Tranquil lakeside views
Vänern is not only Sweden’s largest lake, but it's the third largest lake in Europe. With over 20,000 islands and islets, it is also the world’s largest freshwater archipelago, containing numerous fish and bird species. The lake stretches across the provinces of Västergötland, Dalsland and Värmland, and it one of Scandinavia’s most beloved destinations for nature tourism.
One of the norse legends about the creation of Scandinavia is believed to be about Vänern. As told by the 13th century Icelandic historian Snorri Sturluson, a woman with giant oxen ploughed a huge plot of land into the sea, forming the island of Zealand in Denmark. Supposedly, the gaping hole left in the land became Lake Vänern. Today, it is believed that the lake was formed in the aftermath of the last Ice Age, some 10,000 years ago.
Along the banks of Vänern, in Kristinehamn, you will find an interesting piece of modern art – a massive Picasso sculpture. This work of art was the joint effort of Pablo Picasso and the Norwegian artist Carl Nesjar, created as an abstract representation of Picasso’s wife Jacqueline. The sculpture was unveiled in 1964 and its height of 15 metres (49 ft.) makes it the biggest Picasso sculpture in the world.
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