Province: Vasterbottens Ian.
Region: Vasterbotten.
Altitude: sea level. Population: 73,000.
Postal code: S-931 Telephone code: 09 1 0.
HOTELS. Hotell och Restaurang Mamia, Torget 2,
1 51 Stadshotelet, Stationsgatan 8-10, 78 Hof, Tjarhovgatan 14, 73 Grander?, Magasinsgrand 4,
26 Stensborg, Vinkelgrand 4, 21 Dahlstrom, Stationsgatan 9,13 b.
Skelleftea, on the estuary of the Skelleftea in the Gulf of Bothnia, is mentioned as a trading town in 1 621, but did not receive its municipal charter until 1845. In 1912, the railway reached the town, and this, combined with the explosive expansion of the Boliden mines, led to the rapid development of Skelleftea. Since the incorporation of neighbouring settlements, some of them as far as 20 km (12 miles) away, it has increased its population to 73,000.
SIGHTS. The middle ofthe town is well preserved, with the original rectangular street plan and wooden houses in typical Norrland style. The late 1 8th c. Church of the Provincial Assembly incorporates some medieval work. It contains a collection of medieval sculpture in wood and a fine reredos (altarscreen). Adjoining the church is Bondstan, with 150 huts for the overnight accommodation of churchgoers. In the Nordana Park, alongside the river in the old part of the town, is an open-air museum. Here, too, we find the Provincial Museum (bronze ornaments of a.d. 300-400).
The Town House (1 955), adjoining the Municipal Park (1 873), contains a mosaic by Evert Lundquist. The Baroque-style Town Church (1927) has a striking black granite doorway; the interior decoration is by Carl Fagerberg and Gunnar Torhamn.
SURROUNDINGS. 16 km (10 miles) SE of the middle of town is the port of Skelleftehamn, with St Orjan’s Church (1935), which has a roof and bells made of copper from Boliden and contains an altarpiece of the Spanish school, perhaps by Velazquez. AtRonnskar, 3 km (2 miles) beyond this, area large foundry belonging to the Boliden company and a sulphuric acid plant.
35 km (22 miles) N W of Skellefte3 is the mining town of Boliden, where large deposits of copper were discovered in 1 925-6. Today ore containing gold, silver, lead and arsenic is mined here, and there are also deposits of selenium and sulphur. From Boliden, there is a 96 km (60 mile) long cable railway via Rakkejaur to Kristineberg, where ore containing copper, sulphur and zinc is mined.
