Forsbacka: Ironworks, Storsjön and Historic Parkland

Forsbacka combines a distinctive industrial history with water, parkland and excursions around Storsjön. The centre lies where Storsjön flows into the Gavleån. Anyone planning a trip involving culture, walks and activities by the lake will find a place here with an unusually wide range of different facets. When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Forsbacka, you can therefore consider whether to focus on historical discoveries, the lake or a mixture of both.

Industrial history around Forsbacka Bruk

Iron processing in Forsbacka dates back to the 16th century. In 1651, Forsbacka received a letter of privilege from Queen Christina authorising a forge and two furnaces. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Forsbacka Bruk developed into a modern large-scale industrial operation for its time. An industrial environment from the 19th century has been preserved on the site, making the history tangible not only through dates but also through buildings and rooms.

The blast furnaces at Forsbacka Bruk remained in operation until 1953, and the last rolling mill was shut down in 1981. Visitors can walk among buildings from the ironworks’ heyday and take part in guided tours at Forsbacka Bruk. This gives you a clear choice when planning your day: you can focus on the preserved industrial environment or combine your visit with the park, manor and lake.

Manor, park and distinctive buildings

Forsbacka Manor was built in 1777. The building retains woodwork, doors, door crowns, tiled stoves and wall decorations. The park at the manor was redesigned in the 1790s in accordance with the English park ideal. Visitors can walk through the English Park; Bruksparken is also located next to Forsbacka Manor and is used for walks and recreation.

The religious buildings also tell the story of the development of the area. Forsbacka Church was consecrated on 7 June 1965 and has a ship-shaped octagonal floor plan. Its altar is made of slag stone from Forsbacka Bruk. The orangery belonging to the manor was the area’s first place of worship. These stops are suitable for travellers who would like to experience architecture and local history during a quieter part of the day.

Storsjön, Laduholmen and excursions on the water

Storsjön reveals another side of Forsbacka. Laduholmen is a lakeside bathing area on Storsjön with a sandy beach. In summer, Forsbacka IK organises dances on Thursdays on Laduholmen’s dance floor. Bus 91 runs to the Forsbacka Konsum stop, which is approximately 600 metres from Laduholmen. You should take this approximate distance into account when planning your own day.

The excursion boat M/S Emma also departs from the town for a guided trip across Storsjön. Canoes can be rented or booked at Forsbacka Bruk in summer through Labbis. Labbis is located in the former laboratory of Forsbacka Bruk; coffee, food and drinks are served there. This allows you to combine historical sightseeing, a boat trip or time by the water according to your interests, without reducing the area to a single travel theme.

Choose Forsbacka as your base

Accommodation in Forsbacka is particularly well suited to your plans if you would like to combine cultural history, walks and lake experiences in the same trip. For historically oriented days, the manor, park and Forsbacka Bruk are the main attractions; for a water-focused itinerary, Laduholmen, the M/S Emma and summer canoeing are good options. Other destinations for orientation include Bergby, Axmar, Hedesunda, Valbo, Gävle, Norrsundet and Hamrånge.

Back to the higher-level travel overview: Gävle.