm.
Between the Cathedral and the Botanical Garden, it is an entire historic district that first opened its doors in 1892.
Some of the museum’s structures have been here forever, while others were transported in pieces so they could be preserved.
This beautiful facility has about 30 exhibition rooms that let you immerse yourself in daily and occupational life on the Lund Peninsula in the past.
Silverware, porcelain, and jewelry from the Scania province are included in the museum’s collection of more than two million artifacts, which is housed in the bigger buildings that serve as galleries.
In addition, there are runestones in the lapidarium and architectural remnants from destroyed medieval churches in the gardens.
3. Botanical Garden
Since 1690, the University of Lund has maintained a botanical garden of some kind. This relocated a few times before settling in 1868 at its current eight-hectare plot. The garden had more than 6,000 species even then, and it now has 1,000 more.
These are kept in the greenhouse, which has nine distinct climate zones, where about 200 of them are kept.
The flower beds and greenhouse exhibits are labeled to explain what you are looking at for curious minds.
The best time to visit is from May to July, when the gardens are at their most colorful and you may stop for coffee and conversation at the cafe near the pond.
4. Museum of Sketches for Public Art
You may get a unique look at the creative process of some of the most well-known Swedish and worldwide artists at this unique museum.
More than 1,000 artists from 30 different nations are represented in the exhibition with early sketches and models.
For instance, you can view Henry Moore’s different models for his piece Hill Arches in the international sculpture area.
Additionally, preparatory works by other renowned 20th-century painters like Henri Matisse, Fernand Léger, Robert and Sonia Delaunay, Diego Rivera, Siri Derkert, and Elli Hemberg are included.
Browse the sculpture park outside, which features 20 pieces by Swedish artists such Elli Hemberg and Arne Jones.
5. Stadsparken
The municipal park, which was initially planned in 1911, is located southwest of the center. While strolls through the botanical garden are educational, Stadsparken is more of a place to unwind, work out, and have fun.
There is a skate park, a fantastic playground for kids that includes a climbing rock, the only indoor pool in downtown Lund, an outdoor gym, a 10-kilometer hiking track, and even a parkour course.
There are also wide lawns, walks surrounded by mature hardwood trees, and a formal garden with 7,000 perennials for those who prefer to relax.
Where Lund’s medieval city hall, Hogevall, formerly stood, these formal pathways and gardens have been constructed.
6. Lund University Historical Museum
The university’s history museum, which has been open for more than 200 years and is the second-largest museum of its sort in Sweden, is located on Krafts Torg.
The museum relocated here in 1918, and the existing structure dates to the 1840s. This institution is responsible with recording finds made throughout Skne County, therefore the reserve is substantial and contains more than 10 million pieces.
There are implements and weapons from the Stone Age, discoveries from the Uppkra Iron Age village, thousands of coins, and countless works of medieval liturgical art.
The museum also houses an exhibit of historical artifacts that were brought here after university excavations overseas.
7. Drotten Church Ruins
The seat of the archbishopric was this 51-meter-tall, 11th-century church in the heart of Lund; however, it was destroyed during the Reformation in the 15th century.
During excavations in the 1970s and 1980s, the site was rediscovered in fine shape, and the churchyard and remaining pieces of the Lord’s Church were displayed in an underground museum.
On the north wall of the Lord’s Church, an even older building dating to the 900s was discovered during the dig. This church has been suggested as Skne’s first-ever stone church.
There are information boards outlining the significance of the ruins and some of the artifacts discovered in the dig, and admission is free.
8. Holy Cross Priory, Dalby
The oldest stone church still in existence in the Nordic region is just ten minutes drive southeast of Lund.
It was established around 1060 and served as the bishop’s seat for a relatively brief while before being moved a short distance further up the road to Lund.
The baptismal font, which dates to the 11th century and was carved from sandstone quarried in Höör, is the most captivating item inside this evocative Romanesque building.
This is the oldest font in Scandinavia that is still in use. Its base is decorated with carvings of human and animal heads, while the sides feature reliefs of Christ being baptized.
9. Lund University Main Building (Universitetshuset)
Lund University was first established in the 15th century, but it was formally established in 1666 next to the cathedral.
It has established a solid reputation for medical research and is today considered to be one of Europe’s most prominent universities.
The organization manages a number of the museums in Lund, but if there is one structure worth seeing, it is the main structure across Lundagrd Park from the cathedral.
Helgo Zetttervall created the Neoclassical design for this imposing whitewashed monument in 1882.
Keep an eye out for the four stone sphinxes on the roof and admire the pilasters, Corinthian columns, and pediments on the facade.
10. Lundagard
The grassy area between the university’s main building and the cathedral has a fascinating history.
Since the cathedral’s completion in the 12th century, it has been walled off and used as a neighborhood with a university and places of worship.
Along with the royal mint and Krafts Torg, which served as Lund’s principal trading hub and later as a cemetery, there were financial structures as well.
The final of three gates that survived, the entrance to Kulturen, was eventually taken down in 1840, much to the dismay of the university’s students.
11. All Saints’ Church
At the beginning of the 1890s, Helgo Zettervall added yet another structure to the cityscape of Lund when he created this enormous Neo-Gothic church.
Bishop Johan Henrik Thomander started looking for a replacement for Lund Cathedral earlier in the century after it was decided that it was too small to hold the worshippers of the city.
Even now, the church’s size is remarkable, with a 72-meter tower and space for 2,000 people within.
There is a ton of interior decoration to examine, but the stained glass windows in the choir, which were made in Innsbruck and show Christ’s Ascension, are the piece de resistance.
12. Vattenhallen Science Center
This interactive science museum is largely geared toward children and is operated in collaboration with the University of Lund.
The university’s astronomy post-grads and lecturers present two astronomy shows every day at the planetarium on weekends and school holidays.
The variety of activities varies frequently, but all of them require participation from kids, whether they’re building a torch, shooting protons, climbing a “digiwall,” or participating in various chemistry experiments.
13. Lund Art Gallery (Konsthall)
The city’s art gallery is a place to consider and talk about modern art for a taste of the local culture.
Klas Anshelm, a 20th-century Modernist architect, is also to be credited with the building’s 1957 construction, which features large glass panels on the roof that flood the gallery with light.
A free catalogue is released for every exhibition, and the majority of the shows are for Scandinavian art. There are also a few foreign exhibitions each year.
The gallery also has a studio and a research area.
There is no excuse not to find inspiration here since admission to all lectures and exhibitions is completely free.
14. Lundahoj
You’ll be one of many persons navigating the streets on two wheels in Lund because it is a young university town.
The abundance of greenery and light traffic (the majority of people commute by bicycle) make the situation even safer and simpler.
250 bikes are available at 17 locations throughout the city as part of the Lundahof bike sharing program for visitors.
No of how many trips you take throughout the day, the first 30 minutes are always free because of the “30 Minute Rule,” which was instituted to guarantee that there are always enough bikes available.
Therefore, if you know where you’re going, you can get about the city quickly and for nothing.
15. Skrylle
This vast natural area is around 10 minutes east of the city and accessible by car or frequent bus service.
Ten distinct reserves, including ponds, a deserted quarry, deep woodland, and moorland, are located in the Dalby Söderskog National Park.
Three of the easier routes are lit, and there are a few areas of old-growth woodland to explore.
A modest visitor center/museum run by Lund City Council is located in the park and provides information on the geology, history, and wildlife of the area.
