Mariestad

Mariestad is located at the mouth of Tidan river. Marieholm, an island in the mouth of Tidan, was the site of a large manor during the middle ages. The manor was used both as a royal residence and as a residence of the governor of the historical Skaraborg County. In 1583 Mariestad was founded by Duke Karl, later crowned as Karl IX of Sweden. He named the city after his wife Maria of Pfaltz. The Protestant Karl was in a feud with his pro-Catholic brother and King Johan III and one of the reasons for founding Mariestad was to build a protestant cathedral in the area, and thereby prevent Skaraborg Diocese from turning catholic. The city thus became an important religious centre, and Mariestad Cathedral was built between 1559 and 1615 in gothic and renaissance style. The cathedral is however unique in Sweden as the only cathedral which has never had its own bishop. The city was also dominated by trade with Värmland and the mining centres in Bergslagen on the other side of lake Vänern.
In the 1660s Mariestad became the county seat of Skaraborg County. However, the city remained rather small, with a population of some 900 people in 1760. The 'old city' of Mariestad was mainly constructed during the 18th and 19th centuries, and during this era Mariestad hospital was opened as one of the first in Sweden. During the 19th century Trollhätte and Göta kanal were constructed, contributing to increased trade and industrialization in Mariestad. Traditional Mariestad manufacturies include the whiteware company Electrolux and the paper industry Katrinefors. Mariestad was also the main place of production of the vulcanised lump paper material unica.

Tourist office

• Mariestads Turistbyrå

  phone: +46 501-75 58 50
  address: Stadshuset, Kyrkogatan 2

By train

Mariestad central station is located on Nygatan by the railway Kinnekullebanan. It is connected to Gothenburg and Hallsberg, and is operated by the regional company Västtrafik (+46 771-41 43 00). The national operator SJ carries traffic between Stockholm and Gothenburg, with stops on the nearby Töreboda and Skövde, from where you can get a bus to Mariestad.

By bus

• Västtrafik operate the regional bus traffic in Västragötaland County, including Mariestad.
• Säfflebussen (in Swedish and Norwegian only) stops at the Mariestad bus station with the lines 201 and 203 (Uddevalla-Vänersborg-Trollhättan-Lidköping-Mariestad-Örebro).
• Swebus Express makes a stop in Mariestad with the buses 801 (Gothenburg-Mariestad-Örebro-Stockholm) and 839 (Karlstad-Mariestad-Jönköping).

By car

The E20 highway between Stockholm and Gothenburg passes through Mariestad. Route 202 carry traffic to Töreboda in the east while route 26 leads to Skövde in the south.

By plane

The closest international airport is Gothenburg's Landvetter Airport GOT south west. Örebro airport ORB, north east of Mariestad serve domestic flights.

Central Mariestad is very small and easy to cover by foot or bike.

• Bicycles can be rented at Sjötorps upplevelsecenter, Tallåsvägen 6, (+46 501-511 33) in Sjötorp north of Mariestad, which can be accessed with the regional train Kunnekulletåget.
• Västtrafik operate the regional bus traffic in Västergötland County, including bus traffic around Mariestad municipality.
• The local taxi company is Taxi Mariestad (+46 501-180 80), whose main hub is by the train station.

• Vänern - the biggest freshwater lake in Europe. Nice boats, and supposedly a lot of Swedish tourists in summer.

• Mariestad Cathedral

  phone: +46 501-39 05 00
  address: Nygatan 23
  Constructed between 1559 and 1615 in gothic and renaissance style.

• Qvarnstensgruvan i Lugnås

  phone: +46 501-406 86
  address: Lugnås Älerud 1
  A millstone mine which date back to the middle ages up until the 1920s. Guided tours are available.

• Landshövdingsresidenset

  phone: +46 501-75 58 31
  address: Marieholmsbron 3
  Contains two museums, the Vadsbo Museum of art and local history and culture, and Mariestads Industrimuseum of local industrial history, with extra focus on the Unico-material.

• Djurö nationalpark

  phone: +46 501-60 50 00
  A 2400-hectare island and natural reserve in lake Vänern. It can only be reached by boat. Boat tours are arranged by the local tourist office.

