Lilla Rytterne is a church ruin and former parish in the historical province of Västmanland. The area is today a part of Västerås Municipality and there are the settlements of Mullboda, Råbylund, and Åkerby in the vicinity.
A Short History of Lilla Rytterne
Lilla Rytterne is a breakaway parish from the later known as Stora Rytterne Parish. Lilla in Swedish means “small” and Stora means “large”. So this new parish is the younger one of the parishes. It was established in the Middle Ages, probably in the 14th century.
The two parishes did both encounter large structural problems with their churches in the 18th century and a decision was made in 1776 to merge the two parishes into one. A new church was built and Rytterne Parish was re-established in 1818. The last service in the local church took place in 1817, but the last funeral was as late as 1841. Both the old churches are today ruins and the new church stands in a different location.
Things to Do and See
In this area of forests and farmland, it is the church ruin of Lilla Rytterne that is the main sight. In addition, Lake Mälaren is just a short distance away. This is the third-largest lake in Sweden.
Lilla Rytterne Church Ruin
The parish church was most likely built in the 14th century and had a few additional parts built in the century thereafter. The church was in normal use up until 1818 when the parish was merged with Stora Rytterne. The former parish church was left as a ruin and restoration works were carried out in the 1930s. It is today possible to visit the ruin and see its impressive church tower still standing.
How to Get to Lilla Rytterne
- Flights: Stockholm Västerås Airport (VST) is 21 kilometers to the northeast.
- Car: Lilla Rytterne is on along countryside roads to the south of Västerås
- Bus: Buses from VL connect Lilla Rytterne with the surrounding region by a bus stop in nearby Åkerby.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 123 kilometers (1 h 25 min)
- Gothenburg – 375 kilometers (4 h 20 min)
- Malmö – 583 kilometers (6 h)
- Linköping – 170 kilometers (2 h 10 min)
- Kiruna – 1225 kilometers (14 h 20 min)
Find out more about other destinations in Sweden by visiting our page Exploring Sweden
