Västra Tunhem – Cultural Landscape and History

At the foot of Hunneberg lies Tunhems ekhagar, a well-preserved cultural landscape. It is part of the Natura 2000 network of protected areas. The Västra Tunhem Trail passes through a cultural landscape with older houses, archaeological remains, oak pastures, and lime kilns. Those who enjoy walking can take in the landscape and traces of earlier land use along the route. Tunhems ekhagar is most easily reached via the old Trollhättan–Vargön road.

Church and Historic Buildings

Västra Tunhems kyrka dates back to the 12th century. Parts of the oldest section of Västra Tunhem’s cemetery have also been in use since the 12th century. The Kyrkogårdsvandring features twelve QR-code stations at the church and in the cemetery. Renovation of the church façade is planned from May through autumn 2026. There are charging stations for electric vehicles at the church; the parking lot is a suitable starting point for the Västra Tunhem Trail.

Västra Tunhems prästgård is also one of the town’s historic buildings: it dates from the 1720s and still has many old outbuildings. The prästgård is privately owned. Its age and surviving outbuildings offer a distinct indication of Västra Tunhem’s building history, but visitors should not expect the interior to be open to the public.

Archaeological Traces

Near Forstena, burial grounds are located in wooded areas on a ridge. Today, they comprise about 20 graves, mainly burial mounds and stone settings. A large monument to the military commander Lennart Torstensson, erected in 1903, stands on one of the largest burial mounds. At Rånnums ekdungar, there are about 50 circular stone settings and five cup marks carved into stone. Each site has its own features: at Forstena, the graves and monument define the site; at Rånnums ekdungar, the stone settings and cup marks do. The burial grounds at Tunhem are on private land; use designated parking areas. Cattle graze on the burial grounds in summer.

Events and the History of Lime

Västra Tunhems hembygdsförening organizes numerous events throughout the year. Its activities are held mainly at the Hembygdsgård in Västra Tunhem. The association took over the former South School as its Hembygdsgård. Individual event dates may change, so check the date of any event you are interested in before your trip.

The lime quarries of Västra Tunhem preserve traces of the shale and lime extraction carried out for many centuries at the foot of Hunneberg. Industrial lime production at Hunneberg continued from the late 18th century until the last lime firing in the 1950s. The lime kilns along the Västra Tunhem Trail thus stand alongside older houses and archaeological remains as further recognizable features of the cultural landscape.

Plan Your Stay

If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in Västra Tunhem, plan around the topics that interest you: the Västra Tunhem Trail and cultural landscape, the church and its historic traces, or the archaeological sites. If events are important to your trip, check the specific dates in advance.

Discover more destinations: Vargön, Frändefors, Vänersborg, Ekenäs, Brålanda.

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