Tungelsta: Garden City with a History

Horticulture shapes local history

Commercial horticulture has shaped Tungelsta since 1908. It reached its peak between 1940 and 1960, when there were 94 greenhouse businesses and 16 open-field crops in the area. These figures refer to a specific historical period; they do not describe the present-day situation. Along with the name Garden City, they give an idea of how closely Tungelsta’s history is connected to horticulture.

Other types of work are also part of this history. The themed playground in Tungelsta trädgårdspark is inspired by the commercial nurseries, laundries and drying barns that shaped Tungelsta. This means local history is told not only through greenhouses, but also through the different activities that were part of everyday life in the past. If you’re travelling with children, there is also Cykel-Pelles verkstad, where children can play in a workshop that houses a car from the 1930s.

Garden park, museum and waterway

Tungelsta trädgårdspark is home to a reconstructed greenhouse and a garden museum with a function room. Together with the themed playground, these places bring the horticultural heritage to life, each with its own focus: the greenhouse and museum are directly related to horticulture, while the playground features historical themes such as laundries and drying barns.

The Rocklösaån winds through the park. The river has been restored to provide trout with suitable conditions for living and spawning. Thus, alongside local history, the park features a waterway with a specific ecological purpose. The park’s themes range from human work in horticulture to creating a habitat for fish.

Railway and buildings as further points of reference

The Nynäsbanan railway between Stockholm and Nynäshamn opened in 1901, with a station in Tungelsta. The station building was designed by Ferdinand Boberg, as were the station buildings along the rest of the Nynäsbanan. This historical connection offers a distinct way to explore local history, independent of the later heyday of commercial horticulture.

Another distinctive building is Tungelsta kyrka. It was built in 1973 to designs by architect Rolf Bergh. Its floor plan is square, with chamfered corners on the south and north sides. For those interested in architecture, it provides a second concrete example alongside the station building, differing from it in both period and design.

Valley landscape and local character

Tungelstabygden lies in a broad, gently rolling valley that runs from southwest to northeast. The lower-lying areas are shaped by glacial and postglacial sediments and today consist mainly of arable and pasture land. Tungelsta has always been shaped by agriculture; the character of the area changed during industrialisation. In this way, the landscape and agriculture complement the history of horticulture without being the same thing.

Tungelsta Ridklubb is another local point of reference: it is a riding school in central Tungelsta, within walking distance of buses and commuter trains. When choosing accommodation, it may help to first consider which aspect of the area interests you most: its horticultural heritage and park, its architectural history, or the relationship between the valley landscape and agriculture. These different themes offer clues to help you understand Tungelsta as a travel destination.

Discover more destinations: Handen, Dalarö, Österhaninge, Ornö, Utö, Västerhaninge, Haninge, Vendelsö

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