Located in Västergötland, Gudhem Abbey ruins tell the story of one of Sweden's first monasteries. You may also recognise the monastery in Gudhem from Jan Guillou's stories about Arn, where it plays an important role.
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Visiting Gudhem's monastery ruins
After our visit to Varnhem Abbey Church, we also wanted to visit the Gudhem Abbey ruins, which are about two kilometres south of Varnhem and date from around the same time. Although it wasn't that far to drive, we also found sights along the way.
Gudhem's monastery ruin is located in Gudhem, less than a kilometre north of Falköping.
On the road to Gudhem - ancient graves
On the way from Varnhem Abbey Church to Gudhem, we kept an eye out for ancient graves, as we knew there would be a bunch that are particularly interesting. From the road we saw a cairn and a ring of judges. It was tricky to stop with the motorhome, but we made a short stop anyway. It turned out that we had seen graves from the Bronze Age and Iron Age at Lilla Lycke. These were interesting, but they were not the ones we were looking for.
Squirrel Hall
Soon afterwards we found the more famous Ekornavallen, located on the road between Varnhem and Falköping, about 15 km north of Falköping. On a large open field there is a long row of graves from different eras. The oldest are from around 33oo BC and the youngest from the Viking Age, around 800-1050 AD. It is fascinating that people buried their dead here, over a period of 4000 (!) years.
Today, several different types of graves can be seen on the Squirrel Hill: erected stones, a cairn, stone settlements, square stone circles, judgement rings, passageways and a rock coffin.
The most distinctive tomb is a large passageway known as Girommen (giant oven). The passageway probably dates from around 3300 - 3000 BC and was a tomb for several people.
Gudhem monastery ruin
From Ekornavallen it is not far to the Gudhem monastery ruins. Gudhem's monastery functioned as a nunnery between the 12th century and 1529. The monastery was affiliated with the Cistercian order and had its heyday in the 13th century.
If you have read Jan Guillou's books about Arn, you may also recognise the monastery from the book. It was in Gudhem Monastery that Arn's fiancée Cecilia did 20 years of penance, while Arn fought as a Templar.
The history of Gudhem Monastery
Around 1175, the Gudhem manor was donated to the monastery by King Knut Eriksson. Another donor was Katarina Sunesdotter, widow of King Erik Eriksson (1216-1250), who lived in the monastery as a widow until her death in 1252. She was buried in the church and given a tombstone that is now in the Historical Museum in Stockholm. However, a moulded copy can be seen in its original location in the ruin.
At the Reformation in 1527, the monastery was returned to the Crown. The nuns were allowed to live in the monastery, but in 1529 a fire broke out and the monastery became a ruin.
When I (Helena) read further to write this post, I saw that there should also be a monastery museum where you can see archaeological finds from the excavations that Dr Stig Roth started 80 years ago. We missed this, but we took a trip down to the underground room, which was once a guest room where the nuns could offer travellers food and accommodation. Want to stay for a night or two?
Gudhem's church
Next to Gudhem's monastery ruin is Gudhem's church, which was built sometime between 1160 and 1200. The church was plundered and burned in the 1560s, and then restored in the 17th, 19th and 20th centuries. There are two rune stones in the porch.
See more in the neighbourhood
You can of course visit Falköping, which is famous for Falbygden cheese. Not far from Gudhem's monastery ruins, there are also Varnhem's stunning abbey church, which you won't want to miss. If you like monastery ruins, we can also recommend Alvastra monastery ruin on the other side of Lake Vättern. It is also not too far to go to beautiful Läckö Castle.
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Have you visited Gudhem's monastery ruins? If so, did you find the monastery museum that we missed?
Facts about Gudhem's monastery ruin
- Location: Gudhem outside Falköping
- County: Västra Götaland County
- Active time as a monastery: Between the 12th century and 1529.
- The name: The name Gudhem probably means 'home of the gods'.
- Read more: You can find more information at Western Sweden.
History of Gudhem Monastery
- 12th century: Gudhem Monastery was founded in the second half of the 12th century, sometime before 1175. Some historians give the date 1161.
