Discover Lövstabruk

Lövstabruk combines a long history of ironworking with a distinctive town layout, historic buildings, collections and gardens. Planning requirements vary depending on the offering: some visits are seasonal, events have their own dates, and tastings can be booked. This lets you consider whether the main focus of your stay is the history, a museum topic, the garden landscape or a particular event date.

Ironworks history and town layout

Iron was worked in Lövstabruk from the 16th century until 1926. The town, formerly called Leufsta bruk, is one of the better-preserved so-called Vallonbruk. Stora gatan provides a guide to the town’s layout: in Lövsta bruk, it forms an 800-metre-long main axis running north to south. The details about its length and orientation make clear that the street is more than just a place name; it is a central reference point when exploring the historic layout.

Manor house, church and collections

Lövstabruk Manor was built around 1725 and connected to the two side wings in the early 19th century. As a public museum, the manor is accessible with a day pass; opening arrangements vary by season. The church in Lövstabruk was inaugurated in 1726 and built of brick in the Caroline Baroque style. These dates relate the building history to the long period of ironworking in the area, without suggesting that both developments took place over the same period.

The collections also have different focuses. The Nationalmuseum collection in Lövstabruk comprises about 60 objects, most of which date from the 17th and 18th centuries; the display may change. Klaverens Hus features a large collection of keyboard instruments, including about 350 pianos. Smedsbostaden is a living museum showing how a blacksmith’s family lived and made their home. While the two collections focus on objects, Smedsbostaden focuses on the everyday life of a family. It operates seasonally, and a visit may require contacting them in advance.

Gardens and walks

Lövstabruk is surrounded, among other things, by a reconstructed Baroque garden, an English park and an orchard. The Baroque garden was reconstructed in 1970–1971 by Walter Bauer, based on drawings made by A. F. Barnekow in 1769. This distinguishes two points in time: the creation of the drawings in the 18th century and the later reconstruction of the garden. The historic ironworks setting, the park and the surroundings of Lövstabruk are open year-round for walks. This offers a different basis for planning than a seasonal museum visit.

Music, swimming area and brewery

The Leufsta- och Cahmanorgelns vänner association holds the annual Cahmandagarna, featuring music on the Cahman organ. If you want to plan your trip around this event, check the dates in advance. Just before Lövstabruk’s south gate is a swimming area with a diving tower, jetties, a changing room and a toilet. Facilities and water conditions may change, so check the current situation before visiting.

Leufstabruk Bryggeri offers bookable beer tastings at the brewery as well as the sale of some beer bottles directly from the brewery. As booking and sales arrangements may change, it is worth checking the latest information before planning around these offerings. The music event, swimming area and brewery offer different reasons to visit; each comes with different practical considerations: dates, the condition of the facilities or booking availability.

Getting there and planning your visit

Bus connections along National Road 76 offer transport options to Forsmark and Gävle. Check the current bus service before travelling. When planning visits in the area, it also helps to distinguish between the different conditions: walks are available year-round for independent outings, while museum offerings may be subject to seasonal arrangements. Smedsbostaden may also require contacting them in advance; for Cahmandagarna, check the event dates. This makes it possible to combine a desired museum or event date with walks that are available year-round, without assuming that all offerings have the same visiting conditions.

Discover more destinations: Tierp, Skärplinge, Karlholmsbruk, Söderfors

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