Ljungby is the central locality of Ljungby Municipality, Kronoberg County, Sweden, with 15,785 inhabitants in 2015.

Ljungby was instituted in 1829 as a köping, or market town, and did not become a municipality of its own when the first local government acts took effect in 1863, but retained part of the surrounding rural municipality of the same name. In 1936 Ljungby got the title stad, Swedish for Town or City. Since 1971 Ljungby is the seat of Ljungby Municipality.

Much of the town center was destroyed in the city fire of 1953. At the time of the rebuilding, the modern style used, characterized by among other Hotel Terazza, still remains controversial locally.

Business and education

The regional paper Smålänningen’s head office in central Ljungby.Högskolecentrum Ljungby has its premises on the second floor of the building “Garvaren”.

Among the industries in Ljungby there are Svetruck, Electrolux Laundry Systems, Strålfors, Ljungby Maskin, CTC Enertech, HP Tronic and LL-Skogsmaskiner. Ljungby is also home to the daily regional newspaper Smålänningen. There are also several smaller and niche companies located in Ljungby.

The Ljungby library was designed by Jan Wallinder and finished construction in 1982.

Gymnasium

There are two gymnasiums in Ljungby municipality; Sunnerbogymnasiet and Ryssbygymnasiet.

Sunnerbogymnasiet is the largest with about 1’300 students and offers education in Social Science, Natural Science, Engineering, Construction, Aesthetics, Handicraft, and Business and Administration.

Ryssbygymnasiet lies about 30 kilometers outside Ljungby in the small village Ryssby. It offers education in Hotel, restaurant and catering, Hunting and wildlife management, Nature and adventure tourism, and Forestry.

College

Since 2002 there is a small college in Ljungby, Centre for Information Logistic and Högskolecentrum Ljungby, in cooperation with Linnaeus University, Jönköping University, and Halmstad University. The college offers a variety of programs and courses in the three areas of information logistics, marketing and sales, and product development.

Culture

Museum of Legends, a small museum dedicated to oral storytelling, fairy tales and folklore.Kronoberg’s museum of visual art, Ljungberg Museum, designed by Pontus Ljungberg.

Ljungby have been the home of several different cultural personalities. Among others, the cinematographer Gunnar Fischer and the writers Folke Fridell, Lennart Williams, and Sölve Rydell.

The Ljungberg Museum is since 2012 Kronoberg County’s official museum of visual art. The museum’s permanent exhibition feature Sven Ljungberg and Ann Margret Dahlquist-Ljungberg’s artistic achievements. They do also have continuously special exhibitions with other major Swedish and Nordic artists.

The internationally renowned painter Erik Ortvad had his home during the second half of his life in Kvänjarp just outside Ljungby. The painter and sculptor Albert von Stockenström lived and died in Ljungby. Current painter Kenneth Sjöö live in Ljungby.

The Museum of Legends is a small museum dedicated to oral storytelling, fairy tales and folklore. The museum is run by the UNESCO accredited advisorStorytelling Network Kronoberg who also arrange the yearly Ljungby Storytelling Festival.

Churches and religious communities

The exterior of Ljungby Church.Annelundkyrkan located at Skogskyrkogården cemetery.

Church of Sweden

Ljungby församling

Ljungby assembly belongs to Ljungby parish in the diocese of Växjö. The congregation was formed in the Middle Ages with their first stone church being built in the 12th century. Ljungby assembly’s current church, Ljungby Church, was built between 1858–1859 and inaugurated on September 8, 1861, by bishop Henrik Gustaf Hultman.

The newly built church had a bit of an austere interior, with the only inventory from the old demolished stone church being the middle aged baptismal font and the 18th century longcase clock. The church does however have a few recent artistic embellishments. One of the most eye-catching objects being the gilded altarpiece by Sven Ljungberg featuring Christ’s way on via Dolorosa.

Ljungby Maria Församling

Ljungby Maria assembly belongs to Ljungby parish. The assembly was created when Ljungby assembly was split in 2002. The church Mariakyrkan was designed by architect Agneta Holmqvist and opened in 2001 to be the new assembly’s main church.

Annelundkyrkan

Annelundkyrkan operates as the district church for Ljungby’s Annelund district and as a funeral church as it is located at the Skogskyrkogården cemetery. The church was designed by county architect Hans Lindén and opened on July 2, 1972. The church is decorated by Åke Wremp and woodcarver Eva Spångberg. The church does also have a rich mural by Sven Ljungberg.

Other

Churches and communities that belongs to other religious communities:

• Pingstkyrkan i Ljungby
• Betelkyrkan EFK
• Missionskyrkan
• Sankt Stefans katolska kapell
• Markuskyrkan, LBK
• Allianskyrkan