Vimmerby City Centre
In Vimmerby much is as it was when Astrid lived there, but things have nevertheless changed. Go for a walk through the city centre and you will be able to see where Astrid received much of her inspiration.
In the book "Kalle Blomkvist lives dangerously", Astrid writes:
"But in this town there is only one street and a back street, as the baker Lisander used to explain to people who came to visit from other towns. And the Baker was right: Storgatan and Lillgatan, that's all there was and of course Stortorget (the main square). The rest was small undulating cobble-stoned alleys and backstreets.
In another chapter in the book you will recognize Båtmansbacken:
"In the deepest of tranquillity lay Storgatan, dreaming of summer. The chestnut trees were in flower. Not a living being in sight except for the baker's grey cat. Not even the best trained detective eye could see anything indicating that a crime had been committed."
In Emil in Lönneberga you can read the following: "Each year on the last Wednesday in October there was a market in Vimmerby and then the town came alive from early morning to late at night, I can assure you."
In Madicken Astrid describes the town's hotel in the following way: "It looks so beautiful with cressets on the steps, yes, it's almost like coming to a Fairy tale palace", says Madicken. "What a party there must be in such a wonderful place."
Some time ago Astrid was walking through the cemetery in Vimmerby and read the names on a gravestone: "Tiny Johan Magnus and Agathes Phalén, brothers, died 1860". She knew then that she would write a book that would be about two brothers and about death. The book was called "The Brothers Lionheart".