Sjöbo Kommun
On the edge of Österlen
The municipality of Sjöbo Kommun is located relatively centrally in the southern part of the province of Skåne Län and forms in parts the northwestern area of the well-known region of Österlen.
Like many landscapes in Skåne, large parts of Sjöbo Kommun are relatively flat or consist of an extremely shallow hilly terrain. The entire north-east is characterised by agricultural use and one field borders on the next, with individual houses and farms in between. It is only in the south-western part of the municipality that one encounters larger wooded areas, mostly consisting of beech and other deciduous trees.
The main town, the city of Sjöbo, is located almost centrally in the municipality and geographically so convenient that it was once the junction of train connections to Malmö, Simrishamn and Landskrona. Thanks to the railway station built in 1893 and the new train connections, Sjöbo developed into the centre of the region at the beginning of the 20th century, with a population that continues to grow today, even though the tracks and the station have long ceased to exist.
Nature & sights in Sjöbo Kommun
There are a total of 16 nature reserves, either in whole or in part, in the municipality of Sjöbo Kommun. They protect a variety of landscapes, from small stands of trees and wet meadows to long river courses, some of which invite you to go for long walks or short hikes. In the far south, the region has several medium-sized and beautiful lakes, such as Snogeholmssjön or Sövdesjön. To the west is the large lake Vombsjön with a long sandy beach, a bathing place of only two in the municipality.
In addition to numerous museums and the nature reserves already mentioned, you will also find several medieval churches from the 12th and 13th centuries in the area of Sjöbo Kommun. Södra Åsums Gamla Kyrka, in particular, is still almost in the same condition as when it was built. Other historical sites to discover are the castle Övedsklosters Slott or the living open-air museum Kulturens Östarp.
Sjöbo Kommun in figures
The municipality of Sjöbo Kommun covers an area of 506 square kilometres, of which just under 15 square kilometres are water surfaces such as lakes and rivers. A total of almost 19,500 people live in the region, and the population density is just under 40 inhabitants per square kilometre. Compared to the entire province of Skåne Län, with an average of 124 inhabitants per square kilometre, Sjöbo Kommun is relatively sparsely populated.
Nearly 8,000 people live in the main town of Sjöbo alone, followed by the second largest town of Blentarp with about 1,500 inhabitants. The majority of the remaining population is currently scattered among seven other so-called Tätorters and 14 Småorters, places with more than 200 respectively 50 inhabitants.