Brätte - The City That Disappeared
An Exhibition about the City of Vänersborg’s Predecessor.
At the southernmost bay of Lake Vänern, now known as Lake Vassbotten, a marketplace called Vassända began to emerge during the 16th century. The site had long served as a meeting point along an important communication route. For travelers transporting goods across Lake Vänern, Vassända marked the final stop. To bypass the waterfalls in the river Göta älv at Rånnum and Trollhättan, goods had to be reloaded here for transport by horse along the so-called Edsvägen.
As Swedish exports of bar iron and forest products increased, a permanent settlement grew at Brätte. People began to settle there, and taverns and trading posts were established. Brätte was granted town privileges around 1585.
The foundation of Brätte’s existence lay in the profitable transport of goods, but the town also hosted a large number of craftsmen and merchants. Along the long piers in the Vassbotten Bay, cargo ships crowded in with heavy loads. At its peak, the town had around 400 inhabitants.
However, Brätte was difficult to defend against enemy raids, and it also struggled to compete with neighboring towns in trade. To ensure the town’s survival, it was decided to relocate it to nearby Huvudnäs—an open area surrounded by water on three sides. This location offered better defense against enemies and ample space for growth.
In 1644, the residents of Brätte moved their buildings to Huvudnäs, where they built their new town—Vänersborg.
