Hamra is a small settlement in Eskilstuna Municipality in Södermanland County. It was once the center of Ärla Parish and houses the parish church. The locality of Ärla, which was built around the former railway station, is around 7 kilometers to the east.
A Short History of Hamra
Ärla Parish has its origins in the Middle Ages and it used to have a medieval church. The medieval church was, however, demolished in 1783 and replaced by the current church a few years later. The parish church made Hamra the center of social and religious life within the parish. That lasted up until the Swedish Municipal Reform of 1862. This was when the parish responsibilities were split between the local government of Ärla Municipality and the church congregation. Ärla Municipality was in 1952 incorporated into Stenkvista Municipality, which in turn became a part of Eskilstuna Municipality in 1971. The church congregation is since 2006 a part of the Stenkvista-Ärla Congregation.
Things to Do and See
This is the countryside just south of the city of Eskilstuna. Hamra is in the middle of farmland and small forests. There are plenty of small countryside roads to explore in this part of Sweden, either by hiking or cycling. Driving a car is, of course, also a possibility to get around but might get you to lose some of that countryside feeling.
Ärla Church
Ärla Church was inaugurated in 1789 and its tower was added in 1845. This yellow stone church is today one of the churches of the Stenkvista-Ärla Congregation within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden.
How to Get to Hamra
- Flights: Stockholm Skavsta Airport (NYO) is 68 kilometers to the south.
- Car: Hamra is along Road 53 between Eskilstuna and Malmköping.
- Bus: Buses from Sörmlandstrafiken connect Hamra with the surrounding region.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 117 kilometers (1 h 37 min)
- Gothenburg – 413 kilometers (4 h 27 min)
- Malmö – 556 kilometers (5 h 50 min)
- Linköping – 145 kilometers (1 h 49 min)
- Kiruna – 1283 kilometers (15 h 51 min)
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