Mariestad

Duke Karl founded Mariestad in 1583 and named it for his wife Maria, intending it as the seat of his duchy, and the cathedral he began stands over the town - late Gothic in form though built after the reformation, which makes it an odd survival of style out of its time. Below it the Gamla stan quarter runs along the Tidan river with wooden houses from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, low and painted, on a grid that has not changed. The harbour on Vanern is the base for the Ekens archipelago, a scatter of islands offshore, and the Gota canal passes not far to the east.

What you'll find

• A late Gothic cathedral of the 1590s - built after the reformation.
• A wooden old quarter along the river - eighteenth and nineteenth century.
• A harbour on Lake Vanern - with the Ekens archipelago offshore.
• A town founded in 1583 - as a ducal seat.

When to go

May to September. Half a day.

Things to know

The town is small and quiet outside summer. The archipelago needs a boat. The cathedral closes outside service and visiting hours. There is limited evening life.

Nearby

Ekens archipelago is offshore; Kinnekulle is south.

Key facts