- 1175: Around this time, the Gudhem manor was donated to the newly founded monastery by King Knut Eriksson. Katarina Sunesdotter, widow of King Erik Eriksson, also donated property to the monastery.
- 13th century: This was the heyday of Gudhem Monastery.
- 1252: Catherine died in the convent, and was buried in the convent church.
- 1527: At the Reformation, the monastery was withdrawn to the Crown.
- 1529: The monastery was destroyed by fire and became a ruin. The nuns had to move in with private individuals in the neighbourhood.
- 1540: Until this time there were nuns in the area.
- 1929-1969: The monastery was excavated and conserved in stages.
Facts about Gudhem's church
- Location: Gudhem outside Falköping
- County: Västra Götaland County
- Pin: Diocese of Skara
- Parish: Gudhem parish
- Inaugurated: 12th century
- Read more: You can find more information at Church of Sweden.
Facts about Squirrel Hall
- Time span of graves: Around 3300 BC to the Viking Age (around 800-1050 AD).
- Variety of graves: Standing stones, cairns, stone settlements, square stone circles, judgement rings, passageways and a rock coffin.
- Service: There is a free car park and information signs.
- Find here: Ekornavallen is located next to the road, between Varnhem and Falköping, about 15 km north of Falköping.
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Karlsborg Fortress - a mighty 19th century building by Lake Vättern.
Things to do in Trollhättan - our 10 best tips
Habo Church and Bottnaryd Church - fantastic wooden churches
Gunnebo Castle and Gardens outside Gothenburg, Sweden
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Maria/Magnolia Magis says:
Yes, how breathtaking when you think how many generations have lived and worked here. The monastery ruins are cool. No, we have not found the museum you write about either. May be an evening trip out I think, this week. It is only a few miles away from the forest. I will return!
30 July 2020 - 10:04
Helena says:
We don't really understand where the museum is? Or if it is open? But it says here that it should be there: https://www.vastsverige.com/falkoping/produkter/gudhems-klosterruin-och-klostermuseum/
Let us know if you find it!
30 July 2020 - 13:24
Maria / MagnoliaMagis says:
According to Jöran, it should be in a barn before the ruin. Has not been open the times we have been there.
31 July 2020 - 12:32
Geddfish says:
Yes, I have been several times to Gudhem's monastery ruins. Fascinating 😀 The last time I was there was last year. Then we were a group within our Vasa Order who had ordered a guided tour and we were also in the museum! Very interesting. Then we went into the church, where I have never been before.
https://gerd-geddfish.blogspot.com/search?q=gudhems+klosterruin
So much there is to see! When I met my second husband, he lived in Falköping, so my little car made a few trips from Dalsland to Falköping and he did the opposite 😀.
Now you have left Falköping, otherwise a visit to Åsle Tå would have been interesting.
https://gerd-geddfish.blogspot.com/2019/09/asle-ta.html
Have a nice journey in beautiful Sweden!
30 July 2020 - 12:20
Helena says:
Glad you found the museum! Where is it located? Maybe we just looked around too badly 😉 Åsele toe looks nice! It will be at some other time! ?
30 July 2020 - 13:27
Geddfish says:
I don't really remember where the museum was, but I think it was quite close to the church. It was a small red cottage. A really original old man told us in the museum about the ancient times and also showed us the church and the monastery ruin 😉.
30 July 2020 - 17:58
Anta Snaque says:
You give an interesting, informative and very nice account of everything that comes your way. And you take fantastic pictures! The first picture is a hit - the ruin, the clouds, the old tombstones and their shadows. So much fun to follow your journey.
Have fun!
30 July 2020 - 16:51
Matts Torebring says:
I have read most of the books by Jan Guillou, oh how many times Arn was here. Then we quite often go to Sweden's nicest city Lidköping and just drive by. Good that you kick us.
30 July 2020 - 18:57
Lena - gott för själen says:
No way! I'd rather sleep under the open sky in the forest than in that "guest room". But in those days they were probably happy with the nightly shelter that was available.
What a lot of exciting history there is to learn!
Hug Lena
31 July 2020 - 8:38