Västland is a small village in the historical province of Uppland. It is today a part of Tierp Municipality and Uppsala County. With a population of around 60 inhabitants, it is hard to believe today that this was once a large industrial center with ironworks.
A Short History of Västland
Västland Parish has its origins in the Middle Ages and there was a church here that dated to the 14th century. The history of Västland was, however, for a long time influenced by the local ironworks. The Swedish crown established the ironworks in 1612. It remained under the ownership of the crown for only a few centuries before the Walloon Welam Vervie acquired it. At this time, he already owned the ironworks at nearby Strömsberg.
Västland was affected by the Russian Pillage when the ironworks was burned down in 1719. The ironworks was rebuilt and stayed in production until 1902. All production was then discontinued and the buildings of the ironworks were demolished. The area had prior to the closing seen the construction of a new church. The church was completed in 1858 and meant the end of the old Middle Age church.
Things to Do and See
The Ironworks might be gone, but there are still things to explore here. For example, there is the river Tämnarån with canoe routes. There is also a church and within a short distance a nature reserve.
Västland Church
Västland Church was completed in 1858 and inaugurated four years later. It replaced an older 14th-century church that stood just a few hundred meters away. The church was at the time the center of the Västland Parish and is today the main church in the local congregation.
Bolstan-Vad Nature Reserve
Bolstan-Vad Nature Reserve was established in 2013 and covers an area of 89 hectares. The reserve is best known for its many mushrooms, many of which are protected species.
How to Get to Västland
- Flights: The closest major airport is Stockholm-Arlanda Airport, 104 kilometers away with both domestic and international flights.
- Car: Västland is along country roads outside of Tierp, not far from the E4, between Uppsala and Gävle.
- Bus: Local and regional UL buses connect Västland with the surrounding region.
- Train: SJ and Upptåget have train connections to and from nearby Tierp.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 141 kilometers (1 h 36 min)
- Gothenburg – 537 kilometers (6 h 24 min)
- Malmö – 749 kilometers (7 h 52 min)
- Linköping – 336 kilometers (3 h 39 min)
- Kiruna – 1114 kilometers (13 h 19 min)
Find out more about other destinations in Sweden by visiting our page Exploring Sweden
