Historical Buildings Walking Tour (Self Guided), Malmo

Located in the historical heart of Malmo on the expansive Stortorget Square, the Malmo City Hall (Rådhuset) is a striking testament to the architectural evolution of this Swedish city. Originally built between 1544 and 1547 under the direction of Jörgen Kock, this grand building has played a central role in Malmo's administrative history and is noted as one of the largest town halls from the 16th century.

Through centuries, the structure has undergone significant transformations. The most notable came around 1860 when it was bestowed with an ornate Dutch Renaissance facade, as part of extensive restoration efforts to revive its medieval grandeur. This period also saw the addition of elaborate stucco work on the upper floor ceilings, enhancing its aesthetic appeal.

One of the building's historical elements, the vaulted cellars, retains its medieval ambiance and now houses the Rådhuskällaren, a highly regarded restaurant that offers a unique dining experience beneath the city hall. Above, the Knut Hall, inspired by the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles Palace, and the luxurious Bernadotte Room, reserved for royal and diplomatic engagements, continue to add to the building’s prestige and functionality.

Today, Malmo City Hall stands not only as a beacon of the city's rich history but also as a vibrant venue for balls, special events, and culinary enjoyment, making it a focal point of civic pride and cultural heritage in Malmo.

Lion Pharmacy was built in 1896 and is one of Malmo's most distinctive landmarks. The pharmacy owner, John Tesch, wanted the building to be eye-catching. When construction was completed, Lion Pharmacy was one of Europe's largest pharmanies.

The pharmacy is also known as Tesch's palace. John Tesch had apartments in the pharmacy and even had a very modern elevator to reach his apartments.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, each pharmacy in Sweden was assigned an animal symbol to differentiate the pharmacies. This pharmacy was awarded the lion symbol and is known as Lion Pharmacy.

The Lion Pharmacy has a beautiful art-nouveau interior. It features meticulously carved wooden shelves with vintage medicine bottles and a stunning glass-plated ceiling.

On the side of the building, visitors can admire original late 19th century and early 20th-century hand-painted advertisements. The pharmacy's facade features elaborate reliefs. At the top of the building, visitors will notice the Rod of Asclepius, the Greek symbol for medicine and healing.

The facade also features John Tesch's bust and a fabulous relief of cherubs acting as pharmacists.

Saint Peter's Church is Malmo's oldest church and the city's oldest preserved brick building. Originally, it was Malmo's only parish church. Saint Peter's Church was constructed on the site of an earlier church between 1319 and 1380. The church features Brick Gothic architecture and was constructed with red brick.

After the original tower collapsed in 1420, a new tower was built. The tower was renovated in 1442 and 1890. The imposing tower is 98 meters (322 feet) tall. During the 15th and 16th centuries, five side chapels were built. Three of the side chapels survive today. The church porch was built in the 15th century.

Swedish scholar and architect Carl Georg Brunius renovated the church in the 1800s. The roof was replaced with a copper roof, and many bricks were replaced. In addition, the church was renovated several times in the 1900s.

The interior is dominated by its 25-meter tall (82 foot) nave. The whitewashed interior features beautiful medieval murals from the 15th and 16th centuries.

Saint Peter's oak altarpiece is impressively large, reaching 15 meters (49 feet) tall. The altarpiece dates to 1611 and features four levels depicting various Biblical scenes.

The pulpit was inaugurated in 1599. It was crafted with black limestone, light sandstone, and gilt and features scenes from Christ's life.

Similar to the pulpit, the baptismal font was crafted from black limestone and dedicated in 1601. The octagonal font features Biblical scenes.

Saint Peter's has a 1951 organ with an older facade. The church's small library houses books from the 16th century.

Charles Church (Caroli Kyrka) is a former church in Malmö, named after King Charles XI. Originally constructed in 1680, the first Caroli Church was known as “The German Church” due to its role as the spiritual hub for the city’s large community of German merchants and craftsmen. Up until 1778, all services were conducted in German, reflecting the demographics of the parish. This changed in 1831 when the church transitioned to conducting services in Swedish, as the local community gradually shifted away from its German roots.

By 1879, the parish had become entirely Swedish, and the original church—now too small to accommodate the growing congregation—was demolished. Financial limitations led to the church's construction budget being split with the nearby Saint Paul’s Church. Both churches were designed by the renowned Stockholm architect Emil Viktor Langlet and were completed in 1880. Caroli Church, like its counterpart, follows the “central church” design, characterized by its symmetry and the prominent use of red brick, high metal roofs, and pointed towers, which draw inspiration from Eastern Round Churches.

The new Caroli Church features a distinctive mint-green metal roof with a central tower topped by a Greek cross. The only remaining elements of the original German church are the plinth and portals. Outside the church, there are memorial plaques dedicated to Frans Suell, a successful merchant and entrepreneur, and his wife Anna.

