Gotland — An island lost in time

The largest island in the Baltic Sea, Gotland, with its rich history and beautiful nature, has been a crossroads of many cultures for centuries.

[Photo: Agneta Bremmers from Pixabay]

The island of Gotland — larger than the entire country of Luxembourg — is the largest island in the Baltic Sea. It is 140 kilometers long, 50 kilometers wide at its widest central part and narrows at both ends. Although its central tip lies at the same latitude as the city of Juneau in Alaska, Gotland has more days of sunshine than any other place in northern Europe, thanks to its offshore location and warm currents.

• The popular Swedish children’s television series about Pippi Longstocking was filmed entirely on Gotland, primarily in the town of Visby.
• There are as many as 92 medieval churches on the island, built between the 12th and 15th centuries.
• Gotland’s coastline stretches for 800 kilometers.
• The iconic Mästerby chair manufactured by the Swedish company IKEA owes its name to the town of Mästerby on Gotland.

Medieval Week in Visby

Visby- [Photo: David Mark from Pixabay]