UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Sweden – all 15 from north to south

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: October 2026 | Sweden has 15 World Heritage Sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Here you will find everything from magnificent natural areas and medieval cities to old mines, royal castles and a historic radio station. We usually like to look for World Heritage Sites when we travel, both in Sweden and abroad, and over the years we have had time to visit many of the Swedish World Heritage Sites. Here we take you on a journey through Sweden's 15 World Heritage Sites, from north to south.

Sweden's 15 World Heritage Sites – from north to south

What do a cemetery in Stockholm, a farmland on Öland and an old radio station in Halland have in common? Well, they are all places that are considered to have such great value that they are important to preserve for all of humanity.

It is precisely the variety that makes the World Heritage Sites so exciting to discover. Some offer magnificent natural experiences, others fascinating history, beautiful architecture or technical inventions that have changed the world. We have visited 13 of the 15 Swedish World Heritage Sites, even though we have not seen every part of the larger World Heritage Sites. Two are still on our wish list.

1. Struve's Meridian Arc – the World Heritage Site that spans ten countries

Struve's Meridian Arc is an unusual World Heritage Site that stretches through ten countries, from Hammerfest in Norway to the Black Sea. During the 19th century, extensive scientific work was carried out here to measure the size and shape of the Earth. The work was led by astronomer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve, and 34 of the original measurement points are now part of the World Heritage Site, which was inscribed on the UNESCO list in 2005.

There are four of the World Heritage-listed measuring points in Sweden, all in Norrbotten. It is perhaps not a World Heritage site that you happen to stumble upon by chance, as several of the points are quite remote.

When we visited Haparanda, we saw a monument commemorating Struve's meridian arc. It made us think about what an enormous amount of work it must have been to carry out these measurements in the 19th century, long before today's satellites and modern technology were available.

The fascinating thing is that something that at first glance may seem quite modest actually represents one of the great international collaborations in the history of science.

READ MORE: Things to do in Haparanda and Tornio – our best tips

2. Laponia – mountain world and living Sami culture

Laponia is one of Europe's largest contiguous areas of protected nature and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1996. The World Heritage Site is located in Lapland and includes the national parks Sarek, Padjelanta, Stora Sjöfallet and Muddus, as well as several nature reserves.

Here you will find mountains, glaciers, deep valleys, vast forests and large bogs. But Laponia is not only a natural world heritage site. It is also a living Sami cultural landscape, where reindeer herding and Sami traditions have characterized the area for a very long time.

It is the combination of outstanding nature and vibrant culture that makes Laponia special. The landscape tells the story of both the forces of nature and the way people live in close interaction with it.

Laponia is one of the Swedish World Heritage Sites we haven't visited yet. However, it is definitely on our wish list, not least for the opportunity to experience the magnificent mountain world.

3. Gammelstad church town – hundreds of small church cottages

Just outside Luleå lies Gammelstad church town, which is one of Sweden's best preserved church towns. Here there are more than 400 small red church cottages gathered around the medieval Nederluleå church. Gammelstad church town became a World Heritage Site in 1996.

Church towns grew up because people had long distances to reach the church and needed somewhere to stay overnight in connection with church services, church holidays and other gatherings. The church cottages were therefore not used as permanent residences, but on special occasions.

We visited Gammelstad during a campervan trip and took a guided tour. It was very interesting to learn more about how life worked here in the past, when people from a large area gathered around the church.

We also visited Nederluleå Church and the Hägnan open-air museum, where you can get another insight into life in Norrbotten in ancient times. Gammelstad is a charming place to walk around, but it becomes even more interesting when you learn the history behind the small cottages.

READ MORE: Gammelstad church town in Luleå – a UNESCO World Heritage Site

4. The High Coast and the Kvarken Archipelago – the landscape that is still rising

The High Coast in Ångermanland is one of Sweden's most spectacular natural areas. The land has risen almost 300 meters here since the last ice age, and the land uplift continues to this day. This has created a dramatic landscape with high mountains, deep valleys and a fantastic archipelago. The High Coast became a World Heritage Site in 2000, and in 2006 the World Heritage Site was expanded to also include the Kvarken archipelago in Finland.

We have travelled around the High Coast by motorhome on three different trips and it is an area we love to return to. One of our great experiences was the hike up Skuleberget, where we had to struggle up steep paths before being rewarded with a fantastic view of mountains, forests and sea.