Caroli Church ceased functioning as a parish within the Church of Sweden in 1949. Between 2000 and 2009, it was used by the Malmö Academy of Music for concerts. The building was finally desecrated in 2010 and no longer serves as a religious venue. There were discussions at one point about converting it into a residential space, but its future remains uncertain.

Tucked away in the heart of Malmö, Ebba’s House (Ebba Hus) is the city’s smallest museum and a cherished time capsule of a bygone era. Built in the 18th century, this modest street house stands as a testament to the everyday life of Malmö’s working-class families over two centuries ago. The house has remained relatively unchanged since then, preserving the essence of a typical household in Malmö from that period.

The story of Ebba’s House is intertwined with the Olsson family, who owned it for more than a century. It was purchased by Jöns Olsson, a city surveyor, in 1873 and later passed on to his son Olof in 1911. The family consisted of Olof, his wife Anna, and their two children, Ebba and Thure. After the passing of her parents in 1961, Ebba, a lacemaker by profession, continued living in the house on her own.

As Malmö modernized around her, with many old buildings being torn down during the 1960s, Ebba remained steadfast. Despite lacking modern amenities—relying on an outdoor toilet and cold water—she refused to sell her home and stayed until 1984. Eventually, Ebba and her sister-in-law decided to donate the property to the Malmö Museums, ensuring that its historical value would be preserved for future generations.

After Ebba died in 1989, the museum acquired her original furniture and restored the house to its early 20th-century state. Since opening to the public in 1991, Ebba’s House has offered visitors a unique opportunity to step back in time. The well-preserved interior, complete with the original wood stove, outdoor toilet, and period-specific furniture, provides an authentic look into daily life in Malmö during the early 1900s. Today, it stands as a humble yet powerful reminder of the resilience and traditions of the city's past.

Saint Paul’s Church in Malmö is an architectural landmark designed by Emil Viktor Langlet and constructed between 1879 and 1882. In keeping with Christian tradition, the church was built near a water source—a shallow lake called Östra Rörsjön, which once existed outside Malmö Fortress and provided water for baptisms. Due to the marshy terrain, the church’s foundation is set on large piles and continues to sink a few centimeters each year. This unstable ground also necessitated that the church’s cemeteries be placed at a distance in the southeast, to prevent the spread of diseases.

The church’s unique hexagonal shape, constructed of yellow brick, is crowned by a central tower symbolizing Jesus, surrounded by twelve smaller towers representing his disciples. The main tower is topped with a golden cross and wreath, evoking the flame of the Spirit of God and the first day of Pentecost.

Originally, the roof was made of copper and painted gray but was later repainted green to give the illusion of a patina. In 2013, the roof was replaced with aluminum, which over time is expected to develop a silvery-gray hue, similar to the original appearance.

The interior is spacious, with a capacity for up to 1,200 people. Two chapels, one for baptism and the other for devotion, are adorned with intricate paintings illustrating Biblical stories and scenes from the apostolic works. The church is lit by elegant Art Nouveau lamps from the 1920s, adding a vintage charm to the space. Noteworthy artifacts include a communion jug donated by King Oscar II and side chapel windows painted in the 1950s. In the right side chapel, a memorial plaque honors the parishioners who lost their lives at sea during World War II.

The Malmö Synagogue, an Orthodox Jewish congregation located on Föreningsgatan in Malmö, is a rare architectural gem. Designed by John Smedberg and completed in 1903, the building combines Art Nouveau and Moorish Revival styles, making it one of the few remaining synagogues in Europe with such a design. The significance of its architecture is heightened by the fact that many similar structures were destroyed during Kristallnacht in 1938.

The synagogue has a unique historical importance, as it was Malmö's first non-Christian place of worship. It remains a symbol of the city’s Jewish heritage and resilience. At its peak in the 1970s, the community had over 2,000 members—about 1% of Malmö’s population at the time. However, in recent decades, the community has faced a decline in membership due to increasing antisemitic sentiments, with adult membership dropping by around 500 between 1999 and 2019.

Established in 1871, Malmö’s Jewish community was the fifth in Sweden, following Stockholm, Gothenburg, Norrköping, and Karlskrona. Initially composed of German and Polish immigrants, it grew with arrivals from Eastern Europe fleeing persecution and conscription. The first rabbi, Joseph Wohlstein, was appointed in 1900, and Jacob and Clara Lachmann funded the synagogue. During WWII, it became a sanctuary for Danish Jews. In 2011, an egalitarian community was established alongside the Orthodox congregation.

In 2021, the synagogue attracted approximately 5,000 visitors annually. It also hosted an International Holocaust Remembrance Forum in October of the same year, which was attended by delegates from 44 countries, including Sweden’s Prime Minister Stefan Löfven and King Carl Gustaf XVI. The event underscored the synagogue’s commitment to Holocaust remembrance and combating antisemitism.

In collaboration with the Malmö Municipality, the synagogue was transformed into a knowledge center in January 2022, promoting understanding and cultural awareness. This new role highlights the synagogue’s enduring place in Malmö’s multicultural fabric and its ongoing contributions to dialogue and education.