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GAVLE |
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It's only two hours north by train from Stockholm to GÄVLE ,
principal city of the county of Gästrikland and communications hub for
the west and north. Gävle's charter was granted in 1446, but the town
was almost completely redesigned after a fire in 1869. Its large squares,
broad avenues and proud monumental buildings, centring on the roomy
Stortorget , reflect its late-nineteenth-century success as an export
centre for timber and metal. The place to head for is the one surviving
part of the old town, Gamla Gefle , an area of wooden cottages and
narrow cobbled streets on the other side of the river from Stortorget.
Länsmuséet Gävleborg , on the riverfront at Södra Strandgatan 20 (Tues-Sun
noon-4pm, Wed till 9pm; 25kr, free for students and under-20s), has work
by many Swedish artists from 1600 to the present including local naive
painter Johan Erik Olson. The Joe Hill-Gården at Nedre Bergsgatan 28 (June-Aug
daily 11am-3pm; other times by appointment; tel 026/61 34 25; free) is
the birthplace museum of US labour organizer Joe Hill. Born Johan
Emanuel Hägglund in 1879, he emigrated in 1902, rallying comrades to the
International Workers of the World with his songs and speeches until he
was framed for murder and executed in 1915. The most piquant items are
Hill's last testament and the telegram announcing his execution.
The train and bus station are at the east end of the city, only a few
minutes from the centre or Gamle Gefle. The tourist office is opposite
the train station at Drottninggatan 37 (June-Aug Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat
9am-2pm, Sun 11am-4pm; www.gavle.se ), with maps and information about
furnished apartments in central Gävle, from 345kr a night per person,
though the weekly rate works out cheaper. Of the two hostels , the best
placed by far is in the old town at Södra Rådmansgatan 1 (tel 026/62 17
45; £5-10/$8-16); if this is full, try the other at Bönavägen 118 in
Engeltofta, 6km northeast of town (tel 026/961 60; £5-10/$8-16), or try
for a summer price at the central hotels such as the Aveny , Södra
Kungsgatan 31 (tel 026/61 55 90; £30-35/$48-56). As a rule, places round
Nygatan and Stortorget are good for basic daily lunch : for a change,
Bali Garden , Nygatan 37, is Indonesian with meat dishes at under 90kr,
while the Roma next door does takeaway pizzas from around 50kr.
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