In the countryside, just a short distance from Stockholm, is the village of Håtuna. The village was once the center of the local parish and includes the church and the settlement around it. It is today a part of Upplands-Bro Municipality and Stockholm County. Historically this area was a part of the province of Uppland. A bit to the northeast of the settlement is the former royal residence of Håtunaholm, another historical site and the location for some of the main events in the history of early Sweden.
A Short History of Håtuna
Håtuna Parish was first mentioned in a document from 1292. The parish has its origins in the Middle Ages and the church was inaugurated already in the 12th century. The parish is most famous for “Håtunaleken”, the Håtuna Games. This is the name of the early 14th-century conflict between the Swedish king Birger Magnussson and his two younger brothers, the dukes Erik and Valdemar. The games took place in Håtunaholm, a village and royal estate north of the church settlement. The games resulted in the king’s imprisonment for two years at Nyköping Castle and later culminated in the Nyköping Banquet in 1317.
For the settlement around the church, little has probably changed over the centuries. It continued to be the center of the Håtuna Parish and later Håtuna Congregation until 2010 when it was integrated into Bro Congregation. The area is since 1952 a part of what is today Upplands-Bro Municipality. The former area of the parish is today remembered as a local district. The district has received the same borders as the congregation had in the year 2000 and has today a population of around 670 inhabitants.
Things to Do and See
Håtuna is home to the church and a few runestones. This is also, after all, the Swedish countryside. So expect to find nature around the corner. In addition, there is also Håtunaholm close by. This is another historical location in the area.
Håtuna Church
Håtuna Church has its origins in the 12th century and it is the most historical building here. It might have seen several reconstructions during the centuries. The church was the center of the parish and later the congregation up until 2010 and is since a part of Bro Congregation.
The clock tower stands on a hill a few hundred meters from the church and it dates back to the 1730s.
The Runestones
There are a few runestones to explore in and around the church. U 660 is inside the church itself and then there is U 655 standing at the enclosing walls of the graveyard.
How to Get to Håtuna
- Flights: The closest airport is Stockholm-Arlanda Airport (ARN), 26 kilometers away with both domestic and international flights.
- Car: Håtuna is along road 269, north of Upplands Bro.
- Bus: Local and regional SL buses connect the area with the surrounding region.
- Train: There are train stations in both Bålsta and Upplands-Bro, both with SL commuter trains to and from Stockholm.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 50 kilometers (44 min)
- Gothenburg – 459 kilometers (5 h 25 min)
- Malmö – 664 kilometers (6 h 56 min)
- Linköping – 251 kilometers (2 h 48 min)
- Kiruna – 1204 kilometers (13 h 57 min)
Find out more about other destinations in Sweden by visiting our page Exploring Sweden
