Katrineholm is a town in the historical province of Södermanland in eastern Sweden. Having developed from a small settlement along the railway, it has become an industrial town and an important railway junction. It is home to around 24.500 inhabitants living in the inland of Södermanland surrounded by forests and lakes.
A Short History of Katrineholm
This was once the location of the Cathrineholm Estate within Stora Malm Parish. It was this estate that gave the name to the new railway station when the railway between Stockholm and Gothenburg was completed in 1862. The settlement next to the railway would soon develop into an industrial town. The small businesses and industries grew and so did Katrineholm. The train station in the middle of Södermanland had in 1917 developed from almost nothing to having around 6.600 inhabitants. This was also the year when Katrineholm gained its town status. Many of the public buildings such as the church and courthouse were built during the first half of the 20th century.
Things to Do and See
It is hard to tell if everything is far away from Katrineholm or if it is nearby. Its location in the center of Södermanland means that other relatively big towns, including Eskilstuna, Norrköping, Nyköping, and Örebro, are nearby. In addition, there are plenty of smaller lakes and forests to explore and just a short drive north is Lake Hjälmaren, the fourth-largest lake in Sweden.
Katrineholms Station
The railway station in Katrineholm is in many ways where this town has its origin. The station was opened in 1862 and was rebuilt in 1922. It is today a listed building but is still used as the main train station.
Katrineholms Stadshus
Earlier known as Villa Gröna Kulle the town hall was built in 1901 by the industrial entrepreneur Gustav Robert Grönkvist. It became the town hall for Katrineholm in 1927. Today this is only one out of nine buildings being used by the town administration.
Katrineholms Gamla Vattentorn
The old water tower still stands as a monument of the past. It was completed in 1907 and has since been a landmark for Katrineholm. The tower is 49 meters high and was in use up until the completion of the new water tower in 1969.
Katrineholms Kyrka
The church in Katrineholm was inaugurated in 1903 as a part of Stora Malm Congregation. This is a brick church with a white finish. The church is today a part of Katrineholmsbygden Congregation within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden.
Gamla Posthuset
The old post office is a listed building from 1906. It stands next to the train station and is built in a Renaissance revival style.
Katrineholms Gamla Tingshus
The old courthouse was built in the 1930s and is a yellow brick building at the center of Katrineholm. It housed Katrineholm District Court from its founding in 1971 up until it was incorporated into Nyköping District Court in 2009.
How to Get to Katrineholm
- Flights: Stockholm Skavsta Airport (NYO) is 56 kilometers to the southeast.
- Car: Katrineholm is at the intersection of Road 52, Road 55, Road 56, and Road 57.
- Bus: Local buses from Sörmlandstrafiken connect Katrineholm with the surrounding region.
- Train: SJ, MTRX, and Mälartåg have trains to and from Katrineholm. The destinations include Stockholm, Göteborg, Oslo, Karlstad, Linköping, Norrköping, and even Berlin to mention a few.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 144 kilometers (1 h 53 min)
- Gothenburg – 335 kilometers (4 h 28 min)
- Malmö – 501 kilometers (5 h 40 min)
- Linköping – 90 kilometers (1 h 10 min)
- Kiruna – 1326 kilometers (15 h 46 min)
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