Axmar Blue Park
Axmar Blue Park
To do Sights Antiquities

Axmar Blue Park

In the Bothnian Sea outside Axmar, there is a fascinating underwater world. Beneath the surface of the rocky and shallow archipelago, there are several shipwrecks with a story to tell. Those who look closely can read a 300-year-old history of the ironworks – told by shipowners, shipbuilders, and sailors. Here, there is also a unique underwater nature, created in the meeting between fresh and saltwater, and more diverse and beautiful than you might imagine. Most of it is shallow and can be seen from the surface. So whether you paddle, snorkel, or are a scuba diver, join us on a tour and experience what the Gästrikland coast looks like at its core.

In the waters around Axmar Ironworks, there are around twenty shipwrecks. Some are barges intentionally sunk after the closure of the ironworks. Others are ships that foundered in the difficult ingress and egress. The oldest wreck, located off the loading berth of Axmar Ironworks at Granskär, dates back to the early 1700s. It is easy to understand why there are so many wrecks here. The archipelago is rocky and shallow. Additionally, the cargoes often traveled on relatively small open sailboats, sailed in darkness and autumn storms.

Although the wrecks are broken, some resembling mere piles of boards, they are important for the cultural environment. They represent snapshots of dramatic historical events. Even things that would not normally survive to posterity have been preserved, such as raw materials and semi-finished products like bar iron and wrought iron, as well as everyday wooden objects, which are fairly well preserved thanks to the oxygen-poor cold water.

There are still wrecks to be discovered from known shipwrecks where the ironworks have been the departure or destination point. It is easy to determine if a wreck has been a ship carrying cargo from Axmar Ironworks – all iron produced was stamped with the ironworks' stamp. That stamp is now part of Axmar Ironworks' logo, thus connecting us to the important and exciting history of the ironworks.


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