Skara

Skara is located by the E20 motorway, about {{convert|130|km|0|abbr=on}} northeast of Gothenburg, in the centre of Västergötland. Across the hills to its east is the somewhat larger town of Skövde, about {{convert|25|km|mi}} away.

Skara has a humid continental climate,{{cite web|url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=150241&cityname=Skara%2C+Sweden&units=|title=Skara, Sweden Climate Summary|publisher=Weatherbase|access-date=27 February 2015}} though it is influenced by maritime moderation in spite of its inland position. Its proximity to Kattegat and lake Vänern contributes to summers being slightly cooler than areas to the north-east, and winter temperatures mostly hover around the freezing point.

{{Weather box

|width=auto

|collapsed = Yes

|metric first = Yes

|single line = Yes

|location = Skara (2002–2021 averages), extremes since 1901

|Jan record high C = 9.9

|Feb record high C = 13.2

|Mar record high C = 19.1

|Apr record high C = 27.6

|May record high C = 29.0

|Jun record high C = 33.8

|Jul record high C = 34.0

|Aug record high C = 34.5

|Sep record high C = 26.2

|Oct record high C = 21.1

|Nov record high C = 16.1

|Dec record high C = 11.5

|year record high C = 34.5

|Jan avg record high C = 6.8

|Feb avg record high C = 7.3

|Mar avg record high C = 12.4

|Apr avg record high C = 19.0

|May avg record high C = 24.4

|Jun avg record high C = 27.1

|Jul avg record high C = 28.7

|Aug avg record high C = 27.3

|Sep avg record high C = 22.4

|Oct avg record high C = 16.0

|Nov avg record high C = 11.4

|Dec avg record high C = 8.0

|year avg record high C = 29.9

|Jan high C = 0.9

|Feb high C = 1.3

|Mar high C = 5.2

|Apr high C = 11.6

|May high C = 16.6

|Jun high C = 20.4

|Jul high C = 22.4

|Aug high C = 21.0

|Sep high C = 16.7

|Oct high C = 10.3

|Nov high C = 5.7

|Dec high C = 2.5

|year high C =

|Jan mean C = -1.5

|Feb mean C = -1.4

|Mar mean C = 1.5

|Apr mean C = 6.5

|May mean C = 11.3

|Jun mean C = 15.0

|Jul mean C = 17.3

|Aug mean C = 16.2

|Sep mean C = 12.5

|Oct mean C = 7.1

|Nov mean C = 3.4

|Dec mean C = 0.3

|year mean C =

|Jan low C = -3.9

|Feb low C = -4.0

|Mar low C = -2.2

|Apr low C = 1.3

|May low C = 5.9

|Jun low C = 9.6

|Jul low C = 12.1

|Aug low C = 11.4

|Sep low C = 8.2

|Oct low C = 3.9

|Nov low C = 1.1

|Dec low C = -2.0

|year low C =

|Jan avg record low C = -14.7

|Feb avg record low C = -13.4

|Mar avg record low C = -10.1

|Apr avg record low C = -5.0

|May avg record low C = -1.3

|Jun avg record low C = 3.7

|Jul avg record low C = 7.1

|Aug avg record low C = 5.1

|Sep avg record low C = 0.4

|Oct avg record low C = -3.9

|Nov avg record low C = -7.3

|Dec avg record low C = -11.2

|year avg record low C = -17.8

|Jan record low C = -32.0

|Feb record low C = -33.7

|Mar record low C = -29.3

|Apr record low C = -22.8

|May record low C = -7.8

|Jun record low C = -4.0

|Jul record low C = 3.0

|Aug record low C = -2.8

|Sep record low C = -6.5

|Oct record low C = -15.0

|Nov record low C = -22.5

|Dec record low C = -26.3

|year record low C = -33.7

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 42.6

|Feb precipitation mm = 35.4

|Mar precipitation mm = 31.5

|Apr precipitation mm = 31.7

|May precipitation mm = 52.8

|Jun precipitation mm = 79.9

|Jul precipitation mm = 92.0

|Aug precipitation mm = 89.0

|Sep precipitation mm = 57.2

|Oct precipitation mm = 66.6

|Nov precipitation mm = 55.9

|Dec precipitation mm = 52.3

|year precipitation mm =

|source 1 = SMHI Open Data - Precipitation for Skara{{cite web

| url = https://www.smhi.se/data/meteorologi/ladda-ner-meteorologiska-observationer#param=precipitationMonthlySum,stations=all,stationid=83270

| title = SMHI Open Data - Precipitation for Skara

| publisher = Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute

|language = sv |accessdate= 2 February 2022}}

|source 2 = SMHI Open Data - Temperature for Skara{{cite web

| url = https://www.smhi.se/data/meteorologi/ladda-ner-meteorologiska-observationer#param=airTemperatureMinAndMaxOnceEveryDay,stations=all,stationid=83270

| title= SMHI Open Data - Temperature for Skara

| publisher = Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute| language=sv| accessdate=2 February 2022}}

|date=February 2022}}

According to local legend, Skara was founded in AD 988, making it one of the oldest cities of Sweden. It was one of only two cities in what was to become Västergötland, the other being Lödöse. Skara was the location for the regional assembly, the Thing of all Geats.

With the Christianization of Sweden, around 1000 AD,Alexandra Sanmark: Power and conversion : a comparative study of Christianization in Scandinavia; Uppsala : Department of Archaeology and Ancient History, Uppsala University, Occasional papers in archaeology: 34; p. 85 Skara became the seat for the bishop and a religious centre for the ensuing centuries. There have been bishops of Skara in an unbroken succession to this day.

Many important assemblies were held in Skara in medieval times. Examples include the important Swedish chancellor meeting in 1326. A meeting of Swedish, Danish and Norwegians in 1458, decided upon the later Kalmar Union.

In the ensuing medieval centuries, monasteries and other churches were completed in the town. The first monastery was for the Dominican order, called the monastery of Saint Olaf, opened in 1234; the other was of the Franciscan order, known as Saint Catherine (or Katarina in Swedish), recorded in 1259.

The foundations of the Skara Cathedral are believed to stem from around 1050. The current cathedral was inaugurated in 1150, but findings during the last 50 years show it must be at least a century older. Its current appearance, however, stems from renovations in the 1880s by Helgo Zettervall, who also renovated the Cathedral of Uppsala.

Medieval artifacts have been found in or near the Skara cathedral. A chalice from bishop Adalvard the Elder, dead in 1064, was found in his grave in the 18th century. For a while the Adalvardskalken was used in the Holy Communion.

Some 44 pages of a book containing texts and hymns of 11th-century Catholic rituals, the Skara Missal, is held and exhibited in Skara.{{cite web |url= http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=97&artikel=160806|title= Skaramissalet daterat till 1150|language=sv|author= |publisher= Radio Sweden|access-date=23 July 2014}}

Other ancient objects have been found during excavations of the monasteries and churches.

There is a branch of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet) in Skara.

File:Skara vattentornet.JPG

In the city centre, near the main square, is the imposing Skara Cathedral. Within walking distance from the Cathedral is the Museum of Västergötland and its adjacent open-air museum Fornbyn, featuring several old cottages and other historical buildings from the local area.

In early spring, several thousand cranes gather in and around Lake Hornborga, on their yearly migration from the south of Europe to northern Scandinavia. This is a very popular tourist attraction during a few hectic weeks in March/April.

Within the municipality but outside of the city is Varnhem, home to a medieval Cistercian abbey and the remains of possibly the oldest Christian church in Sweden. Just outside the abbey are the ruins of the Cistercian monastery, built around 1150 A.D.

There are several music and entertainment artists in Skara, giving it a notable spot among the cities. The Skara Sommarland is a popular amusement park with a reputation well known throughout the nation. Most notable is its water park with water chutes, artificial rafts, etc.

The official museum of Västergötland is in Skara. There is also a railway museum called Järnvägs.

File:Skara Domkyrka 2005.jpg in central Skara, 2005]]

Skara is twinned with:{{cite web|title=Twin cities|url=http://skara.se/kommun--politik/om-kommunen/internationellt-arbete/vanorter.html}}

• {{flagicon|LIT}} Radviliškis, Lithuania{{cite web|title=Radviliskis|url=http://www.radviliskis.lt/lit/English|publisher=Radviliskis|access-date=3 May 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140408161412/http://www.radviliskis.lt/lit/English|archive-date=8 April 2014}}
• {{flagicon|NOR}} Eidsvoll, Norway
• {{flagicon|DEN}} Sorø, Denmark
• {{flagicon|ISL}} Fljótsdalshérað, Iceland
• {{flagicon|GER}} Zeven, Germany

• Diocese of Skara
• Norra Härene Runestone

• Nordisk Familjebok, see link below.

{{Reflist}}

{{commons}}

• [https://www.vastsverige.com/en/skara/ Skara Tourist Office]
• [http://www.skara.se/ Skara] - Official site
• [https://www.skaradigi.com/ Skara] - Marketing Agency
• {{in lang|sv}} [https://runeberg.org/nfce/0473.html Skara], in Nordisk familjebok (in Swedish)

{{Localities in Skara Municipality}}

{{Västra Götaland County}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Populated places in Skara Municipality

Category:Municipal seats of Västra Götaland County

Category:Swedish municipal seats

Category:Viking Age populated places

fi:Skaran kunta