Söderfors: Anchor Forges, Temple and Engelska Parken
Accommodation in Söderfors
The history of the ironworks, historic buildings and Engelska Parken on the Dalälven give Söderfors several tangible points of interest. Those interested in industrial heritage can start with the anchor forges; architectural and social history can be seen in other buildings. The park adds winding riverside paths and a circuit with bridges and views. This gives you a choice of historical topics to explore or a short walk to enjoy while discovering the town.
File:Tempel engelska parken Söderfors March 2026 03.jpg
Photo: ArildV via Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA-4.0
Paths in Engelska Parken
Winding paths run along the Dalälven in Engelska Parken. A one-kilometre circular route features attractive bridges and views across the river. At one kilometre, it is a short walking option. If you prefer a clearly defined route, you can follow this one; the winding paths offer another way to enjoy a walk by the river.
Anchor forges and building history
The industrial history becomes especially tangible at a surviving workshop. Söderfors bruk was founded in 1676 to forge anchors for the fleet. The smaller of the two surviving anchor forges was built from slag stone in 1786; anchor forging continued there until 1883. Today, this smaller forge serves as a museum. Its founding purpose, construction date and closure mark different stages: the commission for the fleet, the construction of the workshop and the end of forging there. The building’s museum status also gives it a cultural role today.
The Greek temple in Engelska Parken offers a different perspective on Söderfors. It was built based on the Temple of Theseus in Athens and completed in 1797. From around 1750, Söderfors bruk was the subject of an extensive master plan, which was put into effect. The two details illustrate different scales of building history: the plan covered the ironworks as a whole, while the temple is a single building with a named architectural model. The development of the ironworks and the design of an individual building can therefore be considered as separate topics.
Accommodation and local history
The whitewashed workers’ homes at Söderfors bruk were built between 1750 and 1780. Änkehuset was built in 1776 at the initiative of Anna Johanna Grill the Elder to improve the living conditions of the ironworks’ widows. These buildings shift the focus from production to the history of housing and social issues connected with work. The workers’ homes represent one form of accommodation alongside the forges; at Änkehuset, the purpose is explicitly part of the house’s history. Those interested in living conditions around the production process can thus explore a topic beyond the craft of forging.
Söderfors hembygdsgård also offers a way to explore local history: it is a living museum where visitors can see and experience parts of Söderfors’s history. The Söderfors Hembygdsförening has also made a workers’ home available for public visits. If you are planning an indoor visit, it is worth checking current visitor arrangements in advance.
For your trip planning, there are two distinct options: a short circuit in Engelska Parken or the history of the ironworks, explored through its forges, temple and homes. When choosing accommodation, you can consider which of these sides of Söderfors you would like to shape your stay.
Discover more destinations: Skärplinge, Lövstabruk, Karlholmsbruk, Tierp
Back to the main travel overview: Tierp.
