Österfärnebo is a small locality in the historical province of Gästrikland in the eastern part of Sweden. The church in the center of this small rural community was once the focal poinr of the local parish. Today these lands are a part of Sandviken Municipality in Gävleborg County. Around 460 people have Österfärnebo as their home.
This is translated the eastern “Färnebo”, there is also a locality named as the western. That is Västerfärnebo in Sala Municipality in Västmanland County.
A Short History of Österfärnebo
Österfärnebo Parish had its origins in the Middle Ages and the former parish church is believed to have been built in the 13th century. The current stone church here was, however, inaugurated as late as 1822 as it replaced the former church. The parish was in operation until the Swedish Municipal Reform of 1862. This was when the operations were split between the local government of Österfärnebo Municipality and the church congregation. The municipality was in 1971 incorporated into Sandviken Municipality. The church congregation is since 2010 a part of the Årsunda-Österfärnebo Congregation.
Things to Do and See
This is a rural part of Sweden with forests, farmland, rivers, and lakes. The locality in itself has a small grocery store and a pizzeria, but the church is still the most prominent building around. On its outskirts is Koversta, a settlement that acts as the local heritage museum. Further away you will find the historically important industrial town of Gysinge and the Färnebofjärden National Park.
Österfärnebo Church
The local church was inaugurated in 1822 and replaced the former parish church that had been standing close by since the Middle Ages. The church is today one of the churches making up the Årsunda-Österfärnebo Congregation within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden.
Koversta
Just outside of the locality is the settlement of Koversta. This is today an open-air museum with well-preserved buildings dating back as far as the 18th century. This is a museum-like village that is exhibiting the local heritage. The main farmsteads have their origins here, while some of the smaller buildings have been moved to the location. Due to the special ownership of the settlement it was not affected by reforms in Sweden during the 19th century that saw settlements like this one decentralized with farmsteads moving further apart when the land was split.
Read more here: Koversta, Gästrikland – Exploring Sweden
How to Get to Österfärnebo
- Flights: Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN) is121 kilometers to the southeast.
- Car: Österfärnebo is along Road 272 south of Sandviken.
- Bus: Buses from X-Trafic connect Österfärnebo with the surrounding region.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 155 kilometers (1 h 51 min)
- Gothenburg – 477 kilometers (5 h 39 min)
- Malmö – 697 kilometers (7 h 55 min)
- Linköping – 292 kilometers (3 h 38 min)
- Kiruna – 1120 kilometers (13 h 22 min)
Find out more about other destinations in Sweden by visiting our page Exploring Sweden
