Bälinge is a church and former parish in Nyköping Municipality in Södermanland County. This is the countryside of eastern Sweden and the church is neighboring the small settlement of Sundby to the west and Tybble to the east. It is a short distance to the southeast of the locality of Tystberga and has its yellow stone church at its center.
This small settlement and its church should not be confused with the locality of Bälinge in Uppsala Municipality.
A Short History of Bälinge
Bälinge Parish has its origins in the Middle Ages and its stone church dates back to the 13th century. The parish once covered a large archipelago with some former islands that today due to the tectonic uplift are part of the Swedish mainland. The parish had its responsibilities up until the Swedish Municipal Reform of 1862. This was when the responsibilities were split between the local government of Bälinge Municipality and the church congregation. The municipality was in 1952 incorporated into Tystberga Municipality, which in turn became a part of Nyköping Municipality in 1971. The church congregation is since 2002 a part of Tystbergabygden Congregation.
Things to Do and See
Welcome to the Swedish countryside! The area around Bälinge is filled with gems to explore once you have had a look at the local church. This area includes the castle and nature reserve of Nynäs. The area also has the famous Stendörren Nature Reserve with its suspension bridges. The many countryside roads around here are perfect for hiking and cycling. Maybe you will end up all the way in Nyköping or Vagnhärad.
Bälinge Church
This former parish church has quite an interesting appearance. This yellow stone church has a white tower on one of its sides. The tower is the burial vault of Erik Gyllenstierna and his wife Beata von Yxkull. It is one of a few sights that the castle of Nynäs lies within the parish boundaries. The church is today one of the churches making up the Tystbergabygden Congregation within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden.
How to Get to Bälinge
- Flights: Stockholm Skavsta Airport (NYO) is 28 kilometers to the west.
- Car: Bälinge is along Road E4 between Nyköping and Vagnhärad.
- Bus: Buses from Sörmlandstrafiken connect Bälinge with the surrounding region.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 83 kilometers (1 h 6 min)
- Gothenburg – 392 kilometers (4 h 17 min)
- Malmö – 535 kilometers (5 h 44 min)
- Linköping – 124 kilometers (1 h 24 min)
- Kiruna – 1314 kilometers (15 h 21 min)
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