The unique wooden town of Eksjö

Eksjö is one of Sweden’s best-preserved wooden towns, with architecture and monuments spanning more than four centuries. Eksjö has existed as a town since the 15th century but was burnt to the ground in the mid-16th century. Most of the buildings you see now in the picturesque town centre – Gamla stan – were constructed after the town had been ravaged by fire, and since then Eksjö has largely been spared major fires. This means many of the present-day houses date from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.

Unlike many other similar older town quarters, Eksjö emerged virtually unscathed from the extensive wave of demolitions that swept across Sweden after the Second World War. The well-preserved buildings resulted in the town being recognised in 1997 by the cultural heritage federation Europa Nostra for its work in caring for the built and cultural environment.