Luleå - Gammelstad

I spent a day in Luleå about 3 hours from where I left Team Micnivht Sun. It's a coastal town and nearby is the Old Church Town of Gammelstad, a World Heritage site and former location of Luleå. It was founded in 1492 when the church was completed. It was mandatory for members of the parish to attend church every week, but because people had to travel long distances over wet marshy land in the summer, each family built a small cottage where they could spend the weekend.  The cottages have survived all these years and have been passed down from generation to generation and are still in use today.  

The reason Luleå changed location resulted from the rise in the land where Gammelstad was situated. Originally it was an island and had a thriving economy but as the land rose and water receded, the harbor dried up and now Gammelstad sits about 30km from the coast. 

The church finished in 1492, originally Carholic, then converted to Protestant 

The church bell tower

Newly built organ

Cottages have a uniform style and color.