Sweden
- 1 online resource : multiple file formats
Release date is 2025-09-21
Fiona Holmes and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) Fiona Holmes and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
"Sweden" by Dudley Heathcote is a travelogue and cultural guide written in the early 20th century. It surveys the country through vivid journeys, blending practical travel advice with history, architecture, folklore, and observations on national customs. The focus ranges from outdoor sports and climate to regional identities and cityscapes, moving from the coasts and lakes to Stockholm and beyond. The tone is appreciative and informative, with itinerary-style routes and a keen eye for everyday details. The opening of the book presents Sweden as an ideal country for outdoor life, linking modern sport to Norse traditions and Ling gymnastics, and explaining the distinctive climate, geology, and luminous scenery across regions from Skåne and Bohuslän to Dalecarlia, Norrland, and Lapland. It sketches the character and variety of the people and praises the nation’s efficiency, civic order, and hospitality. The narrative then follows a sea approach to Gothenburg—complete with the smörgåsbord ritual—before surveying the port’s history, parks, public services, architecture, and local etiquette. From there it turns to the Bohuslän coast, mixing rugged seascapes with Beowulf lore, prehistoric remains, and practical excursions to Marstrand, Lysekil, and Uddevalla. A leisurely passage along the Göta Canal carries the reader across lakes and locks past castles, abbeys, and towns—Bohus, Trollhättan, Vänern, Kinnekulle, Vättern, Jönköping, Vadstena, and Söderköping—through the Baltic skerries into Lake Mälaren. It culminates in an initial portrait of the capital’s setting and past, highlighting the Royal Palace, Old Town churches, the House of Knights, atmospheric streets, and the new Town Hall. (This is an automatically generated summary.)