Dalarna in Sweden is considered exclusively rural, but that’s not true. In fact, there are deep industrial traditions in Dalarne, Sweden.
Bergslagen district has been mined for a millennium, and the whole area is now a Unesco World Heritage site. The most impressive industrial site is the 17th-century Falu Gruva (Falu Mine) on the edge of the provincial capital Falun, with machinery, museum and 1½ hour tours into the depths.
Copper was extracted here, as were the iron pigments used to color the iconic Falu Red paint, liberally applied to all Sweden’s little red houses.
Hedemora claims to be the oldest town in Dalarne with a charter dated 1459; its privileges as a market town go back even further than that, while parts of the church are 13th-century. The locals have devised Husbyringen, a 56km (5-mile) “museum trail” which you can take by car through the area northeast of the town to see a number of industrial archeology sites.
Also worth visiting is Säter, one of the best preserved wooden towns in Sweden. Compared with Hedemora it is quite an upstart, with a town charter dated 1642. The ravines of the Säter Valley were created at the end of the Ice Age and are of interest for their flora.
There are also other attractions in Dalarne worth visiting.
Industrial Traditions in Dalarna, Sweden, written by Tor Kjolberg
Feature image (on top): Falu Mine. Photo © Visit Dalarne