August 13, 2013
Get off the bus at Repslageriet. Walk Västergatan to Market Square
"Torget". At Torget are the church, museum and tourist office. Gets a map in
the tourist office which is in the same house as the museum, a red house that
was city hall. At the gable is a staircase down to lavatories.In the northeast
corner of the square is the remains of Saint Anne's Chapel, a chapel to
St. Anne's Hospital, founded in 1524. It ended when Åhus lost city
rights to Kristianstad hundred years later.
To the east of the chapel is a stone sarcophagus, it has nothing to do with
the chapel. It was salvaged in 1958 from a ship that sank in the 1700's with a
cargo of stone sarcophagi. Opposite the chapel is King cottage "Kungsstugan",
a small half-timbered house. It got its name because, according to legend,
Charles XI was hidden by the priest above the damper in the fireplace when the
Danes sought him.
Then I go to the south of the square, onto Västra Varvsgatan, and down
the Östra Hamngatan. Here is a small park with a brick wall. The wall is
from a Dominican convent founded in the 1200s. A medieval monastery academy
said to be Scandinavia's first university. Dominicans was expelled in 1536
during the Reformation. The buildings was used as county residence until 1617
when the seigneur moved to the newly laid Kristianstad. Then the monastery was
left to decay and today remains only this brick wall.
Continuing on Gamla Skeppsbron. Past the Absolut Vodka, Åhus is well
known for its distillery. Boats are moored in the harbor. Strolling along the
harbor promenade, past the tavern and icecream boats, to Aosehus. The ruin of
a castle probably built before the 1150th Strategically located where Helge
river once flowed into the sea. It was destroyed in 1569. Read more on my site
about Aosehus.
Along the harbor promenade are restaurant and ice cream boats. Eat fried
herring, with a Samuel Adams beer, on Pråmen. To the other side of the
river is a small tour boat that takes oen free over to the restaurant and
smokehouse. The last day, the tourist season is over. Take the boat and buy
smoked fish. Back again and eat ice cream on the ice cream boat. I am
satisfied with the food.
Walk Stavgatan up to Köpmannagatan. On Stavgatan is the Cigar King's house
that's hostels and bed & breakfasts. It was until 1915 cigar factory. Tobacco
cultivation was common at the time. Walk Köpmannagatan back to the square and
visit the church. The visit I've described on my page about Åhus
church. Concludes with walking around in the museum. Where there is an
exhibition about cleanliness. In a stand are old irons. There is also
information about Aosehus with objects found there.