Travel Guide Mariestad

The city was founded in 1583 by Duke Charles, who later became King Charles IX of Sweden. The city is named after his wife, Mary of the Palatinate. The coat of arms of Mariestad, an ox rising from the water, is supposed to be what she saw in Tidan Bay in Mariestad when she arrived there.The Protestant Charles was at odds with his pro-Catholic brother, King Johan III, and founded Mariestad in order to create a place for a Protestant cathedral to be built in the area, thus preventing the diocese of Skaraborg from becoming Catholic. The city thus became an important religious center, and Mariestad Cathedral was built between 1559 and 1615 in a Gothic and Renaissance style. The cathedral is unique in Sweden, however, as it is the only cathedral that has never had its own bishop. At that time, the city was also dominated by trade with Värmland and the mining centers of Bergslagen on the other side of Lake Vänern.In the 1660s, Mariestad became the county seat of Skaraborg County. However, the town remained quite small, with a population of about 900 people in 1760. The "old town" of Mariestad was mainly built in the 18th and 19th centuries, and it was during this time that the Mariestad Hospital was opened, one of the first in Sweden. During the 19th century, the Trollhätte Canal and the Göta Canal were built, contributing to the increase in trade and industrialization in Mariestad.Today, when you arrive in Mariestad, you see the shores of Lake Vänern, the largest lake in Sweden. The city is built both on the shores of this lake and on the river Tidan, which flows into it. The most interesting parts of the city, the old town, the museums and the harbor are located at the mouth of the river. A short walk through the narrow cobbled streets of the old town will allow you to enjoy the view of the lake, especially at the foot of the impressive stone church on top of the Gamla Stan hill.