Try salmon brought in from the bay at this Gothenburg “fish church”, a market with ready-to-eat morsels for a picnic or fresh fish cooked and brought to your table.
Gothenburg loves its seafood and this is no more evident than at the city’s fish market. The name Feskekôrka (“fehska-shurka”), means “Fish Church”. Walk along vast beds of ice during winter to see fish reaped from the freezing waters of the bay outside Gothenburg. Locally caught seafood is brought to the markets and sold fresh to take away or cooked to eat on the spot. Listen to the sounds of the bustling stalls echoing along the rafters of the roomy indoor market.
Built in 1874 at the mouth of the Rosenlund Canal, Feskekôrka was modelled after a medieval Norwegian stave church. In order to allow for public fish auctions, architect Victor von Gegorfelt designed the room as a long hall without any pillars. Described as futuristic at the time, the building is still eye-catching today, with a steep roof and rows of high, arched windows that make it look like a cathedral. The white-painted, wooden interior feels distinctly Scandinavian.
Browse the rows of stalls to take in the spectacular sights of the fresh seafood displays. Salmon, mackerel, herring and bass are arranged with sliced vegetables that provide colour and texture. See the “dancing” shrimp, swimming lobsters, “pearls” of onion, eggplant “penguins” and prawns with lettuce stacked in cocktail glasses.
Fresh oysters abound. Come around Easter to see the Nordic oyster-opening championships, when Feskekôrka’s traders compete in prising open these staples of Gothenburg cuisine.
Choose a selection of the many ready-to-eat delights offered at the market and take your feast to the neighbouring park for a picnic. Try a smörgåslängd, a gourmet sandwich.
There are several restaurants within Feskekôrka itself. If you can’t find what you want on the menu, choose a fish from one of the stalls and the chefs will prepare and cook it for you.
Feskekôrka is closed on Sundays, Mondays and in the late afternoon on Saturdays. The hall is closed at night, but you can come to photograph the beautifully illuminated building from the outside. The market lies only a few minutes on foot from central Gothenburg. It’s free to enter.
