Granne påle
Tidaholm
"Granne påle" is a red-painted wooden road signpost from the 18th century. The original road sign is said to have been placed when Queen Christina took the wrong turn at the crossroads.
Wooden Road Signpost
In the four-way intersection between Ekedalen, Dimbo, Varv, and Kungslena stands the road signpost known as "Granne påle." This red-painted wooden signpost from the 18th century features a forged crown. It indicates the four cardinal directions and specifies which road leads where. The north side is marked with the text "Wägen till Borgunda" (The road to Borgunda), the south side reads "Wägen till Dimbo" (The road to Dimbo), the west side says "Wägen till Hvarf" (The road to Hvarf), and the east side has the text "Wägen till Acklinga" (The road to Acklinga), all spelled according to the contemporary spelling conventions.
History
According to the 1734 innkeeper's ordinance, signposts were to be set up wherever the road led "to a city, parish, mill, seaport, or any other notable location." These signposts were made of wood, stone, or cast iron, depending on the material readily available. Only a few wooden signposts have been preserved, and "Granne påle" is one of them. These signposts were often placed on top of stacked stone cairns. Old road signposts, as fixed ancient monuments, have been protected by law since 1943.
Copies in the Municipality
The signpost known as "Granne påle" that stands in its current location is a replica of the original road sign. There are also copies of "Granne påle" displayed on Turbinhusön in Tidaholm's center and in the roundabout at the southern entrance to Tidaholm on road 26.
Like the original, the latter also stands at an intersection where four roads meet.
