Timmele: Hollow Ways and Cultural History

Timmele brings together archaeological and cultural history, from historic traces of roads to ecclesiastical heritage and technology. If you are looking for a hotel in Timmele, this variety of themes can help you choose your destination. The highlights include the Timmele hålvägar, an adjacent burial ground, Timmele Church, the Miniby and the MotorMuseum.

Hollow Ways and Archaeological Traces

The Timmele hålvägar lie in a scenic area by the Ätran, immediately north of Timmele Church, and can be explored on foot. The complex consists of four parallel hollow ways, up to 180 metres long, 10 metres wide and 4.5 metres deep. Length, width and depth describe different dimensions; their parallel arrangement also makes clear that the site comprises several traces of roads rather than a single route. When viewing the site, both the individual ways and their overall pattern are therefore part of the archaeological story.

The burial ground beside the hollow ways contains 45 burial mounds and 15 circular stone settings. The numbers distinguish between the two forms and complement the road complex with a second archaeological focus. The hollow ways were also once connected to an ancient ford across the Ätran. This historic link to a river crossing adds another layer to the story of the site.

Ecclesiastical Heritage, Village Model and Technology

Timmele Church houses a communion chalice dating from 1383, which is still in use. It is believed to be Sweden’s oldest chalice still in use. Its date and continued use give this ecclesiastical object a different emphasis from the hollow ways: here, the focus is on a specific object that continues to be used today.

The Timmele Miniby is an outdoor model of the church village, built to a scale of 1:10. It shows what the houses and buildings in the area might have looked like in the late 19th century. The scale makes clear that this is a miniature model, while its historical depiction remains a possibility. The Miniby thus offers a different perspective from the hollow ways: rather than exploring traces of roads in the landscape, you can see what the church village might once have looked like.

The UlricehamnsBygdens MotorMuseum displays cars, motorcycles, mopeds and other motorised objects from eight decades. The collection is therefore not limited to cars; the objects on display give the museum a technological focus among Timmele’s cultural history themes. If you are planning a visit, check the visiting arrangements in advance.

Different Themes for Planning Your Trip

The places mentioned also differ in what you can see and do there: you can walk along the hollow ways, the Miniby is an outdoor model, and the MotorMuseum displays a collection of motorised objects. You can consider whether you would like to focus your stay on the history of the roads, a possible historical view of the village or technology.

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