Åkröken

You are now standing near the ridge that gave Arboga its name. Arbughi or åbåge as the word åkrök comes from. On the northern side of the ridge, today's memorial grove, trade was conducted with goods and slaves and councils were also held there. In connection with Christianization, St. Olof's church was built at this site, which was Arbogas first church. The name of the church comes from the Norwegian king Olav Haraldsson, who was a zealot for Christianizing the people and who is said to have been in the area in 1028. In the spring of 1029, he took his ship and sailed towards Gårdarike. Perhaps it was precisely from the ridge that he set sail, and his name was later given to the church and a spring. The arrival of Christianity meant a big change for the people, so churches were often built at the entrances to places of worship. St. Olof's church was mentioned at the Arboga church council in 1297 in a letter of indulgence and it is believed that it was later destroyed in a fire in 1400.