Cities and regions／Sweden
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Gammelstad

Gammelstad is a church town of narrow streets and wooden houses clustered around Nederluleå Church. Its houses show how people who lived far away could gather and stay overnight near the church.

Elevated view of red church cottages clustered around Nederluleå Church in Gammelstad.
Photo by Autor no identificado Source: Wikimedia Commons Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0
The place

What makes it special

  • More than four hundred church cottages surround Nederluleå Church, built in the late 15th century.
  • The Visitor Center has an exhibition and a life-size model of a church cottage.
  • The Hägnan open-air museum adds rural buildings dating from the 18th to the 20th century.
Narrow lane between wooden church cottages in Gammelstad.
Photo by Stephan Herz Source: Wikimedia Commons Licence: CC BY 2.5
Traditional rural building and sheep at the Hägnan open-air museum in Gammelstad.
Photo by Stephan Herz Source: Wikimedia Commons Licence: CC BY 2.5
Travel atlas

Articles in Gammelstad

Guides to this place

1 article

Gammelstad

journal.travel Editorial

Guides to this place

1 related guides

Elevated view of red church cottages clustered around Nederluleå Church in Gammelstad.

Gammelstad and the living use of its church cottages

From Luleå, Gammelstad reveals why hundreds of small cottages surround a medieval church and how to explore a heritage site that still has private owners and everyday uses.

Read guide →
Information in context

Sources and references

This profile summarises our destination guides. Their research sources and the geographical reference are listed below.

Profile updated: 26/09/2026