Heby is a small locality in the historical province of Uppland. It is the seat of the local municipality and a part of Uppsala County and it was earlier the church village for Västerlövsta Parish but has today grown. These days the locality has a population of around 2800 inhabitants. The locality is home to many small businesses and shops. One of the largest employers when excluding the municipality itself is the sawmill run by Setra Group AB.
A Short History of Heby
The first known mentioning of Heby dates back to the year 1370. At the time, the village was the center for the Västerlövsta Parish and the current church is from the 15th century.
The history of Heby is closely linked with the production of bricks and brickworks was at the center of Heby’s economy for a long time. The railway arrived here in 1873 and the locality had in the early 20th century several active industries. In addition to the brickworks, several other manufacturers have closed down since then.
Heby Municipality was established in 1971 and was originally a part of Västmanland County. After a public vote at the end of the 1990s, the municipality became a part of neighboring Uppsala County.
Things to Do and See
Heby might not be the first place on your list. However, there are many attractions in and around this small place. In the vicinity of the locality, there are farms, nature, and even elks to see. In addition, there are the historical Västerlövsta Church and the center of the old parish to explore within the urban area.
Heby Tegelbruksmuseum
Heby has a long history of brick manufacturing. Housed in a former brewery is the Heby Brick Museum, which showcases the local history as a national brick center.
Västerlövsta hembygdsgård
Västerlövsta hembygdsgård is the home of the local heritage foundation. The building was moved here in the 1940s and was originally a part of the old Heby village. The name, “Gamla Eriks Ers-gården”, means the old homestead of Erik Ersson.
Västerlövsta Church
This is probably the second-most prominent building in the locality. The Västerlövsta Church has for centuries been the center of the local parish. The church dates back to the 15th century and it probably replaced an older wooden church. The church is today one of the most prominent buildings in Heby.
Hanging on its inner walls are the portraits of Abraham Printz (1672-1745) and his wife Catharina Phragmenia (1683-1753). Actually, they are two of my possible ancestors. There are two more portraits, these are of Abraham’s son Abraham Abrahamsson Printz (1708-1771) and his wife Catharina Wåhlberg (1722-1793)
Heby Arena
Heby Arena is the local sports center, with gym, swimming pools as well as sports halls. The swimming pools are, however, currently closed for repairs.
Heby Silo
The Västerlövsta Church might be the most historical building within the locality, but it is not the most eye-catching. The Heby Silo is visible from a far distance and even though it is no longer in use, it is still standing there.
How to Get to Heby
- Flights: The closest airport is Stockholm Västerås Airport (VST), 65 kilometers away, which has mostly low-cost carriers. In addition, there is Stockholm-Arlanda Airport (ARN), 85 kilometers away with both domestic and international flights.
- Car: Heby is at the junction between roads 56, 72, and 254, with Uppsala to the east, Enköping to the south, Sala to the west, and Gävle to the north.
- Bus: Local and regional UL buses connect the area with the surrounding region.
- Train: Upptåget has trains that connect the area with Sala and Uppsala.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 112 kilometers (1 h 17 min)
- Gothenburg – 438 kilometers (5 h 12 min)
- Malmö – 652 kilometers (6 h 49 min)
- Linköping – 242 kilometers (3 h)
- Kiruna – 1159 kilometers (13 h 8 min)
Find out more about other destinations in Sweden by visiting our page Exploring Sweden
