Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [112]
In summer the tourist office also organises two-hour guided walking tours of the town (Skr80), with English-language walks up to four times a week.
The ruins of 10 medieval churches, all located within the town walls, include St Nicolai Kyrka, built in 1230 by Dominican monks. The monastery was burned down when Lübeckers attacked Visby in 1525. The Helge And Kyrka ruin is the only stone-built octagonal church in Sweden, built in 1200, possibly by the Bishop of Riga; the roof collapsed after a fire in 1611. On Stora Torget, St Karins Kyrka has a beautiful Gothic interior and was founded by Franciscans in 1233. The church was extended in the early 14th century, but the monastery was closed by the Reformation and the church fell into disrepair.
The ruins contrast with the stoic Sankta Maria kykra (Cathedral of St Maria; 8am-9pm Sun-Fri, to 7pm Sat late Jun-early Aug; 8am-7pm early–late Jun & early Aug-late Sep; 8am-5pm Mon-Wed & Fri, 8am-6pm Sat, 9am-8pm Sun late Sep-early Jun). Built in the late 12th and early 13th centuries and heavily touched up over the centuries, its whimsical towers are topped by baroque cupolas. Soak up the beautiful stained-glass windows, carved floor slabs and the ornate carved reredos. Alongside several of the ruins, the cathedral is used for intimate music concerts (tickets Skr200-300) in summer. Check the tourist office website for details.
Gotlands Fornsal (29 27 00; www.lansmuseetgotland.se; Strandgatan 14; adult/under 19yr Skr75/free; 10am-6pm Fri-Wed, to 7pm Thu Jun–mid-Sep, noon-4pm Tue-Sun mid-Sep–May) is one of the mightiest regional museums in Sweden. While highlights include amazing 8th-century pre-Viking picture stones, human skeletons from chambered tombs and medieval wooden sculptures, the star turn is the legendary Spillings horde. At 70kg it’s the world’s largest booty of preserved silver treasure. Included in the ticket price is entry to the nearby Konstmuseum (29 27 75; Sankt Hansgatan 21; adult/under 19yr Skr50/free; 11am-5pm mid-Jun–mid-Aug, noon-4pm Tue-Sun mid-Aug–mid-Jun), which has a small permanent collection that primarily focuses on Gotland-inspired 19th- and 20th-century art. More exciting are the temporary exhibitions, which often showcase contemporary local artists.
Sleeping
STF Vandrarhem Visby/Rävhagen (24 04 50; info@resestugan.se; dm from Skr175, s/d from Skr350/400; year-round) This leafy hostel is 3km southeast of the town centre, just off Rd 143.
Fängelse Vandrarhem (20 60 50; Skeppsbron 1; dm from Skr180, d from Skr240) As hard to get into as it once was to get out of, this hostel offers beds year-round in the small converted cells of an old prison. It’s in a handy location, between the ferry dock and the harbour restaurants, and there’s a cute terrace bar in summer. Reserve well in advance and always call ahead before arriving to ensure someone can let you in.
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THE ISLAND OF CHURCHES
Gotland boasts the highest concentration of medieval churches in northern Europe. A God-pleasing 92 inhabit villages outside Visby; more than 70 still harbour medieval frescos and a few also contain extremely rare medieval stained glass. Visby alone has a dozen church ruins and a fairy-tale cathedral.
A church was built in most villages between the early 12th century and the mid-14th century, Gotland’s golden age of trading. After 1350 war and struggle saw the money run out and the tradition end. Ironically, it was the lack of funds that helped keep the island in an ecclesiastical time warp; the old churches weren’t demolished, and new ones weren’t constructed until 1960. Each church is still in use, and the posse of medieval villages still exist as entities.
Most churches are open 9am to 6pm daily from mid-May to late August. Some churches have the old key in the door even before 15 May, or sometimes the key is hidden above the door.
The Churches in the Diocese of Visby is a particularly useful English-language