Ljungby is a locality and former market town in the province of Småland. It is a place with many old stories to tell, even though many of its around 15.200 inhabitants don’t work as storytellers. It is today the industrial production that keeps the whole area running and employers include Svetruck, Wascator Electrolux, Strålfors, and Ljungby Maskin. Several logistics businesses have also opened bases here due to the locality’s central location.
A Short History of Ljungby
The Ljungby parish was established in the 12th century and a stone church was built. This was at the time a location where several trade routes met. It would, however, take time before the village developed further. There were still only five homesteads here in the early 19th century. It was at this time that Ljungby became a market town.
The railway arrived in Ljungby at the end of the 19th century and the town became a junction between different lines. None of these lines still exist and the last rails were removed in 2009.
Ljungby’s development started in the first half of the 20th century with the increased industrialization in the area. This eventually led to the devastating fire of 1953. It started in a car shop and eventually included 20 buildings. The fire made way for the current appearance of the town’s center.
Things to Do and See
Much of Ljungby is centered around the history of the forests of Småland and the old sagas from the deep woods. The center includes shops and restaurants, but the visitors will most likely find their way to the old center at the old square.
The Old Square
Not far from its current center is the Old Square of Ljungby, or Ljungby Gamla Torg in Swedish. The square dates back to the 17th century and has since been the meeting point of the area. Today it is where you will find some of the older and more typical houses from the area, such as Eskilsgård. Today these buildings house restaurants, cafés, and shops. There is also a museum here.
Museum of Legends
The Land of Legens, Sagobygden, is a larger area covering Alvesta, Ljungby and Älmhult. This is an activity for families to join the many stories. It is in Ljungby that you will find the museum, Sagomuseet. This is a place to hear the stories from the past, the legends of the area, and feel the magic of old sagas.
Minivärlden
Minivärlden is a family attraction centered around miniature worlds. especially a railway network with several interactive plays for kids.
Ljungberg Museum
The Ljungberg Museum is the fine arts museum of the Kronoberg County. It is centered around the works of Sven Ljungberg and Ann Margret Dahlqvist-Ljungberg. The museum also includes other exhibitions, many in cooperation with other museums.
IF Troja-Ljungby and Ljungby Arena
IF Troja-Ljungby, earlier only known as IF Troja, is the local ice hockey team. The team won the playoff of Hockeyettan, Sweden’s third tier league, the season 2020/21 and has been promoted to Hockeyallsvenskan. They have earlier played several seasons, 13 in total, in Hockeyallsvenskan, but have never played in the first tier league Elitserien/SHL.
The team plays their home games at Ljungby Arena from 1981. It was earlier known as Sunnerbohov and was updated in 2015. It has a capacity of 3500 spectators, making it the 32nd largest ice hockey arena in Sweden.
How to Get to Ljungby
- Flights: The closest airport is Ljungby-Feringe Airport 13 kilometers away, a small airport without regular flights. An other option is Växjö-Kronoberg Airport (branded as Växjö Småland Airport) that is located 56 kilometers away and offers both domestic and a few international flights.
- Car: Ljungby is located along the E4 between Helsingborg and Jönköping.
- Bus: Local and regional buses connect Ljungby with the surrounding region.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 429 kilometers (4h 47min)
- Gothenburg – 207 kilometers (2h 28min)
- Malmö – 183 kilometers (2h)
- Linköping – 237 kilometers (2h 40min)
- Kiruna – 1663 kilometers (18h 56min)
Find out more about other destinations in Sweden by visiting our page Exploring Sweden
