Page 151 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sweden

EASTERN GÖ T ALAND  149

E Flygvapenmuseum
4 km (3 miles) west of the centre.
Tel 013-28 35 67. Open Sep–May:
Tue–Sun; Jun–Aug: daily. & 8
phone for details. - =
4 Göta Canal
See pp150–51.

5 Medevi Brunn
Vadstena Slott, built in 1545 for protection against the Danes
Östergötland. Road 50. £ @ n
0141-911 00. _ Grötlunken marching 6 Vadstena
band processions (Jun/Jul). in 1595, and Vadstena
Östergötland. Road 50. * 5,500. Klosterkyrka (1430). This abbey
In the 17th-century the scientist £ @ n Castle, 0143-31571. church houses the relics of
and doctor Urban Hjärne _ St Bridget Festival (3rd week in St Bridget and a life-like wooden
analyzed water from the Medevi May), Vadstena Academy Opera sculpture of the saint. It is also
spring and declared it to be performances (Jul). ∑ vadstena.com the site of the Pax Mariae
“superior to other medication”. convent, which was founded
Thus began the transformation Situated on Lake Vättern, in the 1980s and is home to
of Medevi Brunn into a health Vadstena is dominated by the around ten nuns.
spa. Today, the season at Medevi abbey, which dates back to
starts at Midsummer and lasts the 14th century and St Bridget, Environs
for seven weeks, during which and the mid-16th-century castle Less than 20 km (12 miles)
time the traditional brass of the Vasa kings. Cobbled south of Vadstena towards
sextet Brunnsorkester streets, wooden buildings and Skänninge is Bjälbo Kyrka,
performs daily concerts. glorious gardens add to the a late-12th-century church.
South of Medevi, on the edge town’s character. Bjälbo is said to be the birth-
of Lake Vättern, lies Övralid, the The stately Vadstena Slott place of the founder of
former home of poet and Nobel was built in 1545 as a fortress Stockholm, Birger Jarl.
laureate Verner von Heidenstam against the Danes and is
(1859–1940). Designed by Heid- surrounded by a moat. As well P Vadstena Slott
enstam himself, the house has as being a museum, the castle 100 m (110 yd) SW of the centre.
stunning views across the lake. also hosts opera, theatre Tel 0143-62 16 00. Open Sep–May:
performances and concerts. Mon–Fri; Jun–Aug: daily. &
P Övralid The abbey area encompasses 8 Jun–Aug. =
10 km (6 miles) N of Motala, Road 50. the original abbey, Vadstena R Vadstena Klosterkyrka
Tel 0141-22 05 56, 22 00 36. Open 15 Kloster, established in 1384 and Open daily. Tel 0143-31570, 0143-
May–31 Aug: daily. & 8 10am–5pm dissolved after the Reformation 298 50. 5 Sun. 8 Jun–Aug. 7
on the hour. -
St Bridget, Sweden’s Patron Saint
At the age of only 13, Bridget (c.1303–73) was married to local
dignitary Ulf Gudmarsson. She became lady of the manor of Ulvåsa in
Östergötland and the mother of eight children. Even as a child, she
had religious visions and as an adult
made pilgrimages to Santiago de
Compostela in Spain in 1341–2, Rome
in 1349 and Jerusalem in 1372–3.
Some of her visions also had political
themes and Bridget became
influential in the political arena.
In 1370 she gained the Pope’s
permission to found a monastic order,
the Brigittine Order. The first nuns
were ordained in 1384. Bridget died
on returning to Rome following her
pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Her remains
were taken to Vadstena in 1374.
Canonized in 1391, Bridget is the
patron saint of Sweden, and in 1999 Sculpture of St Bridget in Vadstena
Medevi Brunn, the first health spa in the became the patron saint of Europe. Klosterkyrka
Nordic countries

148-149_EW_Sweden.indd 149 11/07/16 11:43 am