Göta Kanal- Sweden’s longest adventure turned 175 years in 2007. A cultural inheritance designated as the Swedish construction creation of the millennium. Göta Kanal is today an area of experience with sights and holiday activities for the entire family - all embedded into beautiful nature and unique canal atmosphere. A tour with your own boat at 5 knots along the canal varied with exciting passes through locks is a quiescent experience.
The canal is 190 km long stretching between Sjötorp and Mem and has 58 locks, 8 of which are simple and two double locks within the Municipality of Söderköping. The importance of the canal as a transport route was short-lived, however as a technical miracle and as one of Sweden's biggest sights it is still worth seeing today. Göta Kanal flows through the city of Söderköping close to Ramunder Mountain.
The Canal Harbour
The Canal Harbour in Söderköping with its 50 guest harbour berths and Blue flag standard, transforms the city in summertime to a meeting place for people and boats from many places throughout the world. People gather to watch the passing through locks, to visit restaurants and cafés or perhaps dance during the Tuesday evening canal dances. At the Canal Harbour there are also small boutiques, exhibitions and handicrafts. Sweden's largest ice-cream restaurant, Smultronstället is located just beside the locks and it is here that the sightseeing train "Tuffe" leaves for its tour through the city.
One sight worth seeing at the Canal Harbour is the restored silo facility "Fyrtornen" (the lighthouses) with beautifully rounded flats - exclusive living is guaranteed; at no other place can you live in a silo!
Many boat tours leave daily during the summer from the harbour to places in St. Anna's archipelago such as Norsholm, Stegeborg, the Ecumenical Chapel and Harstena, among others. See the link at the side for boat tours.
Art and exhibitions
At the Canal Harbour you will find the lovely sculpture group "Rabbit Crossing" by Eva Fornåå, with two groups of rabbits on each side of the water. It is part of "Visions by the waterside" with many works of art along the canal. At Mem, we again find e.g. the work of art "Utpost" (outpost). The sculpture "Slussvaktaren" (the lock-keeper) by Elis Nordh, made for the 150-year jubilee in 1982, stands by the lock.
At the Canal Harbour there is an audio-mobile guide about the Canal and exhibition "Kanalgrävare" (canal diggers) and how Söderköping was affected by the canal. Here, you will also find one of the signs included in the exhibition "Söderköping beneath our feet" which tells about St. Ilian's church and churchyard as well as other things that existed here during medieval times.
