The largest in the Baltic Sea is the island of Gotland. It is approximately 100 km from the mainland of Sweden and is the largest island in this country. The total area of Gotland is 2994 square kilometers. The island is represented in the form of a plateau composed of sandstones and Silurian limestones. The highest point of Gotland is the Lusta Head (83 m). The prevailing heights on the island do not exceed 50 m. Visby is the main port and city of the island, where many attractions are concentrated.
History of the main city of the island
When exactly the main city of modern Gotland - Visby was born, it is not known for certain. However, there are facts that indicate that the settlement here existed in the Stone Age. The first residents of Visby were the Vikings. And the name of the village literally translates as "a village near Vi."
The city began to develop most actively during the Middle Ages. The 12th century was the time of the construction of numerous Christian churches. In the same period, various monastic orders erected many schools. However, to our time, none of these buildings has been preserved, only some of them left ruins. The greatest harm was done to the churches and schools of the city during the Lübeck invasion of the island of Gotland in the 16th century. Then only the Cathedral of St. Mary managed to survive.
The heyday of Visby is the 13th century. Then the city was part of the mighty Hanseatic League, as well as the most important economic and commercial center of Europe. It was in those days that the construction of the fortified ring wall began, which today still surrounds the Swedish town.
The 14th and 16th centuries were marked by numerous troubles for Visby - the plague, famine due to crop failures, the invasion of the Swedish king, the conquest of pirates, many years of hostility between local merchants and merchants from Lübeck, as a result of which the city was burned down by the last. Economic and cultural life in Visby was established only in the 19th century. This was due to the emergence of local residents interest in their historical monuments. Today, the city is a popular tourist resort among travelers from around the world.
Raukara - famous natural attractions of Gotland
The fact that Gotland is the largest island in the Baltic Sea is not its only feature. Indeed, on its territory are located one of the most famous natural wonders of the world - raukara. They are presented in the form of pillars of a bizarre shape, which amaze with their grandeur and beauty. Their formation was promoted by such natural elements as water and wind, constantly affecting the coastal cliffs. The largest raucar that the island of Gotland has on its territory is Hoburgsgubben. It is located at a distance of about 100 km from Visby. From afar, this raukar resembles the head of an old man.
Not far from Lergrav Harbor is the Lergrav raukomrade raukar district, which is 1000 meters long and 200 meters wide. Here, vacationers love to roam, reflecting on the meaning of life. The most famous raucar of the area is Porten. Not far from here is a fishing village, where tourists often stop by to look at the preserved old stove, in which lime was once burned.
Gotland Botanical Garden
The Botanical Garden is another famous attraction that the island of Gotland (Sweden) has on its territory. It was founded in 1856 by the bathing society - a gentleman's club formed with the purpose of charity. By the way, the first school and bank in Gotland were founded by the same society. The botanical garden is located next to the Gate of Love in the northwestern part of the city wall.
Tourists who visit the park from July to August have the opportunity to enjoy the aromas that come from the numerous herbs, trees and rosary. Exotic plants for the Scandinavian countries grow on the territory of the botanical garden, including mulberry, walnut, ginkgo and many others. Among the lush vegetation of the park are the ruins of St. Olof’s Church and a pond with many water lilies, where visitors to the facility like to relax.
Gotland Museums
The Museum of History is another attraction located on the island of Gotland (Sweden). All about Gotland, or at least a lot, you can find out here! The museum holds many archaeological finds of the Viking era, exhibits of the Stone and Middle Ages, huge collections of silver and gold treasures. A permanent exhibition called Gotlandium provides visitors with comprehensive information on the formation of the island of Gotland, the gradual change in its landscape, and the peculiarities of the formation of raukars. The smallest tourists who arrived on the island of Gotland with their parents are delighted with what they saw in the center of modern science - Fenomenalen.
Another place worth noting is the art gallery located in the center of Visby. It occupies a separate building, erected in the middle of the century before last. The museum's collection includes the best works of art that depict the beauty of Gotland. Often, temporary exhibitions of contemporary artists are organized here.
Fans of rare vehicles should also visit the automobile museum, which was created by enthusiast Mats Andersson. Here you can see cars and motorcycles that were produced from the 19th to the 20th century.
City wall
The city wall is the brightest man-made object that the island of Gotland has on its territory. The sights of many other cities located in Northern Europe are dimming compared to it. The wall is 3.5 km long and 11 m high. It was built from sandstone at the end of the 13th century. The tower wall is adorned for 12-14 centuries, there are about 30 of them. The oldest is the Powder Tower (Kruttornet), whose height is 18 m. In the summer months, tourists have the opportunity to visit this facility.
Cathedral of St. Mary and the ruins of the monastery of St. Nicholas
The Cathedral of St. Mary is the only object preserved to this day, erected here in the Middle Ages. Moreover, services are held there today. The cathedral is one of the most ancient structures that have been preserved in the city of Visby, and by the way, there are not so many of them. The church was built in 1225 at the expense of merchants and sailors from Germany. In the same year, she was consecrated by Bishop Berntt Magnusson of Linkoping. Initially, the cathedral was a Romanesque basilica with a western tower, apse and transept. However, as a result of numerous reconstructions, the church became larger in area, and two eastern towers and choirs appeared in it. The status of the cathedral was assigned to it in 1572.
There were many in the territory of Gotland and other holy places, but most of them left nothing, and some only ruins. The Monastery of St. Nicholas, founded in Visby in 1228, is one of the latter. Today, theater and musical productions are often organized among its ruins, and the Gotland Chamber Music Festival is held annually, which attracts fans of this musical direction not only from Sweden, but also from many other countries of the world.