The Old Town of Västerås – a walk along the Svartån River and on Kyrkbacken

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: October 2026 | Small wooden houses, winding alleys and old buildings reflected in the Svartån River. Västerås has several nice older urban environments, and Kyrkbacken is one of our favorites. During one of our motorhome weekends, we walked around for a couple of hours and found it almost impossible to put the camera down.

Here we recommend a walk through old Västerås, from the houses along the Svartån River to the neighborhoods around the cathedral and the alleys of Kyrkbacken.

Where is the Old Town in Västerås located?

If you want to discover old Västerås, Kyrkbacken is a good destination. The area is located north of Västerås Cathedral and is known for its small-scale houses, cobblestone alleys and older farm environments.

But the historic city environments are also found elsewhere in the city center. Along the Svartån are older trading and craft farms, and around Bondtorget and Stora torget there are further preserved buildings. These places can be combined nicely during the same walk.

Start with a walk along the Svartån River

We started our walk at the motorhome in Västerås guest harbour and made our way towards the city centre. The Svartån River, which flows through the city and empties into Lake Mälaren, is a nice route to follow when you want to discover the older parts of Västerås.

Along the way there are parks, bridges and old houses near the water. We were particularly drawn to the buildings that are located close to the river. It is easy to stand on a bridge with your camera and try to capture both the facades and the reflections.

Between Storbron and Prästbron there is a dense area of older wooden houses. The oldest houses probably date from the late 18th or early 19th century, and some are partly built on medieval basements. The place therefore has a history that goes back considerably further than the buildings we see today.

READ MORE: Parking space in Västerås guest harbor - with a campervan near the city center

Old houses around Bondtorget and Stora torget

Continue your walk to Bondtorget and Stora torget. Both are among Västerås' oldest squares and existed at least as early as the late Middle Ages. Farmers and merchants set up their stalls here when there was a market.

We like to look at the details of the old houses: the colors, the windows, the roofs and the small irregularities. During our visit, we photographed, among other things, the pink facades at the square. Sometimes, just because a building is beautiful is enough to make you want to stay for a while!

The Cathedral and the Old School Prison

From the square you can continue towards Västerås Cathedral. The church is worth a visit in itself, but the buildings around it also tell the story of the city's history.

An unusual attraction is Proban, Sweden's only preserved school prison. Students and teachers could be locked up here if they broke school rules, for example through offenses related to alcohol or gambling. The prison was used until 1801.

The cathedral and the school environments form a natural transition to Kyrkbacken, where the walk continues among smaller houses and narrow alleys.

Stroll among Kyrkbacken's wooden houses and alleys

At Kyrkbacken, it is the environment itself that is the big attraction. The houses are small, the alleys are winding and behind the planks and fences you can sense courtyards.

Here, the street network and the land division have their roots in the Middle Ages. However, this does not mean that all the houses are medieval. Today's buildings date from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, and later buildings have been adapted to the area's older character.

During our walk, our imagination immediately started working. Who lived here? What was everyday life like? Which people walked through the same alleys long before us?

On a sign we read that Lars Westholm built a house in 1778 and that the shed rested on a brick basement that could be older. Such small discoveries make the walk extra interesting. Suddenly the house in front of you is not just a nice facade, but a little story.

Find Gossip Alley and Lantern Alley

If you want some stopping points during your walk, you can look up Skvallergränd, Lyktändargränd and Djäknegatan. The names arouse curiosity and fit nicely in the historical environment.

Djäknegatan was named after the word djekne, which was used for a student at the school. In the middle of the area is also Humlegården, where there used to be residential buildings, stables and a large kitchen garden.

If you want to read more, The Kyrkbacken Association a digital journey with stories about the streets and pictures from different times.

An extra stop at Mästerman's spring

Another tip is Mästermans källä, a small park surrounded by Kyrkbacken's historic houses. Entrances are from Vasagatan and Kyrkbackesgatan.

According to tradition, the city's executioner had his own spring here because he was not allowed to use the public well. The water is also said to have been the best in Västerås. Today, the place is a small green corner with a well basin created by the artist KG Lindholm in 1960.

Suggestions for a walk through old Västerås

If you want to combine the locations in the article, we suggest this order:

1. Start at Svartån and look at the older buildings along the water.
2. Continue to Bondtorget and Stora torget.
3. Continue to the cathedral and Proban.
4. Stroll north through the alleys of Kyrkbacken.
5. Add Mästerman's source if you want to explore more of the area.

This is our own suggested walk, and you don't have to follow any exact route. Part of the fun is turning into an alley that looks interesting and letting your curiosity guide you.

READ MORE: Things to do in Västerås – 16 attractions and experiences