Kungslena is a small village with a royal past. It has today a population of around 100 inhabitants, but its past includes battles for the Swedish crown and aspirations of becoming a town.
A Short History of Kungslena
Kungslena is a village with a very long history and there are several ancient remains reminding us of this fact. It was earlier only known as “Lena”, the addition of “Kungs-” came first in the second half of the 17th century. The addition, meaning “King’s” was added due to the village’s connection with the crown.
This was also the location of the Battle of Lena in 1208 between the House of Sverker and the House of Eric, both of which competed for the Swedish throne. According to some sources, the House of Sverker had gathered an army of 18.000 men from Sweden and Denmark. The House of Eric should have been significantly fewer and made up of men from Sweden and Norway. However, the House of Eric was victorious in this battle and Erik Knutsson became the King of Sweden. There would, however, be more battles to determine the fate of the country and its crown.
Kungslena had great aspirations of becoming a town after the fire of 1617, when most of the village burned down. The building layout today still tells about the plans that never became reality.
Things to Do and See
Kungslena has a long and rich history and it houses many interesting sights considering its small size. If that is not enough, it is also easy to get a great view out over the local fields.
Kungslena Church
The church is the most prevailing sight in Kungslena. It dates back to the 12th century and the three ridge turrets give it a very specific appearance. The church also has an external clock tower.
Kungslena Kungsgård
Kungslena Kungsgård is a manor house that housed the colonel of the Skaraborg Regiment from the end of the 17th century and almost 200 years forward. The building dates back to 1731.
Battle of Lena Memorial
A memorial stone for the Battle of Lena can be found right next to the church. The stone was raised in 1894 and has the shape of a smaller obelisk.
Lenaborg
Not much remains today of Lenaborg. This was a Medieval castle that is believed to have been built in the 13th century and demolished within 200 years of its construction. The first known owner is Birger Jarl, a famous Swedish earl. Today only the foundations are visible as they overlook the small village.
How to get to Kungslena
- Flights: The closest larger airport is Göteborg Landvetter Airport (GOT) 132 kilometres away, with both domestic and international flights. Another option is Jönköping Airport (JKG), 69 kilometres away, with mostly chartered flights.
- Car: Kungslena is located along Road 26 between Skövde and Tidaholm.
- Train: The easiest-to-reach train station from Kungslena is located in nearby Skövde.
- Bus: Regional and local buses connect Kungslena with the surrounding region.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 370 kilometers (4h 24min)
- Gothenburg – 146 kilometers (2h 2min)
- Malmö – 359 kilometers (4h 6min)
- Linköping – 200 kilometers (2h 25min)
- Kiruna – 1467 kilometers (17h 41min)
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