Ecomuseum Bergslagen

The Ekomuseum Bergslagen is an open air museum in the western part of the former mining and smelting region of Bergslagen in central Sweden. The museum, consisting of about 60 visiting destinations in 1986 tentatively opened and is now the largest of its kind in the world. The museum is a joint project of the communities Ludvika, Smedjebacken, Fagersta, Norberg, Skinnskatteberg, Surahammar and Hallstahammar. Two provincial museums in Dalarna and Västmanland County participate in the project. 1998 Ekomuseum Bergslagen was awarded as the best industrial history museum in Europe with the Luigi Micheletti Award.

Objective

The common denominator for the Ekomuseum Bergslagen is the history of iron production in Central Sweden, with special focus on the work situation of the people and the technical development of mining and metallurgical enterprises.

The area

The region covers an area of ​​about 750 square kilometers and extends from the Mälaren in the south to in the forests of Ludvika Municipality in the north, where the Forest Finns charcoal manufactured for the blast furnaces. Like a red thread stretches the historic waterway, the Strömsholms channel through the area. With 26 locks the channel overcomes a difference in altitude of 100 meters and allowed for heavy transports of Smedjebacken for Mälaren.

Attractions

Of the once 400 blast furnaces and ironworks in Bergslagen today are no longer in use, but many are still preserved and are among the most visited destinations, such as the Engelberg bruk, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993. Other points of interest are Klenshyttan, Flat Mount hytta, Stollberg gruva with Sweden's richest ore deposits and Lapphyttan near Norberg, whose age could be dated using the radiocarbon method to the 12th century.

In Ekomuseum one can also study different methods of energy transfer, such as the ancient Polhemsrad at Norberg that drove a pumping station with the help of a plastic rod. This is also a stylized artistic cycling is the logo of Ekomuseum Bergslagen. Modern energy transfer can be seen in the hydroelectric power plant at Trångfors Hallstahammar. The power plant was completed in 1899, was with his original technical equipment to operations in 1990 and is now a museum.

The work situation of the huts and mine workers and the Köhler illustrate well preserved Bergmann courtyards and villages and shanty towns of forest Finns. In Grängesberg and Ludvika has well equipped apartments museum.

The different transport routes of the finished products, which mainly make Stockholm and the Baltic region were shipped are described by the Strömsholms channel and harbor in Smedjebacken, and later, when the channel became less important by various railway lines, such as the railway line Köpings - Uttersberg - Riddarhyttan. Railway vehicles can be seen in the railway museum Grängesberg or roundhouse of Smedjebacken. The southern end is the Strömsholms castle.

Pictures

Klenshyttan

Flat Mount hytta

Stollberg gruva

Railway Museum Grängesberg

Mining village Bråfors

Strömsholms channel

Castle Strömsholms