Historical Buildings Walking Tour (Self Guided), Malmo

At a glance, Malmo can produce the impression of an industrial city, but a closer look reveals a rather colorful combination of architectural styles. Here, medieval, Renaissance and 19th-century edifices coexist harmoniously with post-modernistic and futuristic designs.

The Old Town with its cobblestone squares (home to open-air bars, restaurants and cafés), as well as historical buildings, dating as far back as the early 14th century, attract many a tourist (especially those from the neighboring Denmark) to this Swedish coastal city.

Malmo's architecture has a distinctive character, characterized, among other things, by brick facades, and determined by influences from Denmark and Germany. Many local architects studied in Berlin and gained insight there into the latest developments at the turn of the 20th century.

Here are some of the most impressive historical buildings found in this part of Sweden:

Malmo Radhus – an imposing two-story City Hall building, the largest of its kind from the 16th century, and the most important edifice in Malmo;

Apoteket Lejonet (Lion Pharmacy) – built in 1896, another of Malmo's most distinctive landmarks; formerly one of Europe's largest pharmacies;

Sankt Petri Kyrka (St Peter Church) – this Baltic Gothic-style temple is Malmo's oldest preserved brick building, constructed between 1319 and 1380;

Ebbas Hus (Ebbas House) – the smallest museum in Malmo, built in the 1700s;

Malmo Synagoga – the city's only one synagogue, built in 1903 in the distinctive Moorish style.

For a more detailed acquaintance with these and other historical buildings of Malmo, take this self-guided walking tour.