Gallows Hill
Just outside the center of Hässleholm, in the hilly forest area near Lilla Torsjö, rises a small hill long known by its evocative name: Galgbacken – “the Gallows Hill.” At first glance, the place may look like any other wooded rise – a calm patch of nature with pines, winding paths, and views toward the edge of town. But beneath the surface, and in the name itself, lie stories of justice, death, and the passage of time.The name Galgbacken appears in many places across Sweden and almost always marks an execution site. Here, on Hässleholm’s Galgbacke, criminals are believed to have once paid the ultimate price for their crimes – sometimes by hanging, sometimes by beheading. Old accounts from the area, recorded in the 1940s, tell how locals once avoided the hill after dark, saying that a “peculiar stillness” hung over the ground where the gallows once stood.During the 20th century, human skeletal remains were discovered in the area, strengthening the belief that the site was indeed used for executions. In Hässleholm’s cultural heritage program, Galgbacken is listed as a historically significant site – a reminder of a time when justice was carried out in full public view, often more as a display of power than as an act of law. The hill’s placement was no coincidence; execution grounds were typically located on elevated spots just outside town, where the gallows could be seen from afar as a warning to others.Today, Galgbacken forms part of a larger green area where nature has reclaimed the old site of punishment. The forest has grown thick around the rounded hill, and few people are aware of what once took place there. In modern times, the area has also served other purposes – notably as a shooting range – which has left traces in the form of high lead concentrations in the soil. Environmental surveys conducted by the municipality in 2025 revealed that while the contamination does not affect drinking water, people should avoid ingesting soil, and children and dogs should not play in the most polluted areas.Despite its grim history, Galgbacken is now a place of reflection and natural beauty. Its winding paths attract both hikers and history enthusiasts, and on occasion, the municipality has organized guided city walks that include Galgbacken as a dramatic stop in Hässleholm’s story.Standing on the hill today, among the pines and the quiet moss, is to stand on ground where layers of time meet – where human justice, the reclamation of nature, and the growth of the town intertwine. Galgbacken in Hässleholm is not only a piece of local history; it is a reminder of how our society once viewed crime and punishment – and how, in the end, nature takes everything back.
