Rödeby is a locality in the province of Blekinge in southern Sweden. It is located just a short distance north of the area’s main city, Karlskrona. The area is since 1974 a part of Karlskrona Municipality. Around 3.500 people have Rödeby as their home.
Rödeby is a place with a lot of history, plenty of stories, and a handful of local legends and sagas. There is a legend about Jätten Snoppe den Röde. This is a giant that is supposed to have lived at the hill Snoppeberg. The giant in the legend acted as a protector of the area. He appears in stories several times during the centuries. There are even mentionings that it is he who gave his name to the village.
Our Impression of Rödeby
Rödeby might be a sleepy village that lacks any typical tourist attractions. It does however invite visitors to the many legends and sagas of the area. Follow the steps of history and even the small signs that will make your fantasy wander. Such as a flat stone that was used as an altar or the old oak that has seen so much blood through the centuries. This might still not be a place that you decide to go to as your final destination, but it does offer a central base for exploring a much larger area.
A Short History of Rödeby
The founding stones of Rödeby are believed to have been laid already during the Iron Age. There are old stories from the 9th century saying that this area was once inhabited by the Swedes. What is known is that in 1231 it was a part of Denmark.
The old parish church was built in the 13th century and throughout the years, it saw the area being hunted by conflicts between Denmark and Sweden. This was after all a border area between the two nations with the most number of wars fought between them in the world. It was not until the Peace Treaty of Roskilde in 1658 that the province of Blekinge became a part of Sweden.
Rödeby started to grow with the development of the new town Karlskrona just to the south. Industrialization arrived with the railway in 1874 and it was in use for about 100 years until 1976. The 1870s also saw the construction of the new parish church, replacing the old Medieval Church that was demolished.
More recent events include the cyanide scandal of the 1980s when building materials from Karlskrona were used to increase the height of the local ski slope. That these materials included high amounts of cyanide was noticed first afterward and the local joke is that the slope glowed with a blue light during the dark nights. In addition, an even more recent was the “Shots in Rödeby”. This was when a group of local boys harassed a local 19-year-old in 2007. They had followed him to his home at Holstorp outside of Rödeby. This is where the gang met the 19-year-old’s father. The father panicked and shot two of the boys, killing one and wounding the other.
Things to Do and See
Shopping in the center of Rödeby is limited to two grocery stores and one florist. This is otherwise an area with the countryside always nearby and for anyone looking for a larger city an excursion to Karlskrona is possible.
Rödeby Church
The local parish church was inaugurated in 1877 and replaced the old medieval church that had served the area prior to that. It is today a part of the Rödeby Congregation and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden. It is today one of the most prominent buildings in the area.
Rödeby Simhall
Rödeby Simhall is the local indoor and outdoor swimming pool complex. Indoors there is a 25-meter-long pool, as well as a smaller pool for kids. During the summers there is also the outdoor 25-meter pool open.
Altarstenen
Altarstenen is a flat stone a bit north of Rödeby. It was during the Northern Seven Year’s War in the 1560s that the people of Rödeby could not access their church. Instead, they met in the forest at a stone that was used as an altar.
Rödeby Ek
The Rödeby Oak is a tree that is believed to have seen many of the conflicts that have ravaged the area during the centuries. The battle of Rödeby Sanda in 1564 should have taken place here. The oak was in the 1930s filled with cement in an attempt to save it. The attempt has so far proved successful. A new oak was planted in 2005. now growing close to the multi-centenarian.
How to Get to Rödeby
- Flights: The closest airport is Ronneby Airport (RNB) 37 kilometers away. The airport has a few domestic routes as well as seasonal charter flights.
- Car: Rödeby is along road 28 north of Karlskrona.
- Bus: Buses from Blekingetrafiken connect Rödeby with the surrounding region.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 485 kilometers (5 h 33 min)
- Gothenburg – 324 kilometers (4 h 4 min)
- Malmö – 205 kilometers (2 h 14 min)
- Linköping – 293 kilometers (3 h 47 min)
- Kiruna – 1715 kilometers (19 h 31 min)
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