The village has a population of approximately 700 inhabitants. In the village school, children up to the age of 12 are educated in a school building dating back to the 19th century. A preschool and a recreation centre are situated next to the school. The local football club, Rinkaby GOIF, activates both junior and senior practicians.

In 1971 Rinkaby became part of the municipality of Kristianstad. Between 1967 and 1974 there was a mergence of smaller municipalities, which led to the formation of the overall municipality of Kristianstad as it stands today.

A place with lineage

The history of Rinkaby is lined with agricultural and military traditions. Ancient remains show that the area was populated already during the Stone Age. The name “Rinkaby” is probably derived from the word “rekkr”, meaning “man” or “warrior”. Many villages with a “-by”-ending can often be traced back to the time of the Vikings, but it is likely that Rinkaby got its name even earlier. It is commonly known as “the Village of the Warriors”.

The village church was built in the mid 13th century. The church vaults are covered with unique lime paintings, where Adam and Eve are pictured as a farming couple. Inside the church you can also see an astronomical clock, which is built on the assumption that the earth is the centre of the universe. The oldest item in the church is a bronze crucifix, dating back to the 9th century. It is only exposed at the altar during church services. The baptismal front, carved out of sandstone, is dated back to the year 1200.

Agricultural traditions

Rinkaby has been, and still is, a district where agriculture has great importance. People living in the open landscape have cultivated the shore of the lake for thousands of years. In the 17th and 18th century, farmers grew mostly rye, barley, buckwheat, potato and peas. In 1751 there were 29 registered farms in Rinkaby. Throughout the 19th century, farmers grew mostly potato and tobacco. The area around Åhus and Rinkaby was one of the main centres of production of tobacco in Sweden. The last tobacco plants for commercial purposes were harvested in Rinkaby in the 1960s.

Varied commerce

The tradition of agriculture is still strong in Rinkaby, although today it is mainly focussed on rearing livestock, the Black Angus. Another strong branch of industry is ventilation and sanitation. There are some shops in Rinkaby, including Minas Chokladstudio where you can experience the delights of chocolate, and Gittes Tygkälla which is an old farm converted into a 700 square metres shop selling fabric.

From soldiers to scouts

Just outside the village, Rinkabyfältet is situated. This is 800 hectare of military training and shooting ground located between Åhus and Rinkaby. When Kristianstad had two regiments, the ground was often used by the military. But today it is known to be an excellent site for scout camps.

In 2001, Sweden’s biggest scout camp so far took place at Rinkabyfältet. A total of 27 000 Scouts from all over the world participated in this big meeting. In 2007, Rinkaby once again hosted a scout camp, named Jiingijamborii. Jiingi is Lappish and means versatile. The name Jiingijamborii can be pronounced both in Swedish and in English, which is important for the international guests.

In 2011 it is planned that an even bigger scout camp is going to take place in Rinkaby. Sweden is hosting the World Scout Jamboree and is expecting more than 30 000 participants.

Unfortunately there are dark memories too from Rinkabyfältet. Here, German and Baltic prisoners of war were given up to the Soviet Union in 1945.

Rinkaby has strong motives to be preserved. The village illustrates a cultural landscape with characteristics derived from the agricultural activities during the 19th century. The barns are symbolic monuments of the important cultivation of tobacco, and Rinkabyfältet is a historical military document.