Stora Härnevi, Uppland – Exploring Sweden

A short distance north of Enköping is the church village of Stora Härnevi. This was once the center for the Härnevi Parish but is today a part of Enköping Municipality. The province of Uppland has plenty of small church villages, but none is really similar to the next.

A Short History of Stora Härnevi

Stora Härnevi was mentioned for the first time in writing back in the 12th century. The name means Big Härnevi, but it was originally only Härnevi. The separation between the large and small villages happened a bit later when Lilla Härnevi was mentioned as the outer Härnevi. It took until the 15th century before the current church was inaugurated.

The village had 8 homes in the mid-16th century. It has since been growing very slowly and in 1971, it became a part of Enköping Municipality. The area of the former parish has today a population of almost 300.

Things to Do and See

Stora Härnevi is a small village and any visit will most likely center around the church. The area has a historic feeling with the many old buildings belonging to the church and the large fields surrounding the village.

Härnevi Church

Härnevi church dates back to the 15th century. It recently reopened in 2021 after extensive restorations. The separate clock tower is a short distance from the church, across the road. The internal decorations of the church include paintings from the end of the 15th century. Actually, it is believed that the paintings were made by Albertus Pictor. He is the most famous late medieval painter in Sweden.

How to Get to Stora Härnevi

• Flights: The closest airport is Stockholm Västerås Airport (VST), 38 kilometers away, which has mostly low-cost carriers. In addition, there is Stockholm-Arlanda Airport (ARN), 83 kilometers away with both domestic and international flights.
• Car: Stora Härnevi is along country roads outside of Enköping.
• Bus: Local and regional buses from UL are available in nearby Lilla Härnevi and Vånsjöbro.
• Train: SJ has trains to and from nearby Enköping and connects the area with Gothenburg, Hallsberg, Stockholm, and Västerås.

The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:

• Stockholm – 84 kilometers (59 min)
• Gothenburg – 421 kilometers (5 h 4 min)
• Malmö – 642 kilometers (7 h 1 min)
• Linköping – 217 kilometers (2 h 45 min)
• Kiruna – 1209 kilometers (14 h 7 min)

Find out more about other destinations in Sweden by visiting our page Exploring Sweden