Tjällmo: Church, Industrial Heritage and Circular Routes

Tjällmo lies along Route 211 in the northeast of Motala Municipality, in an area of great cultural and historical significance. The village combines a medieval church and traces of early ironworking with circular routes through forests and moorland. When planning a stay, you can choose between local and craft history and nature experiences in the surrounding area.

Church and Local History

Tjällmo Church was built in the second half of the 13th century and features medieval masonry. In the 18th century, it was converted into a cruciform church. Its construction date, masonry and later alterations bring together several historical phases in this building.

The village’s development is also linked to the church: Tjällmo is considered a pre-industrial central settlement that developed around its medieval church. Under Chapter 4 of Sweden’s Cultural Environment Act (KML), the church is protected as a cultural heritage site. Its building history, the village’s development and its protected status provide concrete points of reference for Tjällmo’s cultural heritage.

Crafts and Historical Traces

Tjällmo was an important ironworking region. Its forges produced nails, scythes and horseshoes—three products that offer a tangible insight into the crafts of the past. Ironworking thus forms a distinct part of local history, alongside the development of the area around the church.

In the grounds of the Tjällmo Hembygdsmuseum are a crofter’s cottage called Bolingstorpet, which belonged to the vicarage estate, and a forge. Bolingstorpet was later moved to the grounds; the forge was inaugurated in 2009. The cottage and forge connect the histories of home and craft through two different buildings.

Circular Routes and Outdoor Activities

When planning your walks, you can choose between two circular routes based on their length, terrain and scenery. Tjällmoslingan is 20.5 kilometres long and passes through Tjällmo’s coniferous forests on trails, fitness tracks and roads. It offers views of Lake Tikhyttesjön; boardwalks take you through the moorland, with its wide-open expanses and mature pines.

Skönnarboleden is a 10-kilometre circular route in the Tjällmo area, outside the village centre. It is the shorter of the two routes, and the walk can be shortened at several points. It also passes remnants of ironworking and the subsequent sawmill industry. At Hagstugan in Tjällmo, there are fitness tracks and access to showers and changing rooms—another point to consider when planning your trip, alongside the length and scenery of the circular routes.

Glacial Pothole and Swimming Area

Near Tjällmo lies Perkils kättil, one of Sweden’s largest glacial potholes. It formed toward the end of the Ice Age and is now filled with water. At 12 metres deep and 4 metres wide, it is three times as deep as it is wide.

The Småängsbadet swimming area, also called Lienbadet, is on Lake Lien in Tjällmo, just over eight kilometres from the village centre. Alongside the circular routes, there are thus two different water-related landmarks to consider: the geological glacial pothole in the surrounding area and a named swimming area on the lake.

Discover more destinations: Borensberg, Motala, Nykyrka, Bona

Go to the main travel overview: Motala.