A city park forever
Mariebergsskogen has an interesting history. When Dr. Conrad Höök passed away in 1896, his sister Ebba Treffenberg was the only heir. Ebba found in the bequests a note that Conrad wanted Mariebergsskogen to be donated to the city in exchange for a guarantee for its future stock and care. The sister wrote a letter of gift to the city of Karlstad so that the forest could be saved for future generations. The opening took place with pomp and circumstance in 1925, where the idea was to create an open-air museum with cultural buildings and the opportunity to celebrate various holidays. Eventually, a dance floor and an open-air theater were built, which became very popular. Each time leaves its mark on Mariebergsskogen — Karlstad’s city park, now and forever.
The Open Air Museum
During industrialism, old traditions had to give way to new values and ways of thinking. In order to preserve the cultural buildings, Wilhelm Welin, Värmland’s Antiquities and Museum Association, suggested that a Värmland Skansen should be created and in 1925 the open-air museum was inaugurated. There are now various cultural buildings here — from farms and cottages to chapels and sheds. The windmill, the weather saw and the gristmill feel more current than ever and provide an interesting angle with a historical perspective on renewable energy. Mariebergsskogen is filled with places that show and tell about what it was like in the past. On a trip with the Conrad Höök train you will find out more, or read the signs on the buildings during your own walk and feel the wings of history.
The animal park Lillskogen
Swedish land breeds of all kinds live in the zoo. Cows, ponies, pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits and ducks await your visit. The hens run free and splash in the gravel on the stable hill. And in the spring you have the chance to see the newborn baby animals. Lillskogen is open every day, all year round.
Naturum Värmland
Curious about nature? Take a look into the nature center located in the middle of the Klarälvs delta with water and forest right inside the knot. Here you can hear the mysterious sounds of fish, feel bear fur and learn about our most common birds. Or watch a film about the animals in the Värmland forests. We arrange nature walks and lectures and always have various temporary exhibitions going on. Naturum Värmland is open every day, all year round.
The forest
The forest in Mariebergsskogen is something out of the ordinary and it changes character depending on the weather, season and time of day. We hear the song of the black tit in the spring greenery and see the squirrels playing among the mighty pines in the summer. Autumn offers the autumn colors of blueberry rice and in winter we enjoy the hoar frost on winter trees. The area has high natural values and is cared for in a way that focuses on biodiversity. There are a lot of dead trees that are allowed to remain as vital habitat for many small insects and birds. In order to spare the sensitive forest land, it is good to stay on already trodden paths when hiking. From the forest, you can walk further out across the open coastal meadows.
The beach meadows
Marieberg’s beach meadows offer expansive views. Grazing cows create habitat for tufted whip and meadowlark. In summer, we see the osprey diving and among all the shades of green of the meadow, you can see stand-lysing and torch flowers. Fog and frost in the reeds offer beautiful motifs at the colder time of the year. Around the beach meadows runs a three-kilometer hiking trail that offers adventure over logs and stones. There you can see beaver tracks. You can also choose to walk just under a kilometer on Lilla runda, which is paved and where there are a few benches for a moment’s rest. You can get to the bird tower’s first floor with a wheelchair and pram.
Gardens
A cultural-historical environment is created around Marieberg’s manor with kitchen and ornamental plants we found in price lists, plant and seed catalogs from Karlstad around 1920–1935. At Spikgården, the 19th-century cottage from Norra Finnskoga, we are today showing roses that have existed for a long time in Värmland and Dalarna together with apple varieties and perennials. In the Lek-trädgården, the senses are tickled on the theme of music, literature and art with exciting play in beautiful green rooms. In the play forest there is Hybelejen’s mill among trees and green small hills. In the middle ripples the fountain where an ice rink is washed in winter. In the Children’s kitchen garden, you can see culturally interesting kitchen plants from Karlstad, such as the pea “Nisse på Tomta”. Feel free to come and look at the plantations and let yourself be inspired. Check back often, and you’ll see it grow and thrive.
A pleasant park
Mariebergsskogen is located just over a kilometer from the center, by one of Karlstad’s many Vänerviks. It is a full 78 hectares and the nature trail around the beach meadows is approximately 3 km.
In order for Mariebergsskogen to be a pleasant park for everyone, there are some simple and important rules of thumb.