At Gustav Adolf’s Square you can admire architecture from the 19th and 20th centuries, be part of one of Malmo’s biggest summer festivals and shop for fair trade souvenirs at a Christmas market. The square dates back to 1804 and takes its name from King Gustav II Adolf. When the king decided to remove the old city walls and create a new district, the square became its focal point.
Architecture enthusiasts will appreciate the buildings lining the square. Admire the whitewashed French Renaissance-style houses on the square’s north side, known locally as the Riviera. Restaurants and cafés occupy many of the buildings and have terraces facing the square. Don’t miss the Valhalla Palace on the south side of the square. Swedish architect Alfred Arwidius designed the palace in 1901. Adjacent to the palace is a modernist building from 1938 called the Tryggehuset (Safe House).
The square is one of the main venues during the city’s eclectic Malmo Festival. Listen to live music, pitch your business ideas to experts, attend bicycle repair workshops and enjoy photography exhibitions. Events are free to attend and take place in August. Find a full schedule on the official website of the Malmo Festival.
Visit in December, when a Christmas market fills the square. Here you can shop for fair trade and recycled Christmas gifts and sample organic food and drink.
Escape the crowds during festival season and holidays and visit the Gamla Kyrkogarden (Old Cemetery). It’s the final resting place of many prominent Malmo residents. The cemetery connects the square to Kungsparken.
Gustav Adolf’s Square is located in the city centre, a short walk from Malmo’s main attractions. Kungsparken and Castle Park are both less than a 10-minute walk away. A 1.2-mile (two-kilometre) pedestrianized shopping street runs through the square from Stortorget to Triangeln shopping mall. Pay-and-display parking is available, but limited. Take one of many public buses that stop on the east side of the square.
