From 4 to 11 May, the town of Malmö, overlooking the sea in the far south of Sweden, will host the Eurovision Song Contest during a week full of events, performances and live concerts: let’s go and discover this small city with a medieval heart and a modern soul.
If the Sweden is always perceived as cold and unwelcoming, Malmo, Sweden’s third largest city seems more like a Mediterranean location than a Nordic onebecause of a splendid beach where you can also swim in summer, and the streets and squares are always lively and dotted with cafes and bistros where you can enjoy the warm northern sun.
Furthermore, Malmö is certainly a city on a human scale: all the most important places and attractions can be reached on foot or by bicycle, the preferred means of transport for the inhabitants who have focused everything on sustainability and well-being. Walking through Gamla Staden, the historic center with medieval origins, squares and streets are clean and tidy, in strictly Swedish style, but the atmosphere is lively and dynamic, like in a southern European city.
This medieval heart contrasts with modern Malmö, expressed by the Turning Torso, the futuristic skyscraper designed by architect Santiago Calatrava in the former naval area of Västra Hamnen and by the Öresund Bridge, the monumental futuristic structure suspended on the water that connects Sweden to Denmark. But Malmö is also known as the city of parks due to the presence of many green areas in the city center, useful for rediscovering contact with nature in complete relaxation.
The Öresund Bridge
Those leaving from Copenhagen have the opportunity to cross – by car, bus or train – the suggestive Öresund Bridge. Suspended over the sea, the bridge is an extraordinary futuristic structure designed to connect Sweden and Denmark, crossing the Öresund Strait that separates them. Conceived since the 1930s, the bridge was only built in 1995 and inaugurated in 2000.
Today it represents the longest bridge in Europe dedicated to road and rail transport and is made up of two levels: trains travel on the lower one while vehicles travel on the upper one, thanks to the four-lane road. The train, the cheapest solution, leaves from Copenhagen Central Station and arrives at Malmö Central Station after just 40 minutes. You must always carry a valid identification document or passport with you.
The Turning Torso
In a modern and futuristic city like Malmö, a symbolic building could not be missing to represent it in the world: the Turning Torso.
Designed in 2005 by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, this futuristic skyscraper 190 meters high which stands out over the sea is also visible from Denmark. The tower seems to wrap around itself, through a spiraling movement, which makes it unique: the work is inspired, in fact, by a sculpture representing a twisting human bustbuilt in glass, steel and reinforced concrete and externally covered with glass and aluminum panels.
The neighborhood where Turning Torso is located, Västra Hamnen, is the port area of Malmöonce degraded due to the presence of shipyards and factories and today completely redeveloped through sustainable development projects that have made it an excellent residential and commercial area with green spaces, waterways, cafes, bars and restaurants.
Malmö Castle
Immersed in one of the greenest areas of the city and overlooking the waters of its moat, Malmö Castle is Sweden’s oldest Renaissance-style fortress, characterized by the red color of its walls. The history of this imposing fortress begins in 1434, when Malmö was still a Danish city: the first castle was built by King Eric of Pomerania but, in the 16th century, this structure was demolished to make way for the splendid castle rebuilt by the King of Denmark Christian III and was used as a royal residence.
When Malmö passed to Sweden in 1658, the fortress took on a more military appearance and was used only as a defensive structure. It later became mainly a prison, and had this role until the beginning of the 20th century. Today it is home to the most important museums in the city such as the Art Museum, the Civic Museum and the Maritime Museum.
Kungsparken and Slottsparken parks
In the vast green area surrounding the castle there are two important parks: the Kungsparken, the “king’s park”, built in 1872 by King Oscar II following the example of the English gardens, it is the first large park in Malmö, still frequented today for its evocative atmosphere created by tree-lined avenues, lakes, hedges and rich, thick vegetation.
The Slottsparken, the “castle park”, a fairy-tale and idyllic place, is characterized by a dense forest of centuries-old trees where lakes, waterways, sculptures and fountains emerge here and there. Both parks are ideal places for those who want to take long walks in well-kept urban green areas or where they can relax and reconnect with nature.
The Moderna Museet
The Moderna Museet, located in the heart of the historic center, was inaugurated in 2009 and represents the second location of the Moderna Museet in Stockholm. The museum is housed in a disused power plant, dating back to the early twentieth century, renovated and redeveloped to give this place a more contemporary appearance.
Indeed, the museum looks like a large and monumental red cube covered with perforated steel plates. The Moderna Museet is today a meeting place for lovers of modern and contemporary art with a busy program of exhibitions and exhibitions that retrace the history of the twentieth century but also a laboratory that offers learning moments shared with citizens, artists, critics and simply curious people.
The Church of San Pietro
St. Peter’s Church is the oldest building in Malmö, a Lutheran place of worship which stands out in the streets of the historic center due to its majesty. The church was built in Baltic Gothic style in 1319 and is characterized by red bricks that cover the exterior and a tower that dominates the entire city from its 105 meters high.
The three-nave basilica is characterized by sobriety, simplicity and the lack of excessive external decorations and ornaments, reflecting the Lutheran soul of the church. The interior, however, is characterized by white, very bright environments, thanks to the windows and the rich Baroque-style decorations of the pulpit, the altarpiece and the baptismal font. Most of the medieval frescoes of the fourteenth century were destroyed during the religious wars but you can still admire the frescoes that decorate the Traders’ chapel.
The historic centre, Lilla Torg and Stortorget
Gamla Staden is the heart of Malmö, the historical soul that tells its past through the colorful medieval houses and picturesque squares. The most characteristic place in the historic center is the Lilla Torg, Malmö’s smallest and liveliest square which dates back to the 16th century and evokes the atmosphere of small medieval Viking villages, characterized by half-timbered houses with sloping roofs, brown bricks, crossed black stripes and cobbled flooring.
Today this is where the city’s inhabitants meet, who love to sit at the bar tables to sip a beer outdoors until late in the evening. Connected to the Lilla Torg is the Stortorget, the oldest and largest square, built in 1536 and also characterized by colorful half-timbered houses and above all by the splendid Gothic-style Town Hall building.
The old town, Sodergatam and Gustav Adolfs Torg
Sodergatam is the shopping street, full of shops and department stores, which leads directly to the third city square: Gustav Adolfs Torg. It is a more recent square (19th century) and more monumentalsurrounded by trees and always very lively, where performances by street artists are often held.
Here you can relax on the benches and eat street food in one of the many typical Swedish food kiosks. Furthermore, it is in this square that the Christmas markets, the most important events and festivals of the year are held, making it the liveliest and most commercial soul of Malmö.
Useful information
Information: Malmo.se
Itinerary: Öresund Bridge, Turning Torso, Malmö Castle, Kungsparken and Slottsparken Parks, Moderna Museet, St. Peter’s Church, Lilla Torg, Stortorget, Sodergatam, Gustav Adolfs Torg
What to eat: Köttbullar (pork, veal or beef meatballs); Herring; Steamed cod; Marinated salmon; Fish soup; Pepparkor (ginger biscuits); Spettkaka (meringue biscuits)
Where eat: Saltimporten Canteen, Grimsbygatan 24
Where sleep: Mayfair Hotel Tunnel, Adelgatan 4
Text by Angelo Laudiero|Reproduction reserved © Latitudeslife.com
