Kulturista - Cultural Experiences in West Sweden

C U LT U R E E X P E R I E N C E S I N W E S T S W E D E N 33 off in earnest in the district in the mid-18th century, in conjunc- tion with the professionalisation of textile production. These pros- perous, landowning farmers bought up yarn, and later also im- ported cotton, which cottage-industry weavers then skilfully transformed into cloth. Known locally as förläggare, these textile- merchant farmers made a fortune selling local weavers’ handi- work and erected many grand manor houses in the district with the money they earned. Your tour will take you past many of these beautiful old home- steads. We recommend starting out from the Lydde Gård estate manor house, whose architecture, which is characteristic of the period when it was built, has won multiple commendations as an outstanding example of cultural and architectural preservation. Next, follow the river Viskan to idyllic Rydal, a former indu- strial village, and visit the museum that houses Sweden’s oldest surviving spinning mill. The next stop on your tour is “Kvarnen in Hyssna”, a hotel housed inside the old smithy in the village of Hyssna. Here, you will enjoy good food and lodgings. Your tour will then take you past the church in Seglora and through Fritsla, before concluding where it began in Kinna. You will also cross three magnificent old stone arch bridges spanning three different rivers along the way. SWEDEN’S BUILDNING PROJECT OF THE MILLENNIUM It isn’t hard to see why Baltzar von Platen’s masterpiece, the Göta Canal, has been voted Sweden’s greatest building project of the millennium. Using only iron-tipped shovels, 58,000 Swedish soldiers dug their way through rock, moraine and clay during the period 1810-1832 to make the now-famous canal a reality. A bike ride through this area is truly a trip through local cul- tural history. Ride along the narrow, gravel pedestrian road that was once used by oxen and horses to tow sailing vessels along the waters of the canal. Enjoy the tranquil surroundings, see boats pass through the canal’s locks and stop for refreshments at invi- ting waterfront cafés.