Romfartuna, or Romfartuna Kyrkby, is a small settlement in Västerås Municipality in Västmanland County. It is home to the medieval parish church and to about 90 inhabitants. The origin of the name might be disputed, but it does today give a reference to being the home of someone who has been to Rome.
A Short History of Romfartuna
Romfartuna Parish has its origins in the Middle Ages and its church dates to the 14th century. It was here in the village that the soon-to-be King Gustav Vasa mobilized his forces in 1521. This was the start of what has come to become known as the Swedish War of Liberation and ended in 1523 with Swedish independence from the Kalmar Union with Denmark and Norway.
This was the center of the local parish until the Swedish Municipal Reform of 1862. The reform meant that the parish’s responsibilities were split between the new civic government of Romfartuna Municipality and the church congregation. The municipality had its seat in the village until it was incorporated into Skultuna Municipality in 1962. The whole of Skultuna Municipality became a part of the town of Västerås in 1967, which became Västerås Municipality a few years later in 1971. The church congregation is since 2006 a part of Norrbo Congregation.
Things to Do and See
This is mostly a residential area with a preschool and a church. It is in the middle of farmland, but there are smaller forests in the distance. For city life, Västerås is a short distance to the south.
Romfartuna Church
The local parish church was built in the 14th century. It is, however, believed that it replaced an older church at the site. The high church tower was built later, it was added to the church in the 17th century and is one of several alterations over the centuries. This white stone church is today a part of the Norrbo Congregation within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden.
How to Get to Romfartuna
- Flights: Stockholm Västerås Airport (VST) is 18 kilometers to the south.
- Car: Romfartuna is on Road 56 north of Västerås.
- Bus: Buses from VL connect Romfartuna with the surrounding region.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 116 kilometers (1 h 15 min)
- Gothenburg – 390 kilometers (4 h 30 min)
- Malmö – 609 kilometers (6 h 20 min)
- Linköping – 200 kilometers (2 h 40 min)
- Kiruna – 1192 kilometers (13 h 20 min)
Find out more about other destinations in Sweden by visiting our page Exploring Sweden
