Svedvi is a small church village outside of Hallstahammar. Its church was once the center of Svedvi Parish in the province of Västmanland. It is today home to a few single-family homes and there are also a few farms in its vicinity. The village is today home to about 30 adults and their families.
A Short History of Svedvi
Svedvi Parish has its origins in the Middle Ages and it once included a big part of the area that is today Hallstahammar Municipality. Its church dates back to the 14th century and it is today a part of Hallstahammar-Kolbäck Congregation.
The name Svedvi was mentioned already in the mid 14th century. At the time it was written Swædhwi and as with many place names in Sweden, we should probably appreciate the standardizations of spelling that have taken place since. The meaning of the name is not known, but it is believed that it might be a combination of “svedja”, a Slash-and-burn agriculture, and an ending meaning forest. So this might be the forest that was burned to create a swidden.
Things to Do and See
The area around Svedvi has many ancient remains, such as burial mounds. When it comes to the village, there is one main sight for most visitors and that is the church.
Svedvi Church
Svedvi Church dates back to the 14th century and was once the center of the local parish. The separated clock tower is believed to have been built in the 17th century.
How to Get to Svedvi
- Flights: The closest airport is Stockholm Västerås Airport (VST), 26 kilometers away, which has mostly low-cost carriers. In addition, there is Stockholm-Arlanda Airport (ARN), 109 kilometers away with both domestic and international flights.
- Car: Svedvi is along the E18 between Köping and Västerås.
- Bus: Local and regional buses from VL can be found in nearby Hallstahammar.
- Train: Nearby Hallstahammar has train connections to and from Fagersta, Ludvika, and Västerås.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 126 kilometers (1h 30min)
- Gothenburg – 362 kilometers (4h 24min)
- Malmö – 583 kilometers (6h 12min)
- Linköping – 179 kilometers (2h 19min)
- Kiruna – 1224 kilometers (14h 23min)
Find out more about other destinations in Sweden by visiting our page Exploring Sweden
