Gothenburg, Sweden’s famed fish market, known as the Fish Church, or Feskekörka is closing, and a mass movement to save it is growing fast, with 25,000 signatures in the first two days after the city announced it would close pending “an investigation of its future development.”
The Fish Church, whose name comes from its appearance, was built in 1874 to consolidate the city’s fish markets. Designed by Victor van Gegerfelt, it’s been ranked as the #2 tourism attraction in the northern city. Many of the vendors at the market have been there for generations, and say they have been given little notice and less information as to what will happen.
Higab, the city’s property-managing arm, has given few details and has not committed to whether or not the market has a place in its plans once the building is renovated. Its only statement said “The goal is to create the conditions for a business which, while respecting the building’s cultural and historical significance, can create as much value as possible for the building’s operators, Higab and Gothenburg City.” It would not even say how long the renovation would take once it starts early next year.
