Borgvik on the Borgviksälven: Industrial heritage and local history

Borgvik lies on the Borgviksälven and is a well-preserved former industrial town in Grums Municipality. Its history is part of Värmland’s industrial development between 1600 and 1900, shaped mainly by sawmills, wood processing and ironworking. Many buildings and settings of cultural and historical interest date chiefly from the ironworks era of the 18th and 19th centuries. Borgvik has been designated a cultural environment of national interest. To understand the chronology, it is helpful to distinguish between the long period of development and the era that shaped the town’s buildings: Värmland’s industrial history spans 1600 to 1900, while the buildings and settings mentioned are associated mainly with the 18th and 19th centuries.

The ironworks and its traces

In the 19th century, Borgvik’s ironworks had two forge shops, three sawmills and seven mills. This variety makes the industrial past more tangible than the general term “ironworks”: ironworking existed alongside sawmills and mills. Steel from Borgvik was sent to Paris for the construction of the Eiffel Tower, connecting the town’s history with a building project outside Värmland. Today’s Kungskvarnen dates from the early 19th century and is now a restaurant and conference centre.

Museum and cultural venues today

The Borgvik Museum was originally housed in a granary used for drying grain. In 1983, the granary was converted into a museum in connection with Billerud’s 100th anniversary. This change of use, from grain drying to a museum, illustrates another transformation in the history of local buildings. The museum offers a digital search for historical information about places and people in Borgvik. If you are particularly interested in individual local histories or people, you can focus your search on these different topics.

Sliperiet is a modern art gallery in a former pulp mill. Together with the museum, it invites comparison between different cultural focuses: here, modern art in a former industrial building; there, a digital search for historical information about Borgvik’s places and people. Today’s Kungskvarnen adds yet another dimension with its restaurant and conference centre. In Borgvik, a range of present-day uses can be found against the backdrop of its industrial history.

Cycling, landscape and leisure

Borgvik is designated a stopping point along the Unionsleden for culture, leisure and overnight stays. The seventh stage runs from Borgvik to Karlstad and is 60.9 kilometres long; it is a cycling stage. For planning purposes, the two reference points differ: the stage describes a specific route section, while Borgvik’s role as a stopping point serves several purposes along the way.

Borgvik is also home to one of Sweden’s northernmost beech forests. It offers a landscape highlight alongside the industrial history. A boat can be hired for fishing or excursions, with a choice of petrol or electric motor. Check availability before your trip. The cycling stage and boat hire offer different leisure options: the stage has fixed endpoints and a set distance, while you can choose the purpose of your boat trip and the type of motor.

Discover more destinations: Borgvik, Årjäng, Skoghall, Filipstad, Hagfors, Brunskog, Gräsmark, Munkfors

For the full travel overview: Värmland.