Vedevåg is a locality and former company town in what is today Lindesberg Municipality in Örebro County. The locality is a part of the historical province of Västmanland and has a proud history as an important ironwork for the production of cannons and other equipment for the Swedish Army. The locality, which greets anyone passing by with the sight of two large cannons, is today home to around 670 inhabitants.
A Short History of Vedevåg
Metalwork has existed along the river in Vedevåg for a very long time. Wedevåg’s Ironworks is known to have existed already in the 15th century and the name is established in written sources in 1538. The Swedish King Gustav Vasa made sure to increase the importance of this area when he requested one more ironworks to be built along the river and ran by the crown. The new ironworks was established at the farm of Kvarnbacka in 1545. The two collaborated but remained independent for a long time up until 1723 when a merger was completed.
Production at Vedevåg included several different products. The most famous of these is probably the large cannon barrels. The ironworks here was during the 18th century the largest in Sweden and had already in1717 production of over 200 different parts.
The locality continued to develop with the arrival of the railway in 1871. A paint manufacturer opened in 1902 and metal production has continued to evolve during the past century. The company is today known as Wedevåg Tools, but there are plenty of smaller companies that have been established in its vicinity. Wedevåg Tools is, however, as of the year 2022 on the brink of bankruptcy and the future is unknown.
Things to Do and See
Vedevåg is small but its long history makes it an interesting stop for anyone that finds the time to make a stop when passing by. The ironworks might today be modern industrial buildings, but the cannons standing outside do make it stand out.
Wedevåg Bruk
Wedevåg Bruk is the ironworks and surrounding buildings. It is here that you will find the two large cannons and a few of the more historical buildings. The main factory buildings look like any other modern industrial building, but there are a few others that create a window into the past. These include the 1917 theater.
Wedevåg Mansion
Wedevågs Herrgård is the former mansion of the ironworks here. It was built in the 18th century and is today a hotel. It is today owned by the Maglić Family, but one might also be able to spot the ghost Tekla.
Vedevåg Church
The small local church was inaugurated in 1837 as it replaced an older wooden church. The church belonged to the ironworks and was donated to the Lindesberg Congregation in 1916. It is a small circular building that doesn’t have any of the otherwise usual clock towers.
Vedevågs Badplats
A small beach can be found at the shores of Lake Vedevåg, or Vedevågssjön in Swedish.
How to Get to Vedevåg
- Flights: The closest airport is Örebro Airport (ORB), 54 kilometers away, which has mostly charter and domestic flights. In addition, there is Stockholm-Arlanda Airport, 197 kilometers away with domestic and international flights.
- Car: Vedevåg is along road 249 a bit south of Lindesberg and to the west of Arboga.
- Bus: Local buses from Länstrafiken Örebro connect Vedevåg with the surrounding region.
- Train: TiB/SJ has trains to and from nearby Lindesberg, possible connections include Borlänge, Gävle, Hallsberg, and Örebro.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 198 kilometers (2 h 9 min)
- Gothenburg – 385 kilometers (4 h 18 min)
- Malmö – 542 kilometers (5 h 46 min)
- Linköping – 165 kilometers (2 h 11 min)
- Kiruna – 1266 kilometers (14 h 21 min)
Reading More about Vedevåg
There are few better sources than local historians and genealogists. For anyone looking for more information about Vedevåg, the best source is Vedevag.se. It is in Swedish, but well worth a visit in case you are looking for more information than we are able to provide.
Go to Vedevag.se >>
Find out more about other destinations in Sweden by visiting our page Exploring Sweden
