Hagby: Round Church, Pilgrim Routes and Historical Traces

Hagby combines sacred history, pilgrimage traditions and varied hiking experiences. At its centre is Hagby Round Church, whose construction dates to the late 12th century, possibly around the year 1200. In addition, there is the Östra Sigfridsleden, historical traces above Norra Hagby and several places where culture and outdoor activity can be combined. For families with different interests, this mix offers the opportunity to incorporate sightseeing and hikes into their own travel plans.

Culture around Hagby Church

Hagby Church preserves fragments of wall paintings from the early 14th century. The round church is therefore interesting not only because of its architectural form, but also because of its medieval pictorial traces. On 22 May 2016, Hagby Church was rededicated by Bishop Fredrik Modéus. Those interested in church art, regional history and religious traditions can consciously make these aspects the focus when planning their stay.

There is also a labyrinth at Hagby Church, inaugurated on 12 February 2023. Meditative labyrinth walks are possible there. The labyrinth is located outside the cemetery, on the lawn by the wall towards the parish hall. Finding your way there is therefore part of planning the visit, while the walk itself adds a quiet, independent accent to the church's historical impressions.

Pilgrimage and Hiking on Different Stages

The Östra Sigfridsleden pilgrimage and hiking trail is just over 30 kilometres long. It passes four churches: Hagby Church, Voxtorp Church, Arby Church and Mortorp Church. The trail can be divided into several hikes with different starting and finishing points. This is important for travel planning if you do not want to schedule the entire route in one go. Instead, you can choose individual stages and give each day a different focus.

The Kalmarsundsleden also has a connection to Hagby: section 7 passes the round church of Hagby. This gives hikers another opportunity to include the church in a longer tour. The pilgrimage tradition also includes the oral tradition that S:t Sigfrid came ashore at Sigfrids hamn after a shipwreck in 1033/34. Sigfrids hamn is the starting point of a pilgrimage route to the cathedral church of the Diocese of Växjö. For Sigfrids hamn, parking at Rödfyren on Kolbodegatan is indicated.

Historical Traces Above Norra Hagby

On the highest part of the ridge above the village of Norra Hagby lies a large Iron Age burial ground with around 40 upright stones. This site broadens the perspective beyond the church and pilgrimage history to include a much older trace. Travellers who enjoy connecting different historical periods can consider the medieval round church, the pilgrimage routes and the Iron Age burial ground as distinct focal points.

The Right Holiday Apartment for Your Travel Plans

When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday house in Hagby, it is worth first deciding on your preferred itinerary. If the Östra Sigfridsleden is the main focus, you should take the distance of just over 30 kilometres and the possible different starting and finishing points into account when planning. If you mainly want to discover church art and historical places, Hagby Church, the labyrinth and the burial ground can form the thematic anchors of your days. Families can spread the cultural sites and hiking opportunities across several outings without trying to fit all interests into the same day's itinerary.

For further research, you can also visit the pages for Runsbäck, Karlevi, Halltorp, Åstad, Ekenäs, Storafro, Vassmolösa and Rockneby.

For the higher-level travel overview: Kalmar.