Kristianstad is a city and the seat of Kristianstad Municipality, Skane County, Sweden.
with 40,145 inhabitants in 2016. During the last 15 years, it has gone from a garrison town to a developed commercial city, today attracting visitors in the summertime mainly from Germany, Denmark and The Netherlands History :
The city was founded in 1614 by King Christian IV of Denmark, the city’s name literally means ‘Town of Christian’, as a planned city after the burning of the nearby town of Va and moving the city rights of the neighbouring town of Solvesborg and Ahus to the new town. The purpose of the town was to safeguard the eastern half of the Danish province of Scania against any future raids from Sweden in the north, but also as a symbol of the power of Christian himself. One of these raids had sacked the nearby town of Va in 1612. Va then lost its charter and the people were moved to the new, better fortified city. The king also founded the town of Christianopel in eastern Blekinge to serve a similar purpose.
Construction of the towns was a great prestige project for the king, and Kristianstad’s church is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful buildings constructed by King Christian IV, or even northern Europe’s most beautiful Renaissance church. This meant that the church was built considerably larger than there was initially use for. The king also wanted castle or fortress constructed inside the town but shortage of funds made this impossible, of the intendend castle only an arsenal was constructed which today serves as the main building of the local museum. Also in Christianstad the town planning of the Renaissance could be laid down for the first time at the foundation of the town. This makes the Kristianstad town centre of today exceptionally well-kept and easy to get around in.
Pylyp Orlyk was after 1709 chosen as a Hetman in exile by the cossacks and the Swedish king Charles XII. While in Bender Orlyk wrote one of the first state constitutions in Europe. This Constitution of Pylyp Orlyk was confirmed by Charles XII and it also names him as the protector of Ukraine. After 1714 Orlyk now together with several other cossacks followed the Swedish king Charles XII to Sweden. Orlyk with his family and about 40 other Cossacks arrived in Ystad, Sweden in late November 1715. After some months in Ystad they lived in the city of Kristianstad for some years. Orlyk wrote numerous proclamations and essays about Ukraine including the 1710 Constitution of Pylyp Orlyk.
The city’s coat of arms depicts two lions holding the King Christian IV’s crowned insignia, the monogram C4. The coat of arms was only slightly modified after the Swedish takeover following the 1658 Treaty of Roskilde in which the eastern third of Denmark was ceded to Sweden. The coat of arms is very similar to the coat of arms of the former town of Christianopel in eastern Blekinge, a town also founded by Christian IV. Since 1971, the coat of arms is used by Kristianstad Municipality. Kristianstad’s coat of arms is one of the few coat of arms in the world depicting a foreign king’s or queen’s coat of arms. A reason for the Swedes to continue using the old coat of arms could be its colours – blue and yellow.
The city served as capital of Kristianstad County between 1719 and 1997. It now houses the administration and the regional parliament of the Skane Regional Council. For a long time Kristianstad also was a very important garrison town, the A3 Wendes Artillery Regiment and the P6 South Scanian Infantry Regiment being the towns most prominent military units. Also the town housed for many years the so-called Scanian Fortification Brigade. The Wendes Artillery Regiment served with distinction in the Napoleonic Wars. One of Sweden’s higher courts of appeal was located in Kristianstad before being moved to Malmo in 1917.
Access : Coordinates: 56.029444, 14.156667 / By plane : In the vicinity of the city there is an airport serving domestic flights with Stockholm and charter flights. The main international airport in the region is Malmo Airport.
By rail : Kristianstad has a railway connection with Malmo, Lund, Copenhagen. By car : Kristianstad is an important road junction in southern Sweden. It is located on the E22 Malmo – Karlskrona road and the 21 road from Hassleholm.
Get around : By bus : The city has an extensive bus communication system. The entire system in the Skania region is based on one common tariff.
Highlights :
- The Bastion King – Located farthest north on the eastern Boulevard. Here is a restored 16th century bastion.
- Tivoliparken – Stadsparken is located along Helge Island, offers a nice walk and the city’s largest and most visited playground.
- The lowest point of Sweden is actually in Kristianstad, turn off at Kristianstad, and turn right at Statoilmacken. Follow the signage.
- The Region Museum and the Art Gallery – Solid exhibitions about Kristianstad and its history as well as alternating exhibitions including art. Located in the old royal stables at Stora Torg.
- Holy Trinity Church – built on behalf of the Danish King Christian IV. Completed in 1628, has been called Northern Europe’s most beautiful Renaissance church.
- Backaskog slott – Barumsvagen 255 | Fjalkinge, Kristianstad 290 34, Sweden
- Vittskovle Castle – Vittskovlevagen 100 | Vittskovle, Kristianstad 297 91, Sweden
- Swedish Artillery Museum – Kopingevagen 86-30, Kristianstad, Sweden
- The Railway Museum – Vastra Storgatan 74, Kristianstad 291 54, Sweden
- aRt town : aRt Town is an Arts Collective unlike anything else in Northern Europe. If Andy Warhol was in Sweden he would be hanging out here having a fine cup of coffee.
Artellerivagen 8, Byggnad 10 | Norra Asum, Kristianstad 291 63, Sweden - Kronoskogen – nature reserve : This diverse area embraces mixed forest, coastal dunes, reed beds, and a vast sandy beach. Enjoy hiking, jogging, swimming and bird watching.
- Sweden’s only official film museum : Visit Sweden’s only official film museum and the oldest remaining studio in the world, and watch films from the museum’s collections in the cinema. Address: Ostra Storgatan 53, 291 31, Kristianstad
Activities : Fishing in the lower reaches of the River Helgea , Boulder-climbing , Vangabacken ski area . Vangabacken offers skiing on three pistes with different difficulty levels. / Boat and Canoe hire – Ivo : Canoes, rowing boats and motor-boats. Also sale of fishing permits. / Walking in Vattenriket : Walk in Kristianstads Vattenrike Biosphere Reserve, starting at the naturum Vattenrike Visitor Centre. / hiking area Friseboda nature reserve / Go kart – Asum Ring : Go kart track. Hire of go karts for drop-in / Walk in Kristianstads Vattenrike Biosphere Reserve / Bike Tours in Kristianstad / Golf Courses in Kristianstad / Kristianstads Teater : Vastra Boulevarden 20 | Tivoliparken, Kristianstad 291 32, Sweden
Go next : Helsingborg /
