Gullspång

Life in Skaraborg Municipalities Gullspång

Gullspång’s municipality is located at the very top of Skaraborg and comprises the three major towns of Hova, Gullspång and Otterbäcken, and the smaller communities of Skagersvik and Gårdsjö. There are only 16 residents per square kilometer in our municipality, so there’s plenty of room for a few more! To the north of the municipality lie Kristinehamn and Laxå, and to the south, Mariestad. To the east, the municipality’s beautiful countryside gives way to the Tiveden National Park.

Number of residents: 4,949
Towns: Hova, Gullspång and Otterbäcken
Neighboring municipalities: Mariestad, Töreboda, Kristinehamn, Laxå
Price per square meter (single family/town house): SEK 10,817
Number of companies: 844
Major industries: Industry, agriculture and forestry
Employers: Moelven, Partex, Nimo and others
Popular places to visit: Hova Medieval Knight Week, Salmon ladder and Tiveden National Park, Södra Råda timber church, Getryggens activity park
Lakes: Vänern, Skagern and Unden
Renowned for: Nature, development, a sense of community, Olof Mellberg, Linda Bengtzing, Andreas Andersson and Stikkan Andersson

Living here

Living in Gullspång’s municipality

5,000 people spend their day-to-day lives here in Gullspång’s municipality, and we’d welcome more! Rural yet urban is Gullspång to a T. It’s quick and easy to get out into nature, be it forest, lake or rural areas. Living in Gullspång’s municipality provides for a laid-back, rural way of life that goes happily together with a job in the municipality, or maybe in one of the neighboring towns where the pace of life is faster and there are even more jobs available.

If you live in the municipality, commuting is no problem at all! For example, Västtrafik runs buses and trains, while European Highway 20 and National Highway 26 run through the municipality and will quickly take you to bigger towns further afield. Many of us commute daily to cities such as Mariestad, Skövde, Kristinehamn, Karlstad and Örebro.

Map of Gullspång

Gullspång 241107 (1). — Map of distances from Gullspång to a selection of other places

Gullspång Nästa (in Swedish)

Moving here

Move to Gullspång

There are multiple housing solutions in our communities, rural estates and newly released plots. All homes are reasonably priced!

Are you thinking of building your own? In Gullspång there are new, attractive plots for lakeside living.

In Otterbäcken, there is the plot area Sjögläntan at the edge of Lake Vänern, an area that offers plots with a dream location, a stone's throw from the water.

At www.gullspangnasta.se you can read about Anna and Benny, who were the first to move to Sjögläntan..

Moving to Hova

In Hova, there is the newly built Getryggen Activity Park, a modern and popular area for physical activity and recreation, featuring, among other things, a bike park, fitness stairs, a pump track, and a disc golf course. Hova is the municipality’s second-largest urban area after Gullspång and is located approximately 20 kilometers south of Gullspång, 20 kilometers north of Töreboda, and 30 kilometers northeast of Mariestad. The town offers shops, a café, a hotel, a padel hall, a health care center, and a school. The main street is picturesque with a genuine small-town atmosphere, and the European route E20 runs through the area, providing easy commuting both south and north.

Moving to Gullspång

Gullspång is the municipality’s largest town. The Gullspång River runs through the community and forms the boundary between Västergötland and Värmland counties. There’s a salmon ladder in the center of town, and a railroad pedal car station that attracts residents and tourists alike. There are stores, a golf course, a health center, a market garden, activity area, gym, restaurants, cafés and a school.

Moving till Otterbäcken

Otterbäcken is located approximately six kilometers southwest of Gullspång, beautifully situated along Lake Vänern. Here, small-scale coastal life meets nature and excellent opportunities for an active leisure lifestyle – perfect for those seeking a high quality of life close to the water.

In Otterbäcken, you will find swimming areas, marinas, restaurants, playgrounds, a boules court, a padel hall, a bandy rink, walking paths, and many other outdoor activities. There is also a campsite and a guest marina, contributing to a vibrant summer atmosphere. For everyday needs, there is a small shop open 24/7, as well as a preschool.

In addition, there are available waterfront plots for those dreaming of building and living close to Lake Vänern. Just a few kilometers away lies Sjötorp and the Göta Canal, known for its famous locks, cafés, and cultural heritage.

Renting a home (in Swedish)

Homes for sale (Booli, in Swedish)

Vacant lots (in Swedish)

Jobs

Work in Gullspång

Gullspång’s industrial, agricultural and forestry companies, its many small businesses and the municipality itself create an attractive labor market.

Both the municipality and our larger companies are in need of labor, and we encourage you to apply for a job with us. Many of our residents choose to commute to nearby towns such as Mariestad, Skövde, Kristinehamn and Örebro.

We Are Part of Guldläget - "The Golden Location"

We are proud to be part of Guldläget! Here, businesses and municipalities work together to create growth, optimism for the future, and a high quality of life – right in the heart between Oslo, Gothenburg, and Stockholm.

Guldläget is a collaborative initiative between the business community and the municipalities of Gullspång and Töreboda. The initiative is led by the business network Kraftgruppen which, together with the municipalities, aims to highlight the area’s strategic location and strong entrepreneurial spirit.

Setting up a company here

Gullspång Municipality offers a prime location for establishment and expansion. The municipality provides detailed development plans for industrial land in strategic locations – along the European route E20 and national road 26, centrally positioned between Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Oslo. Gullspång is also home to a bulk port on Lake Vänern, creating excellent conditions for logistics, industry, and trade.

Several world‑leading companies are already established here, along with a number of planned new developments. This contributes to a strong business climate and excellent opportunities for collaboration.

Gullspång Municipality is happy to assist with contacts and permits, act as a sounding board for ideas and development, provide support with land matters, and organize business networks where you, as an entrepreneur, can exchange experience and build relationships with other companies.

Education

Study in Gullspång

Gullspång’s municipality has preschools and elementary, junior high and high schools as well as adult education. Gullspång’s municipality offers education with a low teacher-student ratio and high resource allocation, with a focus on the individual’s development. For people seeking further education, Örebro University, Karlstad University and the University of Skövde are only an hour away by car.

Childcare (in Swedish)

Schools, grades 1–9 and after-school centers (in Swedish)

Adult education (in Swedish)

Leisure

Things to do in Gullspång

Leisure time here has something for everyone, regardless of interests, age or background. There’s fabulous countryside, engaged associations and renowned destinations.

Outdoor activities

If you like discovering nature on foot or by bike, there are many trails to choose from in the municipality’s six nature reserves. The hiking trails offer a variety of exciting landscapes that bring tranquility to the soul. Along the Gullspång River, the landscape is varied and rural. To the southeast we approach the Tiveden National Park with its deep, taciturn forest character, and in Gårdsjö we experience the simplicity of a rural industrial community. For anyone looking to enjoy a simple evening stroll, there are woods and excellent hiking trails right up close to the towns.

Our natural surroundings consist largely of water. Lakes Vänern, Skagern and Unden welcome everyone who enjoys bathing and fishing. There are perch, salmon, pike, zander and char in the lakes.

Thriving associations

The National Touring Theater association, Gullspång’s shooting club, Hova IF, Otterbäckens bandy club, Gullspång’s horticultural association, Gullspång’s IF and the Gullhov riding club are just a few of Gullspång’s active associations. There’s something for everyone, both sporting and cultural! Our associations create a great sense of togetherness, and they arrange activities such as auctions, concerts, sporting events and cinema.

Places of interest

There’s a great deal to see in Gullspång, as the examples below will show.

Hova Medieval Knight Week

Hova Medieval Knight Week – a medieval market with jousting – is arranged every summer to commemorate the 13th-century Battle of Hova. The jousting park is located in the center of Hova, and everything you see there could have been found in the Middle Ages. You are taken 1,000 years back in time and get to take part in jousting and the medieval market, and visit the children’s Land of Knights.

Södra Råda wooden church

One of Sweden’s best preserved medieval wooden churches, adorned internally with 14th and 15th century paintings, once stood on the place known as Södra Råda old church site. It was a unique, invaluable part of Sweden’s and all of Europe’s cultural heritage. But as the result of arson, the church burned to the ground in November 2001. Today, a reconstruction of the old church can be seen, rebuilt over many years according to methods in keeping with the times.

The salmon ladder

The flowing waters of the Gullspång River are home to the unique Gullspång salmon, a species that only spawns naturally in a single place in the world – the river that runs through the Gullspång community, linking Lakes Skagern and Vänern. A salmon ladder was built in the lower, steepest part of the Gullspång rapids to help the salmon move upriver and spawn. In the fall, when it’s time to spawn, the salmon ladder is the perfect day trip destination!

Railroad pedal car

If you’re in Gullspång’s municipality, take the opportunity to pedal a railroad inspection car – something that can only be done in certain places in Sweden. Take your family or friends along and enjoy a squeaky, rattly railroad ride through beautiful landscapes and wonderful places where public roads are entirely lacking.

Ribbingsfors golf and culture

Surrounded by beautiful oak groves in a magnificent country manor setting beside Lake Skagern are the Ribbingsfors golf course and Gerda’s restaurant. You are greeted by a park and pasture golf course with 9 very pleasant holes to suit every kind of golfer, and every summer in Gerda’s Restaurant right next to the golf course you can enjoy lunch and snacks in a pleasant, laid-back atmosphere.

Getryggens activity park, Hova

At Movallen in Hova, where there have already been soccer fields, a padel hall and a number of exercise tracks, an activity park has now sprung up. The park consists of, among other things, an asphalted pump track, a small pump track for smaller children, a Bikepark with a downhill track and exercise stairs. Soon there will also be a multi-arena and a disc golf course.

The park is a perfect excursion destination where the whole family can be active.