Surounded by pagans The history of Mariannelund goes back all the way to the 12th century when the Hessleby estate belonged to the bishop in Linköping and Hessleby parish was probably an early christian centre in an otherwise heathen area. How Mariannelund expanded Mariannelund was founded in 1767 when general Gustav Adolf von Siegroth renamed his estate from Strömstorp to Marianalund in honor of his wife, Mariana Makeleer. Four separate events later contributed to the expansion of Mariannelund into a prosperous small town: * The arrival of the railway in 1874 brought with it a high to the timber industry. A railways station was built in Mariannelund, which began to grow. * A paperwork founded in the 1890’s brought work and workers to Mariannelund but later also pollution. * The real boost to Mariannelund’s growth came with the Tuberculosis sanatorium (built in 1901) and the educational institute founded in 1904. Both institutions relied on the superb air and quieteness of the small town. Consequently, a construction boom started in Mariannelund and lasted until the 1970s. From the 1950’s and onwards the saw mill industry became increasingly important. Mariannelund today Today Mariannelund has found its way back to its roots and is regarded as a booming tourist town. Every year half a million people visit the Mariannelund area in search of the origins to Astrid Lindgren’s stories or harmony among the clean pine forests, gentle hills and many lakes. Several major culture events take place every year in Mariannelund, many with an international theme.   But Mariannelund is also a prosperous community  where lots of people commute to work in factories (especially forestal industry), health care (Hessleby behandlingshem och distrikstläkarmottagning) och skola (Mariannelunds Folkhögskola). In fact, there are more work places than households in Mariannelund. In recent years Mariannelund has turned into an increasingly international meeting point, thanks to German, Danish and Dutch immigrants  as well as visitors from all cornes of the world. Around 7 000 people live in the Mariannelund area. In  summer the population increases to at least twice as  much. Mariannelund - Astrid Lindgren's Home Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002) is one of the most successful writers in history, although she only wrote children's books. She has the Mariannelund region where she grew up to thank for her success. Astrid Lindgren was born in Vimmerby, 20 km from Mariannelund. Astrid Lindgren wasn't the first author to write stories from northern Småland and she was not the only one with similar experiences. Though her choice to write from a child's perspective proved to be extraordinary successful. With Mariannelundguide you have the opportunity to explore Astrid Lindgren's past and the real places where her stories originated. Mariannelund - Home of Health Already more than 100 years ago the air and nature in Mariannelund was renowned for being particularly healthy. In the forest above Mariannelund, Sweden's first sanatorium for tuberculosis patients was built. Tuberculosis was a terrible pulmonary disease, until the 1950s it was a disease present everywhere in society. In the fresh Mariannelund air the sick had the opportunity to get better. Around the sanatorium a network of hiking paths was built for the patients. Mariannelund of today maintains the heritage from the age of the sanatorium. The air has a distinct fresh highland character and the water is of highest quality. Mariannelund - Traditional Sweden While large parts of Sweden has moved away from its old traditions, they are preserved and maintained in the Mariannelund region. Small sized farms and forest industry is still the backbone of the economy. While large companies and rich noblemen seized vast areas of land over the last two centuries, the land in the Mariannelund region was always kept in the hands of free and local farmers. That is why today you can still see old villages preserved like they were 200 years ago. The Railway Station Became a City (almost) In the beginning, Mariannelund was only a small village close to the church in Hässleby parish. When the railway arrived at the end of the 19th century, a railway station was built on the outskirts of the village. The village grew but was long referred to as "a railway station in Hässleby parish". Then came the industries and Mariannelund got its factories and even its own beer brewery. People started moving in from the highland countryside nearby and the town grew. In the 1950s Mariannelund recieved status as trading town, one level below that of a city. Mariannelund - The Frontier Town The Mariannelund region is divided between three counties and five municipalities. Therefore, Mariannelund has always been seen as peripherial, but also left alone to mind its own business. Around Mariannelund several dialects meet. Even a foreigner's untrained ear will be able to notice the different kinds of swedish spoken around Mariannelund. First the southern dialects where 'r' is pronunced as in french. Then the eastern dialects where 'r' sounds like the english 'w'. In between 'r' is normal or simply disappears. In the east words end in 'e' and in the west they end in 'a'. A true Mariannelund dweller is one who speaks with a mix of all these dialects. “Every year half a million tourists come to Mariannelund”  Mariannelund Centre for industy, culture, countryside developement and Astrid Lindgrens World of Stories . “Join us for a tour ...all the way to Mariannelund”  Where is Mariannelund? In northern Småland. 300 km south of Stockholm. 300 km north of Malmö. 250 km east of Gothenburg. 100km east of Jönköping. 20 km west of Vimmerby. Mariannelund is reached by train from Stockholm, Malmö and Gothenburg via Nässjö. By car from Gothenburg alrong orad 40. From Malmö via motorway E4 and then via Värnamo, Vrigstad, Sävsjö and Eksjö. From Stockholm via Linköping and Vimmerby. Services in Mariannelund In Mariannelund you will find a tourist bureau, library, grocery stores and a number of other shops and boutiques, petrol station, cafés, bakery shop, and a number of other services. Trains depart for Nässjö and Hultsfred. Buses depart for  Eksjö, Vetlanda, Vimmerby, Västervik and Jönköping. Express buses depart for Gothenburg. © Mariannelundguide 2011