Jäder is a small settlement with an impressive church. It is in Eskilstuna Municipality in Södermanland County. The church in the rural parts of eastern Sweden is known for its renaissance architecture and was once the seat of the local parish.
A Short History of Jäder
Jäder Parish has its origins in the Middle Ages and the construction of the church includes parts as old as the 12th century. The church has since played an important role in the settlement and the surrounding area. The nobleman Axel Oxenstierna invested much in its reconstruction in the 1640s. Oxenstierna played an important role in Sweden at the time and was de-facto the ruler of the empire for a few years when Queen Kristina was underage. The changes were designed by the architect Nicodemus Tessin the Elder. This was one of his earlier designs in Sweden and his reputation is still alive.
The parish was acting as the local government up until the Swedish Municipal Reform of 1862. It resulted in the split of responsibilities between the new civic government of Jäder Municipality and the church congregation. The municipality was in 1952 incorporated into Kalfjärden Municipality, which in turn became a part of Eskilstuna Municipality in 1971. The church congregation is since 1995 a part of the Kalfjärden Congregation.
Things to Do and See
It is the church that is by a large margin the most prominent building along these fields and small woods. These small countryside roads do, however, have an additional possibility. They are perfect if you wish to explore this rural part of Sweden on foot or by bike.
Jäder Church
This medieval church with its many later additions and alterations was for centuries the seat of the local parish and later congregation. It is considered one of the major renaissance buildings in Sweden and gained much of its current appearance during the reconstructions of Axel Oxenstierna in the 17th century. The church is today a part of the Kalfjärden Congregation within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden.
The Axel Oxenstierna Exhibition
In the old church stables, you will find an exhibition about Axel Oxenstierna. It is the organization Kunskapsturism Kalfjärden that created the exhibition in 2019. The exhibition is open for limited times during the summer months. Learn more about this nobleman that has played an important role both locally and nationally.
How to Get to Jäder
- Flights: The nearest airport is Stockholm Västerås Airport (VST) 61 kilometers to the north. Sweden’s largest airport, Stockholm Arlanda (ARN), is 134 kilometers to the east.
- Car: Jäder is on countryside roads to the northeast of Eskilstuna.
- Bus: Buses from Sörmlandstrafiken connect Jäder with the surrounding area.
- Train: The closest train statio is in Eskilstuna.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 105 kilometers (1 h 10 min)
- Gothenburg – 380 kilometers (4 h 20 min)
- Malmö – 578 kilometers (6 h 20 min)
- Linköping – 165 kilometers (2 h 20 min)
- Kiruna – 1271 kilometers (13 h 50 min)
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