• Kanalmuseet i Sjötorp

  phone: +46-141202050
  address: Slussvägen 110
  A museum over Göta kanal, and the local seafaring and shipsbuilding industry.

Go swimming, rent a bike, or have some other fun. On Saturdays, there's a market at the main square.

• Bathing. There are 15 bathing areas in Mariestad. The three closest to Mariestad are Ekuddens camping, Sandviken and the recreational area Snapen. Ekuddens camping include a temperate outdoor swimming pool. Mariestads Badhus (+46 501-75 62 00) is an indoor pool on Göteborgsvägen 4.
• Miniature golf. There are several miniature golf courses in Mariestad. One course is located opposite of the police station and has preserved its look since the mid 20th century. Another is located by Ekuddens camping, Ekuddenvägen (+46 501-106 37).

• Mariestads Teater

  phone: +46 501-755841
  address: Österlånggatan 8
  Mariestad has one of Sweden's oldest provincial theaters, constructed in 1842.

• Sandvikens Golfklubb

  phone: +46 501-471 47
  address: Årsundavägen 100
  An 18-hole golf course.

ATMs can be found by Nya Torget, Esplanaden, Nygatan and ICA Oxen at Stockholmsvägen. Since Mariestad is the birthplace of the unica-material, unica items, such as boxes, are popular souvenirs.

In 2003 the local women's organization Kvinna Skaraborg launched a type of salmon canapé as Mariestad's unofficial signature dish.

• Restaurang Aqva

  phone: +46 501-195 15
  address: Viktoriagatan 15
  Housed in the eponomyous hotel with a medetiranian cuisine.

• Baltzar von Platen Lodge

  phone: +46 501-507 70

• Restaurang Holländaren

  phone: +46 501-27 53 53
  address: Rickard Hedlunds Väg

• Kingfisher

  phone: +46 501-166 60
  address: Kungsgatan 8
  An Indian restaurant.

• Sill & Dynamit

  phone: +46 501-141 80
  address: Hamnplan/Hamngatan 19

• Sin Thai

  phone: +46 501-773 99
  address: Sandbäcksgatan 63 B
  Mariestad's only Thai restaurant is in the basement of an apartment block. In addition to traditional thai dishes they also serve pizza.

Some times the city hotel organize club nights.

• Buffalo restaurang och pub

  phone: +46 501-149 30
  address: Österlånggatan 16
  A pub in American steakhouse style.

• Klings Glass

  phone: +46 501-717 75
  address: Milstensgatan 4
  A local ice-cream manufacturer.

Budget

• Bergs hotell

  phone: +46 501-103 24
  address: Kyrkogatan 18
  An 18th-century house which used to be a girls' boarding school.

• Björken resanderum

  phone: +46 70-573 26 35
  address: Viktoriagatan 8

• STF Vandrarhem Mariestad

  address: Hamngatan 20
  Definitely sleep at the youth hostel. It's cheap, it's fun, and it has a truly nice setting close to the lake. Moreover, it's several great old wooden houses grouped together in a nice courtyard! If you don't stay there, have a look at it!

Mid-range

• Stadshotellet Mariestad

  phone: +46 501-138 00
  address: Nygatan 10
  The old town hotel has a restaurant, bar, spa and sauna.

• Hotell Vänerport

  phone: +46 501-771 11
  address: Hamngatan 32

• Hotel Wictoria

  phone: +46 501-139 05
  address: Drottninggatan 7
  A hotel in an old Italian-style villa.

• Baltzar von Platen Lodge Norrqvarn

  phone: +46 501-507 70
  A hotel and hostel.

Splurge

• Stadsbiblioteket

  phone: +46 501-75 58 20
  address: Drottninggatan 12
  Offers computers or Wi-Fi if you choose to bring your own device.

• Police

  phone: +46 31-739 20 00
  address: Oxvägen 1

• Mariestad Hospital

  phone: +46 501-625 00
  address: Lockerudsvägen 12
  There is no emergency room, and emergency emergencies are sent to Kärnsjukhuset i Skövde.

• Apoteket Lejonet

  phone: +46 771-45 04 50
  address: Österlånggatan 15
  One of two pharmacies in Mariestad, and the only one which is open on Saturdays.

• Lidköping
• Skara
• Skövde