Another memorable hike we did in Skuleskogen National Park, where we made our way to the mighty Slåttdalsskrevan. We actually managed to walk through the entire crevasse before the passage was later closed to visitors. We also hiked to the Pulpit on Getsvedjeberget, where the view was just as impressive.

The high coast also has charming fishing villages and a beautiful archipelago. We have visited Norrfällsviken and Bönhamn, among other places, but we still have the islands to discover. Since our trips here have taken place in spring and autumn, we are looking forward to coming back one summer and taking the boat out to, for example, Ulvön or Trysunda.

READ MORE: Things to do in the High Coast – 25 attractions and experiences

5. Hälsingegårdarna – seven farms with fantastic paintings

The Hälsinge Farms are a World Heritage Site consisting of seven specially selected farmhouses in Hälsingland. The farms are known for their large residential buildings and richly decorated interiors, with fantastic murals, stencils and wallpapers. In 2012, they were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

What is special about the Hälsinge manors is that they tell the story of a prosperous farming culture, where the owners invested great resources in creating beautiful rooms for parties and celebrations. Many of the magnificent rooms were actually only used on special occasions.

We have visited all seven World Heritage farms, and it was fascinating to see how different they are. At Kristofers we were particularly drawn to the imaginative paintings with exotic palm trees, while Pallars impressed with its blue decorations. At Bortom Åa there was old furniture and environments that made it easier to imagine life on the farm in the past.

We also remember a visit where Peter got to hold the key to a grain store with no fewer than seven locks. Small details like these make history come alive! The Hälsinge farms are truly a world heritage site where you discover something new from farm to farm.

READ MORE: Visiting Hälsingland Farms - 7 Unesco World Heritage Farms

6. Falun and Kopparbergslagen – an underground world heritage site

The Falu mine in Dalarna was once one of Europe's most important copper mines. During the 17th century, copper production played a huge role in Sweden's economy and development, and the mine's history has left its mark on both the town of Falun and the surrounding landscape. In 2001, Falun and the Copper Mine became one of Sweden's World Heritage Sites.

We visited Falu mine and went on a guided tour 67 meters underground. For an hour we made our way through dark mine tunnels and up and down hundreds of steps. It was fascinating to see what people managed to achieve long before today's modern machines existed – but also a little eerie to imagine the working conditions.

One of the stories that made the biggest impression on us was the story of the miner Fet-Mats, who disappeared in the mine in the 17th century. When his body was found 42 years later, it was so well preserved that his former fiancée was able to recognize him.

Above ground there is also much to discover, including the enormous open pit mine Stora Stöten, which was formed by a landslide in 1687, and an interesting mining museum. For us, however, the experience down in the mine was the absolute highlight.

READ MORE: Visiting the Falu mine - a Unesco World Heritage Site

7. Engelsberg Ironworks – a well-preserved ironworks

Engelsberg Ironworks in Västmanland is one of the world's best-preserved ironworks from the time when Sweden was a leading producer of iron. The mill is located in Ängelsberg, near Fagersta, and dates back to the 17th century. In 1993, it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Here is an unusually complete working environment with a blast furnace, forge, manor house, workers' housing and other buildings that tell the story of how iron production worked in the past. Several of the buildings date from the 18th and 19th centuries, and together they provide a picture of both the technology and the people's everyday lives.

What makes Engelsberg's ironworks so special is that so much of the historical environment remains. Here you can gain an understanding of how the ironworks functioned as a small community, where work, housing and agriculture belonged together.

We haven't visited Engelsberg Mill yet, but it's a World Heritage Site that attracts us. We like old industrial environments, not least when you can get an insight into both the technology and the lives of the people who worked there.

8. Birka and Hovgården – a journey to the Viking Age

On Björkö and Adelsö in Lake Mälaren lies the world heritage site Birka and Hovgården, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993. Birka was an important trading post during the Viking Age, where people and goods from different parts of Europe and even further afield met. On the neighboring island of Adelsö was Hovgården, which was a royal power center with close ties to Birka.

Peter visited Birka during his school days, so it is a world heritage site that has been part of our experiences for a long time. Today you can take the boat to Björkö and discover the ancient remains, visit the museum and join guided tours that tell the story of life during the Viking Age.

The fascinating thing about Birka is that a place that feels so peaceful today was once a bustling center for trade and meetings between people from different cultures. Here you really get to use your imagination to imagine life more than a thousand years ago.

9. Drottningholm Palace area – royal splendor and historic parks

On Lovön outside Stockholm lies Drottningholm Palace, surrounded by magnificent gardens and historic buildings. The palace grounds have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991 and include the Royal Palace, the Palace Park, the China Palace and the well-preserved 18th-century Palace Theatre.

We visited Drottningholm together on a sunny November day and combined walks in the beautiful parks with guided tours of the palace and the palace theater. It was fascinating to see the grand halls, but also to discover small details, like a chest of drawers that could be transformed into a bed.

One of our favorites was the castle theater, where the guide told us about life behind the scenes and showed us how scenic effects were created in the past. Among other things, we heard an old wind machine that really sounded like wind! We also walked to China Castle, which was closed when we visited but is an attraction in itself, even from the outside.

The great thing about Drottningholm is that you can have a wonderful experience just by strolling around the castle park. But if you want to delve deeper into the history, we highly recommend a guided tour.

READ MORE: Drottningholm Palace in Stockholm - guide for your visit

10. Skogskyrkogården – a world heritage site in the middle of Stockholm

The Forest Cemetery in southern Stockholm is an unusual World Heritage Site. The cemetery was created between 1915 and 1940 by architects Gunnar Asplund and Sigurd Lewerentz, who wanted to unite architecture and nature in a new way. The result was a place where chapels, graves and walkways interact with the forest and the landscape. Since 1994, the Forest Cemetery has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

We usually look for world heritage sites when we travel, but one day we realized there was one just 20 minutes from home that we had never visited! We decided to go there and were actually surprised by how nice it was. Even though we were in Stockholm, it almost felt like being out in the countryside, with tall trees, birdsong and a very special tranquility.

We walked around and discovered, among other things, the Forest Chapel, the Resurrection Chapel and Almhöjden, a meditation grove where even the height of the steps has been designed with the visitor's experience in mind. We also saw Greta Garbo's grave.

The Forest Cemetery was a reminder that you don't always have to travel far to discover something truly special. Sometimes World Heritage sites are almost around the corner!

READ MORE: Skogskyrkogården in Stockholm - a Unesco World Heritage Site

11. The rock carving area in Tanum – images from the Bronze Age

In Bohuslän is one of Sweden's most fascinating world heritage sites: the rock carving area in Tanum. Here, people during the Bronze Age left thousands of images carved into the rock formations. The images depict ships, people, animals and various symbols, and provide a unique insight into the world of ideas of people several thousand years ago. The area became a world heritage site in 1994.

We have visited several of the rock carving sites in Tanum, including Litsleby, Tegneby, Aspeberget, Vitlycke and Fossum. It is fascinating to walk around among these old images and think about what the people wanted to tell.

At Litsleby we saw the famous Spear God, a 2.3-meter-tall human figure with a spear. In other places we discovered ships, riders and images that are usually interpreted as scenes from people's lives and imagination.

We also visited Vitlycke Museum, where you can learn more about the Bronze Age and the rock carvings. But perhaps the most special thing is to stand in front of the rock formations themselves and think that people created these images thousands of years ago.

READ MORE: Rock carvings in Tanum - a Unesco World Heritage Site

12. The Hanseatic city of Visby – the Middle Ages within the city walls

Visby on Gotland is one of Sweden's best-preserved medieval towns. During the Middle Ages, the town was an important trading center on the Baltic Sea, with strong connections to the Hanseatic League. The mighty city wall, the medieval church ruins and the old alleys still bear witness to the town's heyday. In 1995, the Hanseatic City of Visby became a World Heritage Site.

We have both visited Visby, but on different occasions and for different reasons. Peter was here with the scouts a long time ago, while I have returned several times in connection with conferences and meetings through work.

Although our visits have not been regular reportage trips, Visby is a city that is easy to appreciate for its historical environment. The Middle Ages are ever-present here, with the city wall, cobblestone alleys and old buildings in the middle of a vibrant city.

Visby is a World Heritage Site where you don't need to visit a special museum to feel the presence of history. It's enough to walk through the town and imagine what life was like here during the heyday of the Hanseatic League.

13. Grimeton radio station – the childhood of communication

Outside Varberg in Halland lies Grimeton radio station, a slightly different world heritage site that tells the story of a time when wireless communication across the Atlantic was a technological sensation. The radio station was built in the 1920s so that Sweden could communicate with the USA and is today a unique memory from the history of early radio technology. In 2004, the facility was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The technology behind it was the Swedish inventor Ernst Alexanderson, who worked in the US and developed the technology used at the radio station. One of Grimeton's most impressive features is the six large antenna towers, which are 127 meters high.

We have visited Grimeton and think it is fun that even a technical facility can be a world heritage site. There are exhibitions, guided tours and activities here that make the historical technology more understandable. For those looking for a little extra adventure, there is also the opportunity to climb one of the antenna towers on special occasions.

Grimeton shows that world heritage is not just about old castles, churches and historic city centers. Technological advances that have changed people's ability to communicate are also an important part of our common cultural heritage.

14. South Öland's agricultural landscape – open spaces and a thousand-year history

The agricultural landscape of South Öland has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2000. Here, people have cultivated the land and let animals graze for thousands of years, and the interaction between man and nature has created a very special landscape. The World Heritage includes, among other things, the Great Alvar, the open pastures and the old village environments.

We have visited Öland several times, but during one of our motorhome trips we decided to really discover the whole island. When we got to southern Öland, the landscape changed and became more open, barren and almost a bit exotic. There was something special about the vast expanses, the animals and the feeling of being far from everyday city life.

We visited, among other places, Stora Alvaret, the ancient castle Bårby borg and the large burial ground at Gettlinge. One of the places that made the strongest impression on us was Öland's southern tip, where the sea, the grazing animals and the open landscape created a very special atmosphere. The Långe Jan lighthouse also stands here.

The beauty of southern Öland's World Heritage Site is that you experience it as you travel through the landscape. Old villages, pastures, ancient remains and windmills together tell the story of how people have lived here over the centuries.

READ MORE: Things to do on Öland – attractions and experiences

15. The naval city of Karlskrona – a world heritage site among islands and fortifications

Karlskrona was founded in 1680 as a base for the Swedish navy and developed into one of Europe's most impressive naval cities. The well-thought-out city plan, historic shipyards and defense facilities meant that the city was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998.

We have visited Karlskrona several times and really like the combination of military history, beautiful buildings and archipelago surroundings. At the Marine Museum we have explored submarines and warships, and on Stumholmen we have walked among buildings that once belonged to the navy. We have also visited the city's magnificent baroque churches and the large Stortorget.

One of our best excursions was to Aspö, where we took the ferry with our electric bikes. Here we visited the Drottningskär Castle, which is part of the World Heritage, and then continued to discover the island from the saddle.

Karlskrona is a World Heritage Site that is suitable even for those who are not particularly interested in military history. We especially like that the history is in the middle of a vibrant archipelago city, where you can easily combine old fortifications and museums with bike tours, boating and sea views.

READ MORE: Things to do in Karlskrona – tips for the naval town

Which World Heritage Sites in Sweden have we visited?

We have so far visited 13 of Sweden's 15 World Heritage Sites, although we have not seen all parts of the World Heritage Sites that extend over larger areas or include multiple locations.

Some we have experienced quite recently, during our motorhome trips. Other visits date back further. And some world heritage sites we have discovered almost by chance, like the Forest Cemetery in Stockholm, which we had had very close by for a long time without thinking about going there.

It's hard to choose favorites because the World Heritage Sites are so diverse. We have loved the nature experiences in the High Coast, been fascinated by the fantastic paintings on the Hälsinge farms and been impressed by the long history behind the Falu mine and the rock carvings in Tanum.

We still have two World Heritage Sites to discover: Laponia and Engelsberg Mill. And even among the World Heritage Sites we have already visited, there is of course much left to see. For example, we have not yet reached the islands of the High Coast archipelago.

The beauty of World Heritage Sites is that they give us new reasons to travel, discover and learn more. Sometimes it's about great adventures far from home, sometimes it's about discovering something absolutely amazing just around the corner.

How many of Sweden's World Heritage Sites have you visited? And which is your favorite?