Kråksmåla church village is a rural parish centre in a forest landscape at a road junction. Its cultural character is reflected in the church, the churchyard and the layout of the oldest buildings. This creates a specific focus when choosing where to visit: medieval woodcarving can be explored alongside the history of the village layout. The Boasjön bathing area lies in the northern part of Nybro Municipality and offers a seasonal reason to visit of a different kind.
Woodcarving at the church and churchyard
The churchyard of Kråksmåla Church is home to one of Sweden’s best-preserved older wooden churchyard lychgates. Inside the church is the Birgittaskåpet, a wooden reliquary shrine of St Bridget dating from the second half of the 15th century. There is also a unique medieval wooden group depicting Saint George, a dragon and a princess. The church site thus brings together different forms of sacred woodcarving: an architectural feature in the churchyard and works of craftsmanship inside the church.
For those interested in culture, this combination offers more than a single historic object. The lychgate defines the character of the churchyard, while the shrine and wooden group introduce their own motifs into the church’s furnishings. Those exploring Kråksmåla’s cultural heritage can therefore look both at the church site’s architecture and at the figures and shrine.
The historic fabric of Kråksmåla church village
The oldest group of buildings in Kråksmåla church village is clustered around the church and along the roads. Several former trading and craft farms stand north of the church. In the lower-lying western part, a clearly visible former railway embankment remains; the railway was closed and the tracks were removed. The locations of these features set them apart: the church and farms are part of the settlement, while the embankment recalls the former railway line.
Official designations also give the village a cultural and landscape context. Kråksmåla parish centre is designated as cultural heritage of national interest under the name RIK H53. Since 1997, the County Administrative Board has also designated Kråksmåla as an area of high natural value, Class III, listed as number 13 in Nybro Municipality. The two designations draw attention to different aspects: the cultural heritage of the parish centre and its designated natural value.
Finding your way on Route 125
Regional Route 125 runs through Kråksmåla, and Kråksmåla Church is located on Route 125. These details provide useful landmarks for finding your way around the village. Check the road names before setting off when planning your journey.
Swimming at Boasjön
Boasjön is a bathing area in the northern part of Nybro Municipality, managed by the Kråksmåla community association. The bathing area has a bathing jetty, a raft and changing rooms. During the bathing season, a bathing jetty and a toilet are available there. If swimming is an important part of your plans, take this seasonal context into account when choosing when to travel. Boasjön therefore offers a distinct swimming destination within the municipality, while the buildings and woodcarvings described here are in Kråksmåla church village.
Plan your stay
When looking for a holiday rental, it helps to decide first what you want to focus on: will your trip be mainly about the church and the historic settlement, or would you also like to plan a day of swimming during the bathing season? These different interests give you a practical reason to choose the timing of your stay according to your plans.
Discover more destinations: Målerås, Kristvallabrunn, Kulla, Alsterbro, Örsjö, Gullaskruv, Orrefors, Nybro.
Go to the overview of the wider destination: Nybro.
