The town of Falun

Falun was a thriving town, teeming with people, even back in the Middle Ages. Falu Gruva (Falu Mine) soon became an attractive workplace that drew people from all over Sweden. And as the mine grew, so did the community. When Falun was afforded a Town Charter in 1641, it had a population of 6,000, making it the second largest in the country. However, in 1650 mining profits started to diminish and some of the grandiose plans for the townscape never saw the light of day. The network of streets from 1646 still exists, as do many of the buildings and some entire districts of the town.

The three working-class districts, Elsborg, Gamla Herrgården and Östanfors, constitute the well-preserved timber-built part of Falun. Seeing as these three districts escaped devastating town fires in the summer of 1761, visitors can see still how the mineworkers and smelters lived more than 300 years ago. Elsborg, located close to the mine, is considered to be the first district of owner-occupied homes in Sweden. The World Heritage area also includes Villastaden (a residential area of detached properties), the central districts of Falun, two churches, Bergslagskontoret (the mining cooperative’s offices), Rådhuset (the Town Hall), Kronobränneriet (the Crown Distillery), Landshövdingsresidenset (the county governor’s residence), Kopparvågen (the copper weigh-house) and numerous other buildings. The best way to see the town is on foot. Wherever you go in Falun you will encounter reminders of a way of life that was of decisive economic and political importance to Sweden for hundreds of years.