Brandstorp lies directly on Lake Vättern. From Brandstorp Local Heritage Centre, you can look out over the lake; the church and museum also lead visitors through different chapters of the village’s history. Brandstorp is also one of three harbours in Habo Municipality, all of which are on Lake Vättern. If you’d like to combine your stay with cultural history, there’s a clear focus here: the painted church and collections that tell the story of crafts and shipping.

Brandstorp Church: Art and Planning Your Visit

The interior of Brandstorp Church was decorated with paintings by the Jönköping artist Johan Kinnerus in the 1740s. One of the ceiling paintings depicts the church itself. The wooden enclosure around the churchyard is also notable for its rarity: very few enclosures of this kind have survived in Sweden. The medieval wooden chapel that preceded the church is said to have been moved here from Häldesholms village in the 1620s.

From 15 May to 30 June, the church is open Monday to Friday from 10 am to 3 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm. From 1 July to 31 August, the weekday hours are also 10 am to 3 pm, while weekend hours are 10 am to 6 pm. At other times, the church is open when staff are on site or a service is taking place. If you’re planning a visit to the church, check the opening hours in advance.

Visitors can start an audio guide in Swedish, English or German at the push of a button. Group tours can be booked in advance; requests must be received at least one month before the preferred date. The main difference between the two options is how much notice is needed: the audio guide starts at the push of a button, while a group tour requires an advance request. At Brandstorp, a road sign on County Road 195 points to the turn-off for the church.

Wooden Tent, Crafts and Shipping at Brandstorp Local Heritage Centre

The octagonal wooden tent at Brandstorp Local Heritage Centre is divided into eight functional sections. It was built in 1872 and exhibited at the 1878 World’s Fair in Paris. The wooden tent served as a simply equipped, unheated summer hut. Its construction and use offer a distinct way to explore the site, alongside the collections and themed exhibitions.

The museum displays older objects from the parish, including a two-wheeled horse-drawn cart from Tidaholm. A relocated smithy at Brandstorp Local Heritage Centre displays tools used by blacksmiths and other craftspeople. The cart and tools draw attention to specific objects and craftwork, while the exhibitions in the boathouse and museum building offer different perspectives.

The boathouse has an exhibition about fishing and boatbuilding. The museum building complements these themes with an exhibition of stories and photographs about shipping on Lake Vättern. This brings fishing and boatbuilding together with a narrative and visual account of shipping. From Brandstorp Local Heritage Centre, you can also set this cultural history against the view of the lake.

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