Historical sites along the quay

Baltic Sea port

The history of Vaxholm's hotel begins as early as 1856 when sisters Ulla and Carolina Falk started Falk's salons. On January 5, 1899, the hotel was destroyed in a fire, but in October 1902 the newly built Waxholms Hotell opened.

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Baltic Sea port

Vaxholm's customs house was built in 1736 and was then Vaxholm's only stone house. The town's other buildings could be burned down in the event of an enemy attack. The Customs House has significant historical and architectural importance and is one of the oldest preserved buildings in Vaxholm.

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Baltic Sea port

Lotsgatan with its old pilot houses has been home to many of Vaxholm's pilots over the years. Up on Lotsgatan there were four windmills in the 1800s and then the southeastern part of today's Lotsgata was called Qvarngatan. The last windmill disappeared in 1883, but even today the old bottom stone of the mill remains at Lotsgatan 9.

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Baltic Sea port

Vaxholms kastell was built to defend the entrance to Stockholm. The fort we see today was completed in 1863 after 30 years of construction. Despite its impressive walls of 30,000 granite blocks and 150 cannons, the castle had already lost its military significance nine years after its inauguration, when new technology proved capable of piercing the thick walls.

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Baltic Sea port

The Wirström farms are an important part of Vaxholm's history. Most of the houses were built before 1820 when they were bought by the merchant Gustav Wirström. Today, the entire Tullbomen neighborhood is K-labeled.

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West Harbor

In the 1910s, Villa Askudden, then called Nya Badhotellet, became a hub for Vaxholm's bathing tourism. It housed a hotel, restaurant, and just below it, the new cold bath house "Nya Badis." It was strategically located for the city's summer visitors who wanted to be close to both bathing and amenities. However, the bathhouse was never a success and was demolished in 1953, while Villa Askudden still stands today.

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West Harbor

Vaxholm's water tower, designed by Cyrillus Johansson and built in 1923, is one of the city's most prominent landmarks. The cylindrical brick tower is crowned by a copper lantern and a weather vane in the shape of a sailing ship. The tower was built to secure the water supply, but also became a symbol of Vaxholm – a technical construction that combines function with beauty.

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West Harbor

On March 28, 2025, an excavator dug up an old grenade from the water in Västerhamnen. It turned out to be a live army grenade from the late 19th century. This type of grenade has not previously been linked to Vaxholm, and how it ended up here in Västerhamnen remains an unanswered question.

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West Harbor

When the regiment was disbanded, the state wanted to compensate Vaxholm – and a new guest harbor in Västerhamnen became a way to attract boat tourists. The new pier was inaugurated in 1936, and today the area is a lively urban space with pier life and ice cream in the sun. A place that reflects Vaxholm's transition – from coastal defense to the capital of the archipelago.

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West Harbor

There have always been plenty of restaurants in Vaxholm. As early as the 17th century, sailors could stop at the archipelago restaurants at Stegesund, and in the 19th century, the town had seven official restaurants – despite having barely a thousand inhabitants. There were both simple joints with sawdust on the floor and finer inns such as Tavernan, where the town's nobility gathered.

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West Harbor

The connection between Vaxholm and Rindö is one of the oldest documented crossings in the archipelago. It is said that the mail boat also operated in winter, when an ice channel was cut to allow passage. In the 1950s, the ferry "Platte Anton" was replaced by a state-owned car ferry with space for twelve cars.

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Söderhamnen

Hamngatan, formerly Storgatan, has long been – and still is today – the city's lifeline. During the 1920s, there were dairy branches, brewery branches, and funeral agents here. Next door to Zetterlund's tobacco shop was the outdoor café Schweizarn, with a view of funeral processions and horse-drawn carriages. People shopped, waited, talked, drank coffee, and watched coffins and beer bottles pass by.

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Söderhamnen

Vaxholm's quays have been expanded in stages since the 18th century. From simple stone quays for trade and supply, they developed during the 19th century, when steamboat traffic increased and summer visitors arrived. During the 20th century, the quays were reinforced with concrete and steel to accommodate larger ships. In 2024, the first sheet pile was driven into the new quay, which is expected to last for 120 years.

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Söderhamnen

Herring fishing was long the heart of Vaxholm. Every morning, the fishermen of Vaxholm rowed into Stockholm with their catch, which became a sought-after delicacy. Lisa Sundberg opened the town's first fish shop at Söderhamnsplan in 1900. The tradition lived on well into the 20th century, and today herring remains part of Vaxholm's food culture and is served in the town's restaurants.

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Söderhamnen

For over 400 years, Vaxholm has been key to Stockholm's defense – and has been called "the lock of the archipelago." Construction Vaxholms Kastell in 1833 and was completed in 1859 with the addition of the Rindö redoubt. As artillery technology advanced, the Oskar-Fredriksborg fort was built in the 1870s. At the same time, the Vaxholm Line emerged – an entire system of forts, batteries, and mine barriers.

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Söderhamnen

In the 19th century, steamboats transformed Vaxholm, connecting islands, people, and summer cottage dreams. Suddenly, Stockholmers could travel comfortably to the archipelago, and Vaxholm quickly became a favorite destination. With the tourists came guesthouses, cafés, and bathhouses. The town went from being a military base to a summer resort, and the steamboat became a symbol of freedom and archipelago life.

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