Books
Astrid Lindgren's Småland: Vimmerby to Katthult
Astrid Lindgren's Pippi, Emil and the children of Bullerbyn trace back to Näs and Sevedstorp near Vimmerby, to the Gibberyd farm that played Katthult, and to Mariannelund, where Emil heads for the doctor.
The route runs from the author's birthplace through the village that served as the model for Bullerbyn to the film farm and the theme park. Katthult and Bullerbyn are story places; the pins mark their real stand-ins.
Timeline & locations
What do the location labels mean?
- Exact
- The pin marks the actual place where it happened or was filmed.
- Approximate
- The right area — a town, park or district — but not a precise spot.
- Fictional
- The place exists only in the story; any pin marks a real-world stand-in or inspiration.
Astrid Lindgren was born on 14 November 1907 and grew up at Näs, near Vimmerby. The garden by the old vicarage holds an elm that is the model for the lemonade tree in the Pippi Longstocking stories, where Pippi lives in Villa Villekulla. Today Näs is a cultural centre with a visitor pavilion, and the ground floor of her childhood home looks as it did when she was a girl.
Visitor guidance: Astrid Lindgrens Näs is open to visitors in Vimmerby; check the official site for hours and tours.
Sources
- Astrid Lindgrens Näs
- Locator:
- Article text
- Astrid Lindgren
- Locator:
- Biography
- Pippi Longstocking
- Locator:
- Character
- Astrid Lindgrens Näs
Bullerbyn has three farms, Norrgården, Sörgården and Mellangården, and the children live in three houses side by side. The real model is the village of Sevedstorp, where Lindgren's father grew up; his stories about that childhood underlie many of her tales. The village was also a filming location in 1986 and 1987. The Bullerbyn films are set between 1928 and 1929.
Real-world stand-in inGoogle MapsApple MapsOrganic MapsOpenStreetMap57.61194, 15.67139Visitability not confirmedLocation precision: Bullerbyn exists only in the books; the pin marks Sevedstorp, the village named as its real model.
Sources
- Bullerbyn
- Locator:
- Article text
- Sevedstorp
- Locator:
- Article text
- Barnen i Bullerbyn
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- Introduction
- Bullerbyn
Emil lives at Katthult farm in Lönneberga parish. His pranks so often anger his father that he has to lock himself in the carpentry shed. The 1970s Emil films were shot at the lower farm in the village of Gibberyd, near Rumskulla. The name Katthult has been the farm's official address since the early 2000s.
Real-world stand-in inGoogle MapsApple MapsOrganic MapsOpenStreetMap57.69139, 15.55194Visitability not confirmedLocation precision: The story farm Katthult is fictional; the pin marks the Gibberyd farm used as the film location.
Sources
- Emil i Lönneberga
- Locator:
- Introduction
- Gibberyd
- Locator:
- Article text
- Emil i Lönneberga
In the first Emil film, set around 1900, Emil sings the "Oppochner" song on his way to the doctor in Mariannelund. The town is prominently featured in several films based on Lindgren's works, especially the Emil series. It is also home to Filmbyn Småland, a film museum and theme park dedicated to her films.
Location precision: The film names only the town for the doctor's visit; the pin marks the centre of Mariannelund.
Visitor guidance: Filmbyn Småland in Mariannelund is the place to start.
Sources
- Emil i Lönneberga (film)
- Locator:
- Handling; Musik i filmen
- Mariannelund
- Locator:
- Introduction
- Emil i Lönneberga (film)
The theme park in Vimmerby opened in 1981, and its first building was Katthult at 1:3 scale. Its environments are built as described in the books, and in summer Pippi performs at her home, Villa Villekulla. It is open in the summer from May to August.
Visitor guidance: Open from May to August; check the official site for dates.
Sources
- Astrid Lindgren's World
- Locator:
- Introduction
- Astrid Lindgren